Benjamin Bradley's steam engine, sold to buy his freedom (Annapolis, MD, c. 1846–1856)
Record: the document says itPattern: documents line upLens: our readingOpen: not yet proven
Year: 1846
SUMMARYBenjamin Bradley's steam engine, sold to buy his freedom (Annapolis, MD, c. 1846–1856) [Connections: Tech & skilled labor, Nov 5, 2026]
RECORDBlackPast says Bradley was born enslaved in Annapolis around 1830. Through an arrangement made by his owner, he was hired into the Naval Academy's Department of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, setting up experiments for faculty. At 16 he built a model steam engine from "two pieces of steel, a gun barrel, and pewter." Around 1856 he built an engine that could drive a sloop-of-war at 16 knots. He sold it and bought his freedom. The Patent racism article (spelling him "Boardley") says he could not legally patent it. STATUS: hired-out enslaved (placed at the Academy by his owner's arrangement). Any pay split is not shown on the fetched pages. Later free (bought freedom)
PATTERNThe engineer could not own the patent, so he sold the machine to buy back himself
LENS (WW9)He built the engine and had to sell it to get his own body back
OPENNaval Academy pay records and the owner's name; the buyer and the price. His name is spelled Bradley in some sources and Boardley in others. BlackPast cites no sources. Needs deep research