Abner Doble - Early Years

Early Years

Doble began apprenticing at his family's factory at the age of eight. During the years between 1906 and 1909, while still attending high school, Doble and his brothers John, Warren, and Bill built their first steam car in their parents' basement. It was composed of parts taken from a wrecked White steamer, but reconfigured to drive an engine of their own design. Though it did not run well, the Doble brothers went on to build a second and third prototype in the following years.

In 1909 Doble graduated from high school in California and went to college at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He dropped out after less than a year of studies, and, with his brother, began to design his own steam car. By 1912 they had built their first car in Waltham, Massachusetts. The car was based on an American Underslung chassis, their own engine and a Stanley Steamer boiler.

Waltham was near to the Stanley works and its factory at Watertown practically across the river. Doble attempted to interest the Stanley twins in his condensing boiler. However, Francis would not hire Doble because he didn't trust him. Although recognized as a steam genius, Doble was considered by some as extremely arrogant and conceited.