Inventor of the Steamboat
October 13, 1906
Summary
The Planet publishes a story about Robert Fulton, the inventor of the steamboat, celebrating his success after his invention.
Transcription
Inventor of the Steamboat
A Peep into the life and achievements of Robert Fulton
Many people claim for Robert Fulton the glory of steamboat invention, but the fact is Fulton only “gathered up the wasted efforts made by inventive men for the past half hundred years,” and, adding his own inventive genius, made valuable use of them.
But all inventions, says the Cleveland Leader, have come to us through long process of improvements, and the last inventor who crowns the feeble first efforts with success wins the glory of the achievement for himself.
In 1765, Robert Fulton was born in Pennsylvania. His father was an Irishman-- a tailor by trade-- who emigrated from the Emerald isle while still in his teens to America, the new world so full of promise. In course of time he married a young american woman of English descent.
When Robert was only three years of age his father died. As soon as the child was old enough he was sent to the district school, where, it is said he was not considered a very apt pupil, for instead of devoting his time to his books, he busied himself in constructing ingenious little apparatus much to the annoyance of his teachers and the amusement of his comrades at books. As the boy grew his talent for art became pronounces, and he developed considerable ability with his pencil, achieving quite a good deal of success as an artists later in life…
A Peep into the life and achievements of Robert Fulton
Many people claim for Robert Fulton the glory of steamboat invention, but the fact is Fulton only “gathered up the wasted efforts made by inventive men for the past half hundred years,” and, adding his own inventive genius, made valuable use of them.
But all inventions, says the Cleveland Leader, have come to us through long process of improvements, and the last inventor who crowns the feeble first efforts with success wins the glory of the achievement for himself.
In 1765, Robert Fulton was born in Pennsylvania. His father was an Irishman-- a tailor by trade-- who emigrated from the Emerald isle while still in his teens to America, the new world so full of promise. In course of time he married a young american woman of English descent.
When Robert was only three years of age his father died. As soon as the child was old enough he was sent to the district school, where, it is said he was not considered a very apt pupil, for instead of devoting his time to his books, he busied himself in constructing ingenious little apparatus much to the annoyance of his teachers and the amusement of his comrades at books. As the boy grew his talent for art became pronounces, and he developed considerable ability with his pencil, achieving quite a good deal of success as an artists later in life…
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Emma Roberts
Citation
“Inventor of the Steamboat,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed September 14, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/766.