Stephen Decatur Engle

Stephen D. Engle (18 December 1837—24 January 1921) was an American inventor known as the creator of the "Engle Monumental Clock," a clockwork described at the time as The 8th Wonder of The World.

Engle was born on December 18, 1837, in Sugarloaf Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, to William Engle (1801–1858) and Mary Davis Engle (1803–1873). His father was a watchmaker as well as a farmer, and Stephen followed in his steps.

In his youth, Engle had access to no educational opportunities beyond what the common schools of that era provided. However, he developed a strong passion for reading, particularly in the space of scientific literature, which led to him acquiring exceptional knowledge and intelligence.

Engle served with the "emergency men" when the rebels entered Pennsylvania in 1863. He also studied and for a number of years, practiced dentistry in connection with his business as a jeweler.

One of his inventions is "Engle's Patent for Securing Porcelain Teeth to Gold and Silver Plates." The "Association for the Protection of the Rights of Dentists" officially approved this device. Another invention is "Engle's Dust Proof Watch Case," affording such protection to the movement as would not now be dispensed with by manufacturers of the host watches. The first astronomical, musical, and apostolic clock, ever built in the United States, was invented and built by Engle.

In 1878, Joel Cook, an editor of the Public Ledger of Philadelphia, while visiting Strasbourg, France, saw the renowned Strasbourg clock. Comparing this clock with Engle's clock, Cook in his book A Holiday Tour in Europe, stated, "The Engle clock, which has been exhibited in Philadelphia, is not so large, and yet does all that this clock does, and much more, and does it better."

Engle also invented "Engle's Tellurion", a clock surmounted by a mechanism that depicts how day, night, and the seasons are caused by the rotation and orientation of Earth on its axis and its orbit around the Sun. It is the only apparatus yet in existence that shows the true motion of Earth around the sun in an actual ellipse.

Egnle lived in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. He was married to Martha Ann Grenawalt (29 Nov 1840—24 Oct 1910), the daughter of Joseph Ggrenawait, a wealthy and public figure in Hazleton.

Engle died on January 24, 1921, in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. He was 83.