Joshua C. Stoddard (August 26, 1814, in

Pawlet, Vermont Pawlet is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,424 at the 2020 census. History Pawlet was one of the New Hampshire Grants, chartered from Benning Wentworth, Governor of colonial New Hampshire. The charter was g ...

– April 5, 1902) was an American inventor. He was educated at public schools, and became noted as an

apiarist A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees, a profession known as beekeeping. The term beekeeper refers to a person who keeps honey bees in beehives, boxes, or other receptacles. The beekeeper does not control the creatures. The beekeeper o ...

. He also turned his attention to inventing, and on October 9, 1855, patented () the steam

calliope In Greek mythology, Calliope ( ; ) is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Hesiod and Ovid called her the "Chief of all Muses". Mythology Calliope had two famous sons, OrpheusH ...

, used on

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

steamboats. It was referred to in some newspapers as the "steam piano," with Stoddard and several financial backers forming the American Steam Music Company in

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the list of United States cities by population, 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester ...

in 1856. His first instrument, consisting of a steam boiler, a set of valves, and fifteen graded steam whistles played from a pinned cylinder, reportedly could be heard for a range of . The Worcester City Council banned him from playing it within the city limits because it was so loud. Subsequent models, including those improved by colleague Arthur S. Denny, included more whistles and a keyboard. He also invented the Stoddard horse-rake, patented in 1879. More than 100,000 of his rakes were produced. Other inventions included a fruit-paring machine, a hay-tedder, and a fire escape system, patented 1884.

References

1814 births 1902 deaths 19th-century American inventors American beekeepers American people of French-Canadian descent People from Pawlet, Vermont Place of death missing {{Bee-stub