Historedia
Person

Joseph Barnes

Events
2
Episodes
4
Years
1785–1787

Every event in Historedia whose sources name Joseph Barnes, with the role they cite and all of that event’s episodes. This is not a biography, and mentions are grouped by name, so two people with the same name can share this page.

Events and episodes

  1. James Rumsey water-jet boat demonstration

    1785–1787

    Role: Rumsey's assistant and brother-in-law, who did much of the boat's construction

    1. 1785–1786 · Bath and Shepherdstown area, with a test at Shenandoah FallsConstruction and earlier testing of the boat

      Joseph Barnes built the hull from 1785, machinery parts were installed in December 1786, and the boat was tested at Shenandoah Falls before the public trial.

    2. December 3, 1787 · Potomac River at Shepherdstown, present-day West VirginiaSuccessful public demonstration on the Potomac

      Rumsey's steam-driven water-jet boat made a very successful public demonstration on the Potomac at Shepherdstown before local notables including Horatio Gates.

  2. James Rumsey's letter to Washington on steamboat

    1785

    Role: Assistant

    1. 1785 · Bath, VirginiaHull Work in Bath

      Work on a hull began in 1785 in Bath by Joseph Barnes, Rumsey's assistant; the source does not label the vessel a steamboat.

    2. July 1785 · Bath, VirginiaPatowmack Company Appointment

      In July 1785, Washington recommended Rumsey as superintendent of the Patowmack Company to oversee rock clearing.

Sources

  1. James Rumsey Wikipedia, revision of 2025-12-17