John Northrop Shive (1913 - 1984)

Born 22 Feb 1913 in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland, United States

Ancestors

Died 1 Jun 1984 at age 71 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Philip Smith [send private message]

Biography

John Northrup Shive (February 22, 1913 – June 1, 1984) was an American physicist and inventor. He made notable contributions in electronic engineering and solid-state physics during the early days of transistor development at Bell Telephone Laboratories at Murray Hill, New Jersey. In particular, he produced experimental evidence that holes could diffuse through bulk germanium and not just along the surface as previously thought. This paved the way from Bardeen and Brattain's point contact transistor to Shockley's more robust junction transistor. Shive is best known for inventing the phototransistor in 1948, a device that combines the sensitivity to light of a photodiode and the current gain of a transistor, and for the Shive wave machine in 1959, an educational apparatus used to illustrate wave motion. This is the opening paragraph at Wikipedia. The article goes on to list his publications and patents as well as other material.^[1]

John Northrop Shive was born on 22 Feb. 1913 at Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland, USA. He appeared on the census of 10 Jan. 1920 in the household of his parents, John W. Shive and Kate C. (Northrop) Shive at Highland Park, Middlesex Co., New Jersey.^[2] He appeared on the census of 11 April 1930 in the household of his parents at 1 Rutgers St., New Brunswick, Middlesex Co., New Jersey.^[3] He was educated in 1934 at Rutgers. He received his Phd. in Physics and Mathematics in 1939 at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland.

He married Helen Conner on 23 Nov. 1939.^[4]

He was doing research for a telephone company when he and Helen appeared on the census of 2 April 1940 at 16 Myrtle St., Cranford, Union County, New Jersey.^[5]

In a letter written 11 June 1950 to Herman W. Smith his mother wrote:

Our children, both born in Baltimore, are John Northrop Shive, Feb. 22, 1913, graduated from Rutgers 1934, studied at John Hopkins, Physics and Mathematics Ph.D. 1939, married that year Nov. 23, Helen Conner. Now lives outside Plainfield, N.J. employed by Bell Telephone Laboratories in research.^[4] John and Helen had two children both born in the 1940's.

John invented his wave machine in 1950's. In his position as Director of Education and Training at Bell Labs he wrote a book Similarities of Wave Behavior. In 1959 Bell Telephone Laboratories produced a film highlighting the use of the wave machine and John is the lecturer on this video. Similarities of Wave Behavior.

He lived in 1983 at Lincroft, Monmouth Co., New Jersey.^[6]

John died on 1 June 1984^[6] at age 71 and was buried at Old Tennent Churchyard, Tennent, New Jersey. His memorial has a photo of his headstone shared with Helen.^[7]

Census

10 Jan 1920

Highland Park, Middlesex Co., New Jersey.

• Shive, John W. age 42 b. PA, Plant physiologist, College Farm.
• Kate C. wife age 39 b.NY.
• John Jr. son age 6 b. MD.
• Scott L. son age 4 b. MD.^[2]

11 April 1930

1 Rutgers St., New Brunswick, Middlesex Co., New Jersey.

• Shive, John W. age 53 m. age 30 b. PA, Professor Rutgers College.
• Kate wife age 50 m. age 27 b.NY.
• John N. son age 17 b. MD.
• Scott L. age 14 son b. MD.^[3]

2 April 1940

16 Myrtle St., Cranford, Union County, New Jersey.

• John N Shive 27.
• Helen Shive 26.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ John N Shive at Wikipedia
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Year: 1920; Census Place: Highland Park, Middlesex, New Jersey; Roll: T625_1055; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 6; Image: 190. 1920 US Census. John W Shive,
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Year: 1930; Census Place: New Brunswick, Middlesex, New Jersey; Roll: 1367; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0051; Image: 368.0; FHL microfilm: 2341102. 1930 US Census. John W Shive.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Kate (Northrop) Shive to Herman Willis Smith 11 June 1950. Collection of Phil Smith.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Year: 1940; Census Place: Cranford, Union, New Jersey; Roll: T627_2385; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 20-13. 1940 US Census. John N Shive.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 John Shive.
7. ↑ Dr John Northrop Shive. memorial at Find A Grave.

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Phil Smith for creating WikiTree profile Shive-27.