Steamboats on the Hudson: An American Saga

James Rumsey (1743–1792)

This inventor, born in Maryland, began experimenting with using steam to propel boats in the early 1780s and demonstrated on the Potomac, in 1787, what many believe was the first steamboat in the United States.

After witnessing a demonstration of Rumsey's steamboat on September 6, 1784, George Washington provided him with a certificate stating that he considered the discovery to be of "vast importance."

Image source: James Rumsey: Pioneer in Steam Navigation. Scottdale, Pa.: Mennonite Publishing House, 1930.

What George Washington Said About Rumsey's Boats:

After witnessing a demonstration of Rumsey's steamboat on September 6, 1784, George Washington provided him with a certificate stating:

"I have seen the model of Mr. Rumsey's Boats constructed to work against stream; have examined the power upon which it acts; have been an eye witness to an actual experiment in running water of some rapidity, & do give it as my opinion (altho' I had little faith before) that he has discovered the art of propelling Boats, by mechanism & small manual assistance, against rapid currents; that the discovery is of vast importance – may be of the greatest usefulness in our inland navigation - &, if it succeeds, of which I have no doubt, that the value of it is greatly enhanced by the simplicity of the works, which when seen & explained to, might be executed by the most common Mechanics."

Image source: George Washington Papers, 1741-1799, and microfilm (124 reels), MB/FM,973.41,Zw3w21p.

John Fitch (1743–1798)

This metal craftman and inventor was born in Connecticut. He constructed four different steamboats between 1785 and 1796, demonstrating, in part, the feasibility of using steam to propel boats in water. In 1787, he obtained from New York the exclusive privilege, for 14 years, of building and operating steamboats on all the waters of the state (see excerpt from Laws of New York, 1787).

He published published a description of his steamboat in the December 1788 issue of The Columbian.

Image source: Lloyd's Steamboat Directory, and Disasters on the Western Waters, Containing the History of the First Application of Steam, as a Motive Power; the lives of John Fitch and Robert Fulton, Likenesses & Engravings of Their First Steamboats ... (Cincinnati, Ohio: James T. Lloyd, 1856). C,387,L73

John Fitch published the following in the December 1788 issue of The Columbian:

Transcription of Fitch's letter to the editor:

To the EDITOR of the COLUMBIAN MAGAZINE
Philad., Dec. 8, 1786

Sir,

The reason of my so long deferring to give you a description of the Steam-boat, has been in some measure owing to the complication of the works, and an apprehension that a number of drafts would be necessary, in order to shew the powers of the machine as clearly as you would wish. But as I have not been able to hand you herewith such drafts, I can only give you the general principles – It is, in several parts, similar to the late improved steam-engines in Europe, though there are some alterations – our cylinder is to be horizontal, and the steam to work with equal force at each end. The mode by which we obtain (What I take the liberty of terming) a vacuum, is, we believe, entirely new; as is also the method of letting the water into it, and throwing it off against the atmosphere without any friction. It is expected, that the engine, which is a 12 inch cylinder, will move with a clear force of 11 or 12 cwt. after the frictions are deducted; this force is to act against a wheel of 18 inches diameter The piston is to move about three feet, and each vibration of the piston gives the axis about 40 evolutions. Each evolution of the axis moves 12 oars, or paddles 5 ½ feet, (which work perpendicularly, and are represented by the stroke of the paddle of a canoe.) As 6 of the paddles are raised from the water, 6 more are entered, and the two sets of paddles make their strokes of about 11 feet in each evolution. The cranks of the axis act upon the paddles about ½ of their length from the lower end, on which part of the oar the whole force of the axis is applied. Our engine is placed in the boat about ½ from the stem, and both the action and re-action turn the wheel the same way.

With the most perfect respect, Sir,

I beg leave to subscribe myself,

Your very humble servant,

JOHN FITCH

Fitch's Steam Boat, 1787:

“Fulton’s own description of the Clermont is contained in a paper in possession of one of his heirs: ‘My first steamboat on the Hudson’s River was 150 feet long, 13 feet wide, drawing 2 ft. of water, bow and stern 60 degrees; she displaced 36.40 cubic feet, equal 100 tons of water; her bow presented 26 ft. to the water, plus and minus the resistance of 1 ft. running 4 miles an hour.’"

From: Preble, George Henry. A Chronological History of the Origin and Development of Steam Navigation, 1543-1882 (Philadelphia: L.R. Hamersly & Co., 1883), p. 42 ...

