▁build ers ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 1 ▁he ▁decl ined ▁an ▁appointment ▁in ▁R ut gers ▁as ▁professor ▁of ▁mathematics , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁dev ote ▁himself ▁to ▁this ▁business . ▁His ▁mechanical ▁constru ctions ▁were ▁different ▁from ▁former ▁ones , ▁and , ▁having ▁proved ▁superior ▁to ▁all ▁others , ▁were ▁generally ▁adopted . ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 9 ▁the ▁“ SS ▁Sav ann ah ,” ▁with ▁an ▁engine ▁of ▁his ▁building , ▁made ▁the ▁first ▁steam ship ▁voyage ▁across ▁the ▁Atlantic , ▁and ▁returned ▁in ▁safety ▁after ▁visit ing ▁England ▁and ▁Russia . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 2 1 , ▁D od ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁re put ed ▁the ▁most ▁successful ▁engine ▁builder ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁In ▁ 1 8 2 3 , ▁having ▁alter ed ▁the ▁mach in ery ▁of ▁a ▁steam bo at , ▁he ▁went ▁on ▁board ▁to ▁witness ▁the ▁effect ▁of ▁his ▁repair ▁by ▁a ▁trial ▁trip ▁on ▁the ▁East ▁River . ▁The ▁bo iler ▁expl oded , ▁and ▁so ▁sever ely ▁injured ▁D od ▁that ▁he ▁died ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁there after . ▁ ▁Family ▁Th ad de us ▁D od , ▁a ▁Pres by ter ian ▁minister , ▁was ▁his ▁uncle . ▁ ▁Notes ▁▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Att ribution ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : 1 7 8 8 ▁birth s ▁Category : 1 8 2 3 ▁death s ▁Category : Engine ers ▁from ▁Virginia ▁Category : 1 9 th - century ▁American ▁engine