History often credits Robert Fulton as the father of the steamboat. But more than a decade before Fulton’s famous Clermont, a Vermont inventor named Samuel Morey had already fitted a paddle wheel and steam engine to a small boat and powered it up and down the Connecticut River — in 1793.
The Haunting of Lake Morey
In the quiet town of Fairlee, Vermont, Lake Morey holds more than just water—it harbors a ghost story born of betrayal and lost recognition. Locals speak of two haunting sights: a strange ghostly boat that appears in the middle of the lake, making no sound and leaving no ripples, and the frustrated spirit of Samuel Morey pacing along its shores.
A Fortunate Accident
The story begins in the spring of 1793, when inventor Samuel Morey was hard at work in his workshop. For years, he had been heating his house with an innovative device powered by a mixture of turpentine, water, and air—a combination he called “water-gas.” One day, this highly flammable mixture overheated and exploded.
Though the damage was minimal, this accident sparked an idea in Morey’s brilliant mind: if such an explosion could be controlled within a cylinder, it could drive a piston—creating an internal combustion engine.
Presidential Recognition
By this time, Morey was already a patent holder of note — his 1793 patent for a steam-powered spit bore the prestigious signatures of President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. His next vision was far more ambitious: to revolutionize travel and commerce by attaching a steam engine to a boat.
Breaking New Ground
Steam power wasn’t new—Thomas Newcomen had invented the first commercial piston steam engine in 1712. But these engines were massive, making them impractical for watercraft. Morey’s innovative design was different. His compact steam engine design was compact enough to fit on a boat while still powerful enough to drive a paddle wheel.
The Birth of the Aunt Sally
After much calculation and engineering, Morey built and installed paddle wheels on a nineteen-foot boat called the Aunt Sally. One Sunday morning, while the townspeople were at church, he quietly launched his creation onto the Connecticut River. The test was a success—the Aunt Sally became the first steamship to successfully navigate American waters.
Dreams Betrayed
In 1797, Morey’s innovation caught the attention of financier Robert R. Livingston, who invited him to New Jersey. Together, they built a prototype, and Morey’s dreams of fame and fortune seemed within reach. However, these dreams would soon turn to ash. Livingston shared Morey’s design with his business partner, Robert Fulton, and since no patents had been filed for the specific design, it was legally up for grabs.
The Bitter Pill of Success
In 1807, Fulton launched the Clermont, a steam-powered boat that was essentially Morey’s design. The vessel was a huge commercial success, and Fulton filed patents that would make him and Livingston wealthy. History would remember Robert Fulton as the inventor of the steamship, while Samuel Morey watched his stolen innovation make others rich and famous.
Credit for the first successful steamboat line goes to Robert Fulton and his financier, Chancellor Robert Livingston. This was a cause for contention, as Morey claims that they took some of his ideas.
The Final Voyage
In his despair, legend says Morey took the Aunt Sally out to the center of Fairlee Pond and deliberately sank her, swimming back to shore on a wooden plank. He lived to be 80 years old, passing away in 1843, forced to witness steamships revolutionize transportation while another man took credit for his invention.
On a still, moonlit night, it is said that the Aunt Sally rises to the lake’s surface and floats without sound or ripple, as the ghost of Captain Morey watches from shore.
A Modern Discovery
In 1991, divers discovered the remains of a large boat at the bottom of Lake Morey. While the size, shape, and apparent age matched the Aunt Sally’s description, its identity was never confirmed. When a salvage diver offered to raise the vessel for a fee, the state of Vermont declined, declaring that any historical artifacts recovered would become state property.
Morey never did get his due for the steamboat — but Vermont holds one more claim on him. In 1826, he patented what’s considered the first American internal combustion engine, decades ahead of the automobile age. It’s a separate invention from the Aunt Sally, but it’s proof the man haunting Lake Morey’s shores had more than one idea stolen by history’s short memory.
Haunted by Both Man and Machine
Today, the lake that bears Morey’s name is said to be haunted by both man and machine—the inventor and his invention, eternally linked in a tale of innovation, betrayal, and lost legacy.
Some say the ghost of Samuel Morey still paces the shoreline, watching over the waters where his greatest triumph rests beneath the surface, while the phantom of the Aunt Sally appears on foggy days, a silent reminder of Vermont’s forgotten place in transportation history.
