James Rumsey | |
|---|---|
 Portrait c. 1790 | |
| Born | 1743 |
| Died | December 21, 1792 (aged 48–49) |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Relatives | Benjamin Rumsey (cousin) |
| Engineering career | |
| Projects | Patowmack Company |
| Significant design | water-tube boiler; steam powered water-jet propulsion |
James Rumsey (1743 – December 21, 1792) was an American mechanical engineer chiefly known for exhibiting a boat propelled by machinery in 1787 on the Potomac River at Shepherdstown in present-day West Virginia before a crowd of local notables, including Horatio Gates. A pump driven by steam power ejected a stream of water from the stern of the boat and thereby propelled the boat forward.