"130 feet long, having 18 feet beam and 6 feet hold ... "

From: The North River Steam Ship, Clermont, 200 years old 1807-2007

Image Source: Sutcliffe, Alice Crary. Robert Fulton and the “Clermont”: The Authoritative Story of Robert Fulton’s Early Experiments, Persistent Reports, and Historic Achievements. Containing Many of Fulton’s Hitherto Unpublished Letters, Drawings, and Pictures. (New York: Century Co., 1909), pp. 191-2

Robert R. Livingston (1746–1813)

This chancellor of New York, statesman, diplomat, farmer, and experimenter was born in New York City. In 1770 he married Mary (Polly) Stevens, sister of John Stevens . He became interested in steamboats in the 1790s, and funded Robert Fulton's experiments.

He secured the grant of a monopoly on steam navigation in New York State in 1798. His renewal of the monopoly in 1803 and supplementary laws in 1808 and 1811 led to the filing of a number of lawsuits to break the monopoly. The legal conflict was ended only by the decision in the case of Gibbons vs. Ogden in 1824.

Image source: NYS Library, Manuscripts and Special Collections, PRI834

John Stevens (1749–1838)

John Stevens was an engineer, inventor, promoter of steam transportation on water and on land (steamboats and railroads), born in New York City. He was a brother-in-law of Robert R. Livingston. His petition to the U.S. Congress resulted in the Patent Law of 1790, the foundation of the present U.S. patent system.

Image source: A History of the Growth of the Steam-engine. (New York: D. Appleton, 1878). Z,621.1,T54a3

Robert Fulton (1765–1815)

Robert Fulton was an artist, civil engineer, and inventor, born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Initially, he supported himself in Philadelphia painting miniatures. Robert Fulton went to England in 1786 to develop his skills as an artist, but he soon became interested in science and engineering projects, including canals, submarines and torpedoes. He published books in both England and France to advance his ideas and raise funds to put his ideas into more concrete formats.

In 1796 he published A Treatise on the Improvement of Canal Navigation, with illustrations he himself had drawn. Believing that if he could develop a weapon that could destroy warships, all the nations, seeing that navies were highly vulnerable, would abandon war and an era of freedom and trade and peace would result. Thus, he experimented with torpedoes and submarine mines, trying to sell his ideas to the governments of England, France and the United States.

While in France he met Robert R. Livingston.

Image source: Portrait of Robert Fulton from the original painting by Chappel.

Fulton and Livingston's Steamboat

Fulton and Livingston's Steamboat, 1807

Letter of February 23, 1813:

Transcription:

Page 1

New York, Feby 23d, 1813

Sir,

Yesterday I sent you a copy of the grant of Livingston and Fulton to W. Stevens, which was put into the form of a contract merely to save his feelings that it might not bear the appearance of total dependence and some mention is made that if he invents any thing we might use it, which however he never has done. You will observe in the first part of the grant he acknowledges me the inventor, which part I suspect he has kept out of sight in the copies of said contract which he has distributed and of which you saw one. You will also see that if in 7 years from the date of the contract which was in Decemb 1809 he does not have at least one boat on each water granted, that water [indecipherable] shall at that time not have a boat and all right to navigate

Page 2

steamboats thereon shall return to Livingston and Fulton. This is a second acknowledgement that the right was originally in me and that wherever he used steam boats he worked under my patent, his acts then in North Carolina is a flagrant breach of faith of contract of honor and for its folly[?] as well as an injustice has few parallels in the conduct of any man whose heart is correct for now that has the state grant he cannot use my patent within the state without my consent. I shall certainly prosecute him and his subscribers will have to pay the expenses. [this with him?] they enter an injunction and a lawsuit which they must either loose [sic] or defeat the patent laws, were the latter possible. [T]hen he will be ruined on the Delaware and on all the rivers

Page 3

granted to him, as gentlemen who know W. Stevens['s] misrepresentation of facts sympathize with him require a greater proof than this his conduct of his weakness could a man whose brain is so badly organized have invented a steam boat gentlemen do not know him his life has been a scene of obstinate absurdities. The Chancellor and myself, to repair his fortune, I believe humanely granted him a right to work under our patent on as many waters as will [indecipherable] have cleared him 20,000 a year on a capital of not more than 30,000. And now he neglects the Savanna, Santee and Connecticut rivers and the run from Newport to Providence - on these waters he has no boat nor preparing for any nor is his line finished on the Chesapeak. I cannot put boats on them because of the grant to him and he [indecipherable] that he may to place embarrassments in my way of carrying on a line from Washington to Charleston and [indecipherable]

Page 4

which line is commenced by the Potommack and James river boats, does such a man [indecipherable] more sympathy than Mr. Chancellor who is his brotherinlaw and [indecipherable] does he not by his proceedings by neglecting the waters granted to him and which he picked out or selected of himself, and seeking for others where he has no claim injure the public [good – struck out] interest by then placing himself in the way of my operations? By which the public would be immediately benefited. Mr. Stevens is ever anxious to be thought an inventor of steam boats he writes and talks to that effect, he says he worked at them for 20 years before he succeeded. This is true he did not succeed until my boat had been running a year then he copied me and succeeded. This is the fact which he cannot deny, his contract with me is the proof which I give you to shew to gentlemen whom he may have taught to believe otherwise please to find me his proposals and law.

