George I. Deforce

George I. DeForce (c. 1863 - September 12, 1924) was an American labourer and blacksmith who, while resident at Sioux City, Iowa, invented what he called a perpetual motion machine in 1889, receiving local press attention and sponsorship from Rev. Joseph W. Rees, a pastor of the Immanuel Baptist Church. Nothing further regarding the design nor what became of the work was disclosed after the initial interest had faded, and DeForce himself left the town not long after.