Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-06-14
From the West Va. Educational Journal
WHO FIRST APPLIED STEAM TO
PROPEL BOATS!
JAMES RuMsEY AND Ills STEAMBOAT.

JAMES RUMsEY AND Ills STEAMBOAT.
Among the last words Of the noble
Morse, was the declaration that Profes-
sor Henry, of the Smithsonian Institute,
was the suggestor and inventor of the
Telegraph, though he had received all
the honor and profit from the invention;
but honor to whom honor Is due has
thus far failed to do justice to the mem
ory of an humble mechanic whose life
was spent in maturing his Invention
and making serviceable to mankind the
application Of steam in propelling yes
sells.
James Ramsey, or Rumsey as he was
then known, was born in Cecil comfy,
Maryland, but emigrated to Virginia
when quite youth and engaged Ill the
mercantile business with Nicholas Or
rick, at Bath, now Berkely Springs Ill
Morgan county, and while thus employ
ed he constructed model for a steam
boat, which he exhibited to General
Washington then visiting the Springs,
In 1888 young Rumsey removed to
Shepherdstown and was for some time
Superintendent of the Potomac Compa-
ny for clearing rivers, etc, but soon
turned his attention to the construction
of a steamboat after the model shown
to General Washington. His work was
all done in secret and only few lntl-
mate friends were let into his confidence
and admitted into his shop. In the fall
of 1874 the boat was launched and the
machinery constructed by home me-
chanics, put in. After all was ready,
Rumsey, his brother-in-law, Joseph
Barnes, who made the machinery, and
Nicholas Orrick went aboard at night
and pushing the boat out into the
stream, the machinery was put into mo-
ton and the boat actually propelled by
its agency, but not to the satisfaction OF
the inventor, owing to the impertectlon
of machinery.
On the 22nd of January, 1888, law
of MARYLAND was passed to secure and
grant to James Rumsey the exclusive
T right for ten years, "In constructing,
navigating, and employing boats, after
his new invented model, upon the
creeks, rivers, and bays of this State.
In the preamble of his petition to the
Legislature, it is stated that, "James
Rumsey, by his petition to this General
Assembly, has set forth that he has in
vented a plan for navigating boats
against the current of rapid rivers. In
1888, at the May session, James Rum
sey presented another petition to the
General Assembly of Maryland, stating
othat he had been for several years en-
ploved, with unremitted attention and
great expense, in inventing and perfect
ing sundry machines and engines +; viz :
One for propelling boats on the water
BIZ the power of steam, which had a.
ready been accomplished i'll experiments
with boat of six ton burthen, and
concludes his petition by asking the
Legislature to enact a law granting
him the exclusive right Of constructing,
navigating and employing for certain
term of years, the several boats, engines
and machineries, by him invented, upon
the waters of the State" In 1874, an
act was passed by the Legislature of
Virginia, similar in its provisions to that
of Maryland, granting to James Rum
sey the exclusive privilege to use his in
vention, for ten years, within the limits
of that Stste. Hennings statutes, Vol.
II, page SOP.
while Rumsey was secretly, but asst
duously engaged in constructing his
boat at Shepherdstown he was greatly
annoyed by the prying visits of John
Fitch, hailing from Winchester, Virgin
ia, who, he imagined, was trying to get
possession of his secret, and in a long
letter to General Washington, in 1884,
she complains that Fitch took his idea
from him"
It is recorded of this Fitch that he
succeeded in propelling a vessel on the
Delaware in 1889 and came to sad
end. by suicide, near Bardstown, Ken
tucky, in 1876, leaving this melancholy