James Rumsey, a self-taught Virginia blacksmith and builder, held patents for a jet-propelled steamboat, as well as improvements to the steam boiler, the grist mill, the saw mill, and the steam pump. Although his ideas received little recognition during his lifetime, they provided a basis for future inventors.

After the American Revolution, in which he fought as a patriot, Rumsey helped build George Washington 's house in Virginia. His ideas about mechanically-propelled boats captured Washington's imagination, and the nation's new leader helped Rumsey secure a monopoly on that type of sea craft in the state of Virginia. However, Rumsey was unable to interest other inventors in the project and had to direct his efforts elsewhere.

His interest remained in the area of water transport, and he was inspired by the work of John Fitch on steamboat technology. In 1787, after several years of work, Rumsey introduced the world's first...