By Julie Schlesselman, Local History & Genealogy Department Manager, FCPLD
This article ran in the January 2026 edition of the Brookville American.
The Aquacycle first caught my attention about ten years ago. I was looking for an obituary but got distracted by a front page story along with an intriguing image in the June 24, 1948, Brookville Democrat that claimed the Aquacycle was the brainchild of Dr. B. Billman of New Trenton, Indiana. I copied the article from the microfilm and tucked it away in a vertical file to investigate at a later date. A few weeks ago, I pulled it out to see what else could be found about the doctor and his invention. Not much.
What was an Aquacycle? The Aquacycle was not a huge bicycle on wheels, which the name alluded to, but rather a device that could be used by one person to easily and quietly navigate a boat.
According to the June 1949 Popular Science magazine, in which it was featured, it “fits standard row boats and leaves both hands free for handling rod and reel. Pedals turn a shaft that drives a propeller to move the boat. Clamps, similar to those on outboard motors, hold the Aquacycle to the transom [the flat, structural wall at the rear of a boat]. Shifting the weight of the body from side to side steers the boat.”
The Brookville Democrat article claimed that back in 1926, Dr. Billman and a few friends were fishing. “They had tried several times to catch a big fellow that they had tagged “Jinglebells,” but again he had gotten away.”
The article claimed “Doc” had grown tired of always losing the big ones because of issues with the boat, such as it was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it couldn’t be moved easily, quickly, or quietly.
A plan to rectify these problems started to take shape in Billman’s mind, including a way to maneuver a boat without the use of oars.
“Although Doc began working on his idea in 1926, his brainchild was not brought forth till the summer of 1947.”
Billman demonstrated his invention for a few fisherman friends, and all who saw his “Aquacycle” heartily approved. It was silent and added greater maneuverability, leaving hands free at all times to use a rod or gun. It was hoped to revolutionize the sports of fishing and hunting.
The Aquacycle descriptions claimed “There will be no splashing of oars, or roaring of a motor to scare away your game.” One could glide in and out of coves, around rocks, stumps, lily pads, or maneuver around almost any obstacle that stood in the way.
“Your boat responds to your every wish.” This was accomplished with one’s feet. “Just a simple twist of the hips and you can go forward or in reverse, or any way you wish, without using your hands.”
The Sullivan Daily Times of July 27, 1948, had a small front-page story about Billman. “Former Local Man Invents Aquacycle.” The description was similar to that which appeared in the Brookville Democrat and corroborated the statement that the invention had been in the works for years. This article claimed, “Dr. Billman has spent twenty-two years perfecting the device, and when a friend saw it in operation, persuaded the doctor to have it patented, and then formed a company to build the device.”
The article concluded by saying, “Associated with Dr. Billman in perfecting the device was Paul Slack, who at one time was principal of Hymera High School….Dr. Billman is the son of the late Dr. James Billman, who at one time practiced medicine at Sullivan.”
“Doc,” as the local newspapers referred to him, was Dr. Beryl I. Billman. He may not exactly be a common name to Franklin County ears, but he did live here for quite a while, and it was while here that he spent some of his time perfecting his Aquacycle.
It is unclear exactly when Billman and his family moved to Franklin County officially, but since he was an avid outdoorsman, he probably originally rented a camp along the river to escape the hectic city life of Cincinnati. He and his wife, Mildred, eventually purchased 5 cozy little acres along the Whitewater River and owned it for at least a dozen years. The house and property of the same acreage are still intact today, accessible via Depot Road that runs through New Trenton.
Beryl Irvin Billman moved around the region numerous times during his lifetime. He was born in Sullivan, Indiana, in 1893. He attended Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, and moved on to study at the Eclectic Medical Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio, ultimately ending up in Franklin County, Indiana.
Dr. Billman died from natural causes in November 1963 at his New Trenton residence, and his body was found by Wayne Tucker.
Sadly, the local newspapers reported that the doctor’s home was burglarized shortly after he died, while his body was being taken to the funeral home, to be exact. “Two television sets, a radio, a record player, luggage, and clothing were among the items reported missing.”
Billman’s service was at Jackman Funeral Home in Harrison, Ohio, and his remains were sent to Dale Cemetery in Spencer County, Indiana.
His obituary from the Cincinnati newspapers claimed “Dr. Billman was a pioneer in the field of physiotherapy (physical therapy) and proctology, and held a lifelong interest in outdoor recreation….perhaps as a direct result of these interests, Dr. Billman developed the Billman Aquacycle, a bicycle-related peddle boat designed specifically for hunters and fisherman.” Billman left his Cincinnati practice of medicine to devote full-time to his Aquacycle. After that, “he was later named assistant director of Madison State Hospital in Madison, Indiana” and lastly practiced in Harrison, Ohio. He was a frequent lecturer on a variety of topics from medicine to wildlife.
Dr. Billman took environmental problems seriously and was active in the founding of the Cincinnati Chapter of the Izaak Walton League. At the turn of the 20th century, uncontrolled discharges of industrial waste and raw sewage, unrestricted logging, and soil erosion threatened to destroy the nation’s waterways. The League was started in Chicago in 1922 by 54 sportsmen dedicated to combating water pollution and protecting the country’s woods and wildlife. Chapters were organized throughout the country. Today, this organization is the nation’s preeminent organization of hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts dedicated to the sustainable use of our country’s natural resources. It is named in honor of Izaak Walton, the 17th-century English conservationist who wrote The Complete Angler.
At the time of Billman’s death, he was survived by one son, James, of Los Angeles, and a brother, Max W. Billman, of Cincinnati.
His memorial stone at Dale Cemetery says Billman was a doctor during WWI: Private STU Army TNG Corps. This abbreviation reflects his involvement in the Student Army Training Corps. It was a WWI Army program that trained college students on campus to become military officers, integrating military instruction with higher education to rapidly supply the Army with commissioned personnel for the war effort. It essentially served as the precursor to the modern ROTC, allowing young men to study and train simultaneously, with the government covering costs in exchange for service. The program was short-lived, starting in 1918 and largely demobilized shortly after the November 1918 Armistice, with students often transitioning back to regular studies.
In 2017, a narrative (which is still available online) was written by Kaira Tucker for the Northern Kentucky Tribune, “Our Rich History: Made-in-Covington Aqua-Cycle had a big start but faded to collectors’ item.” She focuses mainly on the company that produced Billman’s invention – the Aquacycle Company, Inc. of Covington.
According to Tucker, “It seems that the Aquacycle fell short of its lofty goals….” Information about the invention as well as the company that manufactured it are scant.
What would have been the ultimate drawbacks or shortfalls of this invention that took two decades to perfect? Why was the Aquacycle not the big hit it was anticipated to be? Exactly what happened? The details have yet to be uncovered.
As a child, I loved going to the Hamilton County Parks in Cincinnati to ride the pedal boats. Was Billman’s Aquacycle the forerunner of pedal boats that are so common in parks today?
Unless someone in New Trenton has more to share regarding Dr. Billman, who died there more than 60 years ago, this may be all we will ever know about the Billman Aquacycle and the man who invented it.