Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-05-24
THE STORY OF RUMSEY.


American some years ago:
Long and unseliish as has been The
struggle TO establish the claim OF Rumsey
10 the achievement OF navigating success
fully the first boat by steam, and the sub
sequent fight born of a determination TO
give some tangible expression TO States
pride in his fame. this effort is small IN
comparison TO the bitter and unrequlted
struggles OF the man himself to convince
an incredulous and mocking people that
he had mastered, crudely, it's now appar-
ent, but effectively, an element whose
possibilities had been the dream OF blaSco
de Garay, ihe Spaniard; the Marquis OF
Worcester, DR.. Papin, Jonathan Hulls;
Bernouilli and Genevois, Frenchman and
Swede; Count de Auxeron and Marquis
de Jeouifuroy.
Treated with lofty yet good humored
tolerance by the educated people OF his
adopted State, openly derided and scorned
by many, whose "Crazy old Rumsey and
his flying boat" greeted him throughout
the entire period OF his preliminary ex-
periments, the man yet lived to step from
his craft to receive highest honors from
the Assembly of Virginia, and TO cross the
seas to the English capital TO be accorded
the most flattering attention by the then
famous and learned members OF the SocI-
ETY. OF Arts in the Adelphi.
The history of Rumsey'S early lie IS
one ofhardsbip, privation and unremlttlng
labor, through all of which he bore HIM
self with that patience, determination and
answering purpose which was the in
heritance OF his Scottish blood. His great
grandfather, Charles Rumsey, emigrated
10 America from Wales in 1865, and set
tied near the head waters OF what was
called the Bohemia River, in Cecil county,
Md. His grandfather, Edward RumSey,
born in 1903, was the youngest OF eight
children, and married al very early age
a lady named Douglas, OF Scotch lineage.
The eldest son OF this union, Edward
Rumsey, Ir., was the father OF Jas. Rum
sey; who was the second OF three sons.
The exact date OF James Rumsey's birth
has never been definitely settled, but is
given upon reliable authority as March.
l743. His mother was before marriage
Miss Anna Cowman, of Maryland. His
birthplace was Bohemian Manor, in Cecil
county, Nd. His father, a farmer OF lin
ited means with three children, was un-
able to give his offspring many educa-
tional advantages, but this does not aP-
pear to have initiated greatly against
lanes Rumsey, who was described as
youth of remarkable will power, strong
mind and retentive memory. Although
denied the advantages OF superior edu-
cation he was known as young man OF
studious habits, OF frugal and industrious
nature and with natural inclination to-
wards mechanics.
Much of the early manhood OF Rumsey
is clouded in ooscuritY, but he emerged
at the age OF 33 years 10 volunteer for SER
vice in the Revolutionary War, in which
he attracted the attention OF Major Henry
Bedinger, who formed an attachment for
the young man which lasted until the
latter'S death. RumSey served through
out the War for independence, and in
1888 removed to Bath, Berkeley county,
Va, now Berkeley Springs, Morgan
comfy, w. Va. Here he engaged in the
mercantile business, having as partner
a Virginiau, Nicholas Onick. Becoming
dissatisfied with this business, he dispos-
ed of his interest, and then associated
himself with Robert Throgmorton in con-
ducting an inn for visitors who came TO
take the famous mineral baths. II was
while at Bath that Rumscy formed The
acquaintance of George Washington, who
was frequent visitor, and who was i'm
pressed with the mechanical knowledge
displayed by Rumsey.
SO great was the interest displayed in
the plans OF Rumsey by General Wash
ington that in September, 1884, Rumsey
exhibited TO the General working model
of his boat, when w ashington next visite
the springs, and the following imdorse-
ment OF the invention was penned at the
time by him:
81 have seen the model OF RumSey's
boat, constructed TO work against The
stream examined the powers upon which
it acts; been eyewitness 10 an actual ex-
pertinent in running water OF some rapid
ity, and give il as my opinion although
had little faith before that he has dis
covered the act OF working boats by me-
chaniSm and small manual assistance
against rapid currents.
THAT the discovery is Of vast impor-
tance, may be OF the greatest usefulness
in our inland navigation, and il il itsucceeds
Cof which have no doubt the value OF
il is greatly enhanced by the simplicity OF
the works which, when seen and exam
ined, may be executed by the most COM
mon mechanic.
"Given under my hand at the town OF
Bath. county of Berkeley, in the State OF
Virginia, this 7th day of September, 1873.
GEORGE WASHINGTON"
That Rumsey had been working upon
his invention for several years previous
to the time he exhibited the model TO
General Washington appears from a peti-
ton to ithe General Assembly of Mary
land, in 1888, which is on file at Annapo-
lis, and in which is set forth that he had
been for several years prior thereto "en-
gagged with unremtting attention in per-
fecting an engine for propelling boats on
the water by power OF steam." The
number of engines mentioned by him in
u. II.