Stubblefield, Nathan Beverly, 1860-1928

Nathan Bowman Stubblefield was an American inventor from Murray, Kentucky during the latter part of the 19th Century and early part of the 20th Century. He was born at Murray on November 22, 1860. In his youth he was tutored by a governess and later attended a boarding school in Farmington, Kentucky. He also was self-educated in the field science. He patented improvements for the telephone and developed plans for a lamp lighter, electric battery and a mobile radio telephone. He founded the Wireless Telephone Company of America and operated a school called the Nathan Stubblefield Industrial School at Murray. In his later years he became a paranoid disillusioned recluse who became separated from his family, penniless and resided in a small shack near Almo, Kentucky. Stubblefield starved to death on March 28, 1928. Some have claimed him to be the "Father of Broadcasting".

From the description of Nathan B. Stubblefield collection, 1898-1998 (Murray State University). WorldCat record id: 654443113

Inventor, Electrian.

Nathan Stubblefield, an electrician in Murray, Ky., began experimenting with the wireless telephone around 1892, but did not hold his first demonstration of the invention until ten years later. After he showed his neighbors in Calloway County, Ky. the new device, he traveled to Washington, D.C., where he displayed his invention to a number of prominent scientists. On this trip, Stubblefield's trunk containing the wireless was lost, so he returned to Murray to construct another, thereby delaying the receipt of his patent until 1908.

From the description of Copies of clippings [and] material on Nathan B. Stubblefield [microform]. (Murray State University). WorldCat record id: 647804767