From “A history of American manufactures, from 1608 to 1860”, by John Leander Bishop, Edwin Troxell Freedley, and Edward Young, 1864: “A steam saw mill, the first recorded, was patented by Robert McKean (March 24, 1798).” Most of the patents prior to 1836 were lost in the December 1836 fire. Only about 2000 of the almost 10000 documents were recovered. In June of 2005 a copy of this patent, signed by President John Adams, was sold at auction for $9,600. The description reads as follows: “ADAMS, John. Partly printed document signed ('John Adams') as President, countersigned by Secretary of State Timothy Pickering, and Attorney General Charles Lee, Philadelphia, 24 March 1798. Folio (14 x 11 3/4 in.), PRINTED ON PARCHMENT, accomplished in the hand of a clerk, large papered seal of the United States at left-hand margin, anchoring blue silk ribbons neatly drawn through the first sheet to link with attached schedule. – MCKEAN, Robert. Manuscript schedule, describing his invention in exhaustive detail, Bordenton (New Jersey), 7 March 1798. 2 pages, on parchment, in a neat clerk's hand.”

(To be filled in.)