JK
John Ernst Worrell Keely
Primary Source Archive

Research Brief

This brief captures the working scope, current evidence, and open questions we are actively pursuing. The working hypothesis is affirmative: Keely's work was real and deserves a rigorous archive. Evidence is separated from interpretation, and any unverified claim is labeled until a primary document is secured.

Scope

  • John Ernst Worrell Keely and the development of his motor claims.
  • Public demonstrations, investor materials, and company operations.
  • Legal actions, court-related press, and institutional holdings.
  • Technical descriptions and apparatus imagery from the period.

Primary Evidence - Anchors

  • PA Department of State portal listing: Keely Motor Company initial filing dated 12/02/1874 (County Orphan; Pennsylvania).
  • Library of Congress print: "Incorporated by the State of Pennsylvania / Keely motor company" (1879).
  • Press reports on Keely being sent to jail (Nov 1888) from Savannah Morning News, The News and Courier, and The Charlotte Democrat.
  • Bloomfield H. Moore, Keely and His Discoveries (1893), supportive contemporary narrative.
  • Institutional object record: "Etheric Force Machine" (American Precision Museum).

These anchors are the current backbone of the timeline. Each is traceable to a specific file in the repository sources log.

Authoritative Repositories

  • Library of Congress: Prints & Photographs; Chronicling America/NDNP.
  • Pennsylvania State Archives: RG-026 Department of State / Corporation Bureau series.
  • PA Department of State Business Search portal for corporate summary data.
  • American Precision Museum (PastPerfect collection records).
  • Historic state newspaper repositories (GA, SC, NC) for contemporary coverage.

We prioritize official archives and institutional holdings before secondary narratives or modern retellings.

Open Questions

  • Can we obtain official filing images (articles of incorporation, charter book entry, letters patent) for the 1874 Keely Motor Company?
  • Do PA State Archives RG-026 Corporation Bureau series index the company by name and date?
  • Are the 1871 and 1890 patents under "John W. Keely" or "John E. Keely" linked to J.E.W. Keely?
  • What additional court dockets exist beyond press reporting?

Next Actions (Immediate)

  • Request official filings via PA State Archives (RG-026 Corporation Bureau series).
  • Capture portal detail pages for KEELY MOTOR COMPANY (184976) and confirm whether 01/01/1974 is a placeholder.
  • OCR patent scans to verify inventor identity and residence.
  • Extract page-level citations from the strongest newspaper reports.

Each new document is logged with date, URL, file type, and a brief provenance note in `research/sources/sources-log.md`.