"steam boat" 1786, antedates 1787

[Joel S. Berson]

"Steam boat" in 1786, antedates OED 1787--.  [EAN]

1)  March 27

Friday last the honourable the legislature of the state adjourned
sine die. During the sitting they passed the following acts:
...
21. An act for granting and securing to John Fitch, the sole right
and advantage of making and employing the steam boat by him lately
invented, for a limited time.

New-Jersey Gazette [Burlington]; Date: 03-27-1786; Volume: IX; Issue:
411; Page: [3]; col. 2.

[Another myth busted!  Wikipedia (s.v. "Robert Fulton") says "The
first successful trial run of a steamboat had been made by inventor
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fitch_%28inventor%29>John Fitch on
the <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_River>Delaware River on
August 22, 1787."  So the New Jersey rights were awarded nearly a
year and a half before that trial run, which seems to have been
funded not by New Jersey but by Pennsylvania (see (5) below).]

2)   May 15

Thursday, March 16, 1786.
The house met.
...
Mr. Biddle, agreeably to leave given, and in behalf of the
petitioner, presented the draught of a bill, entitled, 'an act for
granting and securing to John Fitch the sole right and advantage of
making and employing the steam boat by him lately invented for a
limited time;' which bill was read, and ordered a second reading.

New-Jersey Gazette; Date: 05-15-1786; Volume: IX; Issue: 418; Page:
[2]; col. 1.

3)  May 22

New-Jersey Gazette; Date: 05-22-1786; Volume: IX; Issue: 419; Page: [2].

[Like the preceding, in a report of action by the House, in this case
on "Saturday, March 18, 1786".]

4)  Aug. 30 -- already on a commercial sign in Philadelphia, even
before Fitch's trial run!

To be sold. A Pair of handsome Bay HORSES, well matched ... Apply to
George Chaplin, at the sign of the Steam-Boat, on the east side of
Front street, between Market and Arch streets ...

Pennsylvania Packet [Philadelphia], and Daily Advertiser; Date:
08-22-1786; Issue: 2355; Page: [3]; col. 3.

5)  Sept. 22

PENNSYLVANIA.
Philadelphia, Sept. 8.
...
A committee of the Assembly have recommended, that mr. Fitch be
empowered to draw on the state-treasurer for any sum, not exceeding
150l. that may be necessary for building his STEAM-BOAT,

American Recorder [Charlestown, Mass.]; Date: 09-22-1786; Volume: I;
Issue: 75; Page: [3]; col. 2.
-----
Google Books gives us no earlier quotations, although a number of
amusing (but only if one is in a good mood) false datings.  Including
"Foxe's Book of Martyrs" (1563), published by [best be] ForgottenBooks.org.

The 1770 hit from "The method of teaching and studying the belles
lettres; or, ... - Page 121, by Charles Rollin" looks like a paste-in
by some later owner.

Joel

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org