Fitch, John (1743-1798) [Biography of John Fitch]
Order a pdf of this item here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02480.07.01 Author/Creator: Fitch, John (1743-1798) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph document signed Date: 20 December 1790 Pagination: 1 p. ; 33.2 x 24.9 cm. Order a Copy
A handwritten biography of John Fitch. The text is written under an engraving of a image of a steamboat with the caption "Plan of Mr. Fitch's Steamboat." There is a more detailed typed biography attached to the upper left hand corner of the page. In the biography he mentions not being recognized for the invention of his steam boat, and his wish to be recognized.
John Fitch was an inventor, and perhaps the first man to practically apply steam power to a boat. Though he built a number of successful steamboats, they were all commercial flops, and he is therefore given little credit for the important scientific innovations that he did make in this field.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.