As the saying goes, " Necessity is the mother of invention", and this interesting story is a great example for this...

As the saying goes, " Necessity is the mother of invention", and this interesting story is a great example for this phrase.

Josephine Cochrane

Originally shared by VAL-U-PRO CONSULTING GROUP, LLC - SRIKANTH KIDAMBI

#OTD in 1886

Josephine Cochrane, a woman inventor from Shelbyville, Illinois, USA was issued the dishwashing machine patent, which also ended up becoming the first commercially successful dishwashing machine.

Interesting Facts about Ms. Josephine Cochrane:

1. Born as Josephine M. Garis in 1839, in Ashtabula County, Ohio.

2. Josephine was raised in Shelbyville, Illinois, and got married to William Cochran in 1858.

3. Josephine was also the grand daughter of John Fitch, who was known for steam boat related inventions.

4. Josephine was a socialite, and had a prosperous early married life with her husband.

5. But, lost her husband to alcohol at the age of 44 with a family debt of around $1500+.

6. Josephine's family situation along with her prior interest to develop dishwashing machines to relieve housewives from washing dishes after a meal drove her towards developing the first commercially viable machine.

7. Though the dishwashing machine was not a household item during her times, it was successful with business customers, and was called Cochrane dishwashers, which later became Kitchen Aid.

8. Josephine was issued the patent on December 28, 1886 (See below for the patent info)

9. Josephine Cochrane died at the age of 74 in 1913 due to a stroke.

10. Josephine Cochrane was not added to National Inventors' Hall of Fame until 2006

11. Romania, as part of honoring women inventors' around the world, issued a Josephine Cochrane's stamp in 2013 honoring her for developing the first commercially successful mechanical dishwashing machine.

(Another example: Familiarity breeds contempt; Proximity dilutes value - In this example, even after a century)

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