I broadened my search to newer than 1900, and found this front hubmotor E-bike from 1939...look familiar?
Bicycle patents of interest from:
1893:
http://www.google.com/patents/US505025 electro-magnetic clutch
1897:
http://www.google.com/patents/US575639 oil-fed turbine powered BB-drive
1897:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1288068 gasoline friction drive, top of front tire
1899:
http://www.google.com/patents/US626295 gasoline FWD, both friction or chain
1901:
http://www.google.com/patents/US688838 gasoline friction drive, top of rear tire
1901:
http://www.google.com/patents/US670010 gasoline moped
1902:
http://www.google.com/patents/US707923 Eccentric BB for chain tensioning, E-bike drive shown
1902:
http://www.google.com/patents/US715889 gasoline friction drive, top of front tire, opposed crank engine
1902:
http://www.google.com/patents/US707923 eccentric BB for chain tensioning, Stokemonkey?
1903:
http://www.google.com/patents/US744423 magnetic clutch
1914:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1118616 hybrid drivetrain?
1915:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1158311 gasoline friction-drive on top of rear tire
1916:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1223400 auto, starter motor/magnetic clutch combo?
1916:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1364476 gasoline friction drive, top of front tire
1916:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1191287 gasoline friction drive, top of rear tire
1918:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1265078 auto, starter motor/magnetic clutch combo?
1918:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1288068 gasoline friction drive, front tire
1920:
http://www.google.com/patents/US4221275 electric delta trike, motor/differential in rear
1920:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1338042 E-auto, motor and gear-reduction housed in rear axle
1921:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1461869 gasoline, engine mounted to swingarm, two stage chain reduction
1922:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1485682 pedal, donkey tractor gear for very high gearing
1922:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1436788 gasoline friction-drive, front of rear tire
1940:
http://www.google.com/patents/US2224411 E-wheelchair
1942:
http://www.google.com/patents/US2277391 spring braking, and launch-assist
1946:
http://www.google.com/patents/US2397115 E-BB-drive, like Clean-mobile
1946:
http://www.google.com/patents/US2409887 gasoline friction-drive, top of rear tire
1948:
http://www.google.com/patents/US2451965 gasoline friction drive, top of rear tire, two rollers connected by belt
1949:
http://www.google.com/patents/US2491076 E-friction drive, below BB, Benazzoli
1950:
http://www.google.com/patents/US2514460 hubmotor patent, for bikes, scooters
1950:
http://www.google.com/patents/US2493275 gasoline friction drive, top of rear tire, two rollers connected by belt
1951:
http://www.google.com/patents/US2574824 gasoline friction drive, rear tire, multiple mount locations
1956;
http://www.google.com/patents/US2745504 gasoline friction drive, rear tire, below BB
1962:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3056460 gasoline friction drive, top of front tire
1965:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3225854 gasoline friction-drive, slides straight back to front of rear tire
1967:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3339659 gasoline friction drive, top of rear tire
1967:
https://www.google.com/patents/US3329444 pedal, hubless/spokeless wheels
1967:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3342281 gasoline friction drive, front of rear tire, folding frame
1968:
https://www.google.com/patents/US3533484 E-trike, three small motors on one drive gear
1969:
https://www.google.com/patents/US3431994 E-friction drive, 4 rollers for traction
1973:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3773131 E-scooter
1974:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3800898 E-drive non-hub, front wheel, two stage
1974:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3841428 E-friction drive, top of front tire, two motors with one freewheeling roller
1975:
https://www.google.com/patents/US3915250 E-friction drive, dual side rollers
1975:
https://www.google.com/patents/US3884317 E-BB drive, motor around the BB spindle, + giant dia hub-motor
1975:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3891044 E-friction drive with cone-shaped roller to adjust speed
1975:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3905442 E-friction drive, top of front tire
1975:
http://www.google.com/patents/US4143730 E-friction drive, top of rear tire
1975:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3921745 E-drive non-hub, two-stage left-side-drive + a front wheel friction-drive
1975:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3921741 rear DD hub with regen
1975:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3912039 E-friction drive, front tire, roller against attached disc
1976:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3978936 E-friction drive, top of front tire, single motor
1976:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3961678 E-friction drive, Kepler swinging roller
1976:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3966007 E-friction drive, top of rear tire, two rollers with a belt connecting them
1977:
http://www.google.com/patents/US4062421 e-hub? magnets on rim form a motor? crazy tech
1977:
https://www.google.com/patents/US4044852 e-BB-drive, cylindrical motor, 90-deg
1978:
http://www.google.com/patents/US4085814 E-mid-drive, cylindrical 90-deg
1979:
http://www.google.com/patents/US4175630 gasoline friction drive, top of rear tire
1979:
http://www.google.com/patents/US4143730 E-friction drive, rear tire
1980:
http://www.google.com/patents/US4221275 E-friction drive, RC+ belt+ roller
1981;
http://www.google.com/patents/US4276950 gasoline, propellor-driven bike, rotates sideways for pedal or storage.
