“The woman of the future will have the memory of Josephine Garis Cochrane in grateful remembrance. It was she who invented the machine which has set woman free from the most slavish and disgusting task of housekeeping — dishwashing.” ~ The Daily Picayune, April 2, 1892.

First there’s a hum as the motor engages, the sound of water filling, then a swoosh as the pump starts up. After a couple of friendly knocks, my dishwasher settles into a comforting churn; sometimes a plate or two clinks with satisfaction. Ahhh!! Soon we’ll all be so clean and sparkly!

I like hearing the sudsy slosh and the jet spray during the rinse cycle. But as much as I’ve appreciated this efficient, time-saving appliance, I never really knew who invented it until I read Josephine and Her Dishwashing Machine by Kate Hannigan and Sarah Green (Calkins Creek, 2023).

In lively, rhythmic prose, Hannigan relates how Chicago socialite Josephine Garis Cochrane invented the first practical and successful hand-powered dishwasher despite societal hurdles, lack of professional training and financial hardship.

It all began one night after a dinner party when, much to her dismay, Josephine discovered cracks and chips in some of the china her household staff had washed. She then tried washing the dishes herself, but hated the laborious, never-ending drudgery that robbed her of precious time she’d rather spend doing pleasant things, like playing the piano, picking flowers, frosting cakes, or scratching “the furry ears of her beloved hounds.”

Convinced “there must be a better way,” she set about designing her own dishwashing machine. This wasn’t such a far fetched idea, as her great-grandfather, John Fitch, had secured a patent for the steamboat, and her father, John Garis, was an engineer who built bridges. This innovative spirit was also characteristic of the time period (Second Industrial Revolution), when many notable inventors were at work: Alexander Graham Bell (telephone), Margaret E. Knight (paper grocery bags), Thomas Edison (light bulb), Sarah E. Goode (convertible bed).

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