The Life of John Fitch

Fascinating biography of engineer and inventor of the Steamboat: John Fitch.

“In this narration are sketched the early career of the subject of the biography; his Revolutionary services to the State of New Jersey; his adventures in the wilds of Kentucky and Ohio; his captivity by Indians, and as a British prisoner; his exertions to obtain means to construct a steam-boat; his trials, failures, difficulties in building machinery, and his successful application of steam to the propulsion of three steam-boats on the Delaware; the abandonment of a fourth when nearly finished; the propulsion of a steam-boat at New York; his mortification at the lukewarmness of his countrymen as to the merit of his invention, and his final suicide, to escape from an existence persecuted by continual misfortunes.”-Introduction.