Show frenchman Fren climan first to use steam to propel boat A deposition signed by two nota ries of lyons france a letter from the american inventor robert fulton and numerous other papers appear to prove conclusively that the inventor of the first steamboat was not the american artist inventor fulton but a french royalist the marquis claude dorothee dorothea de jouffroy dabbins dAb bans who died years ago july 18 1832 while robert fulton falton was still a young painter and only eighteen the second steamboat invented by bouff roy dabbins dAb bans successfully mounted d the current from lyons up the so sa one river to the ilc Ile barac Barbe amidst the acclamation of the people jouffroy called after his principal family name has an avenue in parts paris named for him but little credit seems to have been given him for his invention until a french writer jacques took up tip ills his cause in a newspaper later engine builder perler collaborated with the younger fulton in installing watts engines on steamboats one of the replicas of which probably was that which navigated the hudson river and gave robert fulton the credit for being the first and foremost inventor of the steamboat fulton who spent much time in paris had written a letter to the french patent once office called les arts et disclaiming his part as aa the first inventor of the steamboat |