Samuel Morey (October 23, 1762 - April 17, 1843), American inventor, invented the internal combustion engine and was a pioneer in steamships who accumulated a total of 20 patents.
Born in Hebron, Connecticut, he built his first steamboat in 1792 and was granted several patents related to steam engines and their use on ships. In 1797, he built a steamship with a paddlewheel on each side but did not patent the arrangement. Robert Fulton, the inventor of the first commercially successful steamboat, used a method similar to Morey's.
On April 1, 1826, Morey was granted a patent for the internal combustion engine, which would later permit the invention of the automobile in the 1890s. He was granted his last patent at the age of 71 in 1833.
Morey moved to Fairlee, Vermont in 1836 and resided there until his death in 1843. Lake Morey in Vermont is named in his honor.
