Timeline of United States discoveries 4–6, 1942 and the decisive turning point of the Pacific War when the United States Navy defeated an attack by the Empire of Japan. First known as "Middlebrooks Islands", Midway Atoll was discovered by U.S. Captain N.C. Brooks aboard his ship, "Gambia", on July 8, 1859. 1859 Petroleum jelly Petroleum jelly, petrolatum or soft paraffin is a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons originally promoted as a topical ointment for its healing properties. The raw material for petroleum jelly was discovered in 1859 by Robert Chesebrough, a chemist from New York. In 1870, this product was branded as Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. 1873
Jelly bean Sam Rosen, and Joe Verges and published in New Orleans during 1920 by Universal Music Publishers, Inc. Jelly bean Jelly beans are small bean-shaped sugar candies with soft candy shells and thick gel interiors. The confection is sold in a wide variety of colors and flavors, and is made primarily of sugar. It has been claimed that jelly beans were mentioned first during 1861, when Boston confectioner William Schrafft urged people to send his jelly beans to soldiers during the American Civil War. It was not until July 5, 1905, that jelly beans were mentioned in the "Chicago Daily News".