An individual appeared in Janesville proposing to build a steamer (one passage says 1839, the other 1839 or 1840).

The evidence

• “In 1839 or 1840, an enterprising individual made his appearance in Janesville and prevailed upon the leading citizens to assist him in efforts he proposed to make toward building a steamer. He succeeded in raising a small sum pi money, and going to the mouth of the Catfish, he constructed, after months of patient labor, a very neat little steamer well adapted to the waters of Rock River.”

  1879-history-of-rock-county/10-rock-county-ch04-early-maps-courts-railroads.md, PDF p. 356 / book p. 360

  Butterfield, C. W., et al. The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879. Cornell University Library via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/cu31924028871585.

  Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources