What were the first 5 patents in the US?

Answer 1

You can find every U.S. patent ever issued in the online database at uspto.gov, with full text search back to 1976 and numerical search prior to that. The following notes are transcribed from the images of the original patents.

1. July 13, 1836, John Ruggles of Thomsaton, ME, Locomotive Steam Engine for Rails and other Roads.
2. December 15, 1926 [sic], reissued July 29, 1836, John Goulding of Dedham, MA, Mode of Manufacturing Wool or Other Fibrous Materials.
3. Aug 1, 1836, Thomas Blanchard of New York, NY, Machine for Turning, &c, Wooden Sheaves and Pins for Ships' Tackle Blocks and Pulleys.
4. Aug 10, 1836, Thomas Blanchard of New York, NY, Stock Shaving or Rounding Machine for Edges, Ends, &c, of Ships' Tackle-Blocks.
5. Aug 10, 1836, Thomas Blanchard of New York, NY, Machine for Mortising Solid Wooden Shells of Ships' Tackle-Blocks.