1981:
http://www.google.com/patents/US4280581 E-drive non-hub, Longtail mid-drive, like Hanebrink
1983:
https://www.google.com/patents/EP0079573A1?cl=en similar to Miles
1983:
http://www.google.com/patents/US4410060 single-stage left-side-drive "Lukes Deathbike"
1985:
http://www.google.com/patents/WO1985003266A1?cl=en E-friction drive, cone-shaped roller for speed adjustment
1985:
http://www.google.com/patents/US4541500 similar to Miles' configuration
1993:
http://www.google.com/patents/US5237263 E-friction drive, top of rear tire, cone-shaped roller for speed adjustment
1993:
http://www.google.com/patents/US5242028 E-BB-drive, 90-deg cylindrical
1993:
http://www.google.com/patents/US5272938 giant diameter geared hubmotor
1995:
http://www.google.com/patents/EP0644110A2?cl=en E-friction drive, rear tire two-rooler one drive-belt
1995:
http://www.google.com/patents/US5450915 direct drive front hub motor
1996:
http://www.google.com/patents/US3921745 E-friction drive, top of front tire, 4th page
1998:
http://www.google.com/patents/US7357209 E-drive, non-hub, dual parallel right side drive, also inline chain drive
1998:
http://www.google.com/patents/US5842535 E-friction drive, top of rear tire
1998:
http://www.google.com/patents/US5829546 E-BB-drive, cylindrical motor, 90-deg, battery inside down tube, Merida
1998:
https://www.google.com/patents/US5816355 E-friction drive, EV Warrior
1998:
http://www.google.com/patents/US5799747 E-friction drive, Kepler?
1998:
https://www.google.com/patents/EP0832816A1?cl=en E-BB drive, dual planetary, Mitsubishi (like Optibike)
1999:
http://www.google.com/patents/US5934401 E-chain drive, rear wheel, Currie Ezip
1999:
http://www.google.com/patents/US5941333 E-BB-drive, cylindrical motor, 90-deg
2000:
https://www.google.com/patents/US6152249 E-BB drive, Li Li Wang Zhu drive (like Bofeili)
2000:
http://www.google.com/patents/US6155369 Jackal E--scooter
2001:
https://www.google.com/patents/US6296072 Optibike BB-drive
2002:
http://www.google.com/patents/USRE37583 Currie Ezip patent
2004:
https://www.google.com/patents/US20040084238 E-mid drive, Sanyo
2007:
http://www.google.com/patents/US7185726 rear wheel rim-gear, like a donkey locomotive
2007:
http://www.google.com/patents/US7261175 E-drive, Stoke-Monkey?
2008:
http://www.google.com/patents/US7314109 E-drive, non-hub, crossbreak?
2008:
http://www.google.com/patents/US7461714 E-drive, non-hub, hanebrink?
2008:
http://www.google.com/patents/US7357209 E-BB drive, Sunstar
2010:
http://www.sumobrain.com/patents/wipo/Center-motor-driving-device-electrical/WO2010051681A1.pdf Bofeili BB-drive
2010:
http://www.google.com/patents/US20100264619 flywheel bike
2011:
http://www.google.com/patents/US20110124454 BB-drive, single-stage
2011:
https://www.google.com/patents/EP23...a=X&ei=0imEUt8d1KKxBNSYgegN&ved=0CGIQ6AEwBjha Chinese mid-drive (like Bosch)
2012:
https://www.google.com/patents/US20040084238 E-mid drive, Honda, similar to Cyclone
2012:
https://www.google.com/patents/USRE43232 18650 cells built into the hub, flykly
2013:
https://www.google.com/patents/EP2617636A1?cl=en E-mid drive, Panasonic (was pending for several years)