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
William Jelly William Jelly William Jelly (1835 – October 1900) was an Ontario farmer and political figure. He represented Dufferin in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1880 to 1883 as a Conservative member. He was born near Elizabethtown (later Brockville) in Upper Canada in 1835, the son of John Jelly, an Irish immigrant. Jelly first settled in Amaranth Township then part of Wellington County and later moved to what is now Shelburne. He became a large property owner in the area, built a hotel there and is generally credited as being the founder of the town. Jelly served on the council