Yours, R. Fulton

Letter of February 11, 1814

Transcription:

Page 1

New York, February 11th, 1814 Dear Sir, In about six weeks the Patommack, the James River, and Mr. Cuttings Steam ferry boat will be finished and I shall have fulfilled all the contracts in which I enjoyed on this side the Allegany mountains. There are about 50 good workmen in the shop who will then be out of employ and must be discharged unless you and Mr. R.L. [Robert – crossed out] have or do procure work for them [within – crossed out] before the 15 of April. To keep the works and men employed I sent to Robert on 16 December all the contracts for the southern line that he might correspond with the several presidents of the companies and call in the necessary funds for constructing the engines and machinery[.]

Page 2

[H]e returned my letters unopened. I have learned no more of the business and am determined never to hear more of it. I mention the state of the works in Jersey that you may decide whether you can employ the men or whether they shall be discharged and the shops shut. Respectfully your most obedient Rob. Fulton Edward P. Livingston, Esq. Clermont

Nicholas J. Roosevelt (1767-1854)

Nicholas J. Roosevelt was an inventor and engineer, born in New York City. About 1797 he entered into an agreement with Robert R. Livingston and John Stevens to build a steamboat, the engine for which was to be constructed at his foundry in New Jersey.

James Van Ingen (d. Feb. 22, 1843?, Albany?)

James Van Ingen was an Albany lawyer, one of the twenty-one men who built two steamboats, the Hope and the Perseverance, which started to ply the waters of the Hudson in 1811. He and his partners became plaintiffs in the first court case challenging the Livingston-Fulton monopoly: Livingston vs. Van Ingen (9 Johnson 506, 1811).

A New York chancery court ruled against Fulton and Livingston, who appealed the decision to the New York Court of Errors, "the court of last resort in the state." The three judges of that court, Yates, Thompson and Kent, ruled unanimously in favor of Livingston and Fulton, declaring that their "exclusive right to navigate the waters of this state by boats propelled by fire or steam, is constitutional."

Aaron Ogden (1756-1839)

Born in New Jersey, Aaron Ogden was a lawyer, United States senator, governor of New Jersey, steamboat operator, and defendant in Gibbons vs. Ogden.

In 1811 he built the steamer Sea Horse to run between Elizabethtown Point, New Jersey and New York City.

In 1813 the New York legislature upheld the monopoly so he agreed to pay Fulton and Livingston for a ten-year monopoly to run between the two points, which eventually brought him into conflict with the line operated by Thomas Gibbons.

Image source: Biographical Encyclopaedia of New Jersey in the Nineteenth Century (Philadelphia: Galaxy Publishing Co., 1877) RR,974.9,qZA

Thomas Gibbons (1757-1826)

Thomas Gibbons was a lawyer, politician, steamboat operator, and the plaintiff in Gibbons vs. Ogden.

In 1810 he purchased a summer house in Elizabethtown Point, New Jersey. In 1817 he acquired a little steam ferry, the Stoudinger, and in 1818, the Bellona, of which Cornelius Vanderbilt was captain.

He eventually entered into a partnership with Aaron Ogden, but in 1818 Gibbons broke with Ogden and started competing with him. Ogden thereupon secured an injunction on Oct. 21, 1818; Gibbons appealed and the case eventually ended up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

In the Library's collection: Thomas Gibbons Papers, 1821-1829
New York State Library call number: SC21205 (1 box, 0.25 cu.ft.)

Papers consist chiefly of accounts and invoices related to the operation of steamboats Bellona, Thistle, Swan, and Linnaeus. Includes details of wages paid to the crew, food and other provisions for crew, and the general maintenance of the boats. Also includes many detailed accounts of freight shipments and costs.

James Kent (1763-1847)

James Kent was a jurist and legal commentator born in what is now the Town of Southeast, Putnam County, New York.

He issued many of the decisions related to the cases tried in New York State courts that eventually culminated in Gibbons vs. Ogden.

Image source: NYS Library, Manuscripts and Special Collections, PRI3753.

John Marshall (1755-1835)

John Marshall was chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and principal founder of judicial review and of the American system of constitutional law. Born in Virginia, he was appointed chief justice in 1801.

He was serving in that capacity at the time of Gibbons vs. Ogden (1824) and was the namesake of the 1825 steamboat Chief Justice Marshall.

Image source: Beveridge, Albert Jeremiah. The Life of John Marshall, Vol. 4. (Boston; New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1916-1919). C340.92,M36b