Evans, Oliver (1755-1819), an American engineer, inventor, and manufacturer, built what was probably America’s first self-propelled land vehicle (see Automobile (The steam car)). The vehicle, a steam-powered dredge to be used in the Philadelphia harbor, was completed in 1805. In 1802, Evans had built one of the first high-pressure steam engines. These engines became highly successful, and Evans manufactured large numbers of them for use in flour mills, locomotives, and steamboats. Evans designed a steam-propelled carriage, but it was never built. Evans was born on Sept. 13, 1755, near Newport, Delaware. He died on April 15, 1819.
