Hello,
I think this might be the same Thomas Stephen? Yesterday I visited the Library of Congress and found this very innovative version of the New York City subway map (see attachment). It seems to be a black-and-white photocopy of a color-coded map, designed by "T. Stephen, 1938". I found the copyright notice for a map by "Thomas Stephen" on August 3rd, 1938.
Luckily, "Thomas Stephen" was an unusual name in New York City, so I think this is the guy:
- Passenger records:
-- arrived on the American Trader on 20 Apr 1930; born Glasgow, mother Margaret, stateside friend James Logie
-- April 9th, 1933 signed up as a seaman in NYC, then proceeded to England on the SS Caledonia.
-- left NYC on the Cameronia, arrived in Glasgow on 24th Jul 1933; profession "artist", address 120 Blairbeth Road, Burnside, Glasgow.
-- left Glasgow on the Caledonia, 19th August 1933, to NYC; profession "artist", address 511 Springburn Road, Glasgow
-- left Southampton on the Caledonia, 16th September 1933, bound for NYC, profession "artist".
-- left NYC on the Queen Mary, arriving in Southampton on 10th June 1936.
-- left Southampton, arrived NYC on 27 Jul 1936; born Glasgow "about 1899".
- 1940 Census: aged 41, born in Scotland, living in 256, W 55th Street, New York City, working as "draughtsman" in "combustion engineering";
- 1950 Census: living in 44, 80th Street, married to Edna Stephen, working as "civil engineer" in "makers for boilers for public institution".
It seems the mapmaking was a private project, not his day-job.
Peter