On May 25, 1844, Stuart Perry of Newport, New York received U.S. Patent No. 3597 for an engine powered by explosive mixtures of vapors — one of the earliest internal combustion engines in America. Perry fueled his experiments with common turpentine, giving his workshop the sharp scent of pine resin. In 1846 he patented a crucial improvement: water‑cooling jackets to keep the engine from melting itself during operation.