Friday, November 6, 2009

Did they call it the Lashbrook washing machine?

Amy, of We Tree, has a weekly challenge for genealogy bloggers, number 44 (which was due LAST week, yea, I am behind) for this year is:

"Dig around the patent office. Talk about your creative ancestors and their inventions. "

I dug around a bit and I could not recall anyone in my data base that did have a patent (you know I will remember who NEXT week!).  There was one name that popped into the ole gray matter, but, it was a copyright, NOT a patent.  Bummer.

I actually spent some time at Ancestry.com, snooping around in the US Patent  and Trademark Office Patents 1790 - 1909 data base.  I did a surname search for a few of the surnames in my data base, and I found a few interesting little tidbits that warrant some re-visiting!  I just LOVE new approachs to research!

I eventually remembered something on one of the Lashbrook clan.  Lookie see:

In April of 1890 C.D. Lashbrook and J. Dickinson of Waverly, Iowa purchased the "right to make, use, and ---- in the State of Iowa and in no other place or places, the invention ------ to me by said Letters Patent" for the sum of $1,000.00 from one W.R. Kramer. Mr. Kramer had purchased in November of 1888 the "Letters Patent" for certain improvements in "washing machine", said patent number being 392954. The Patent Right Deed recorded in Bremer County on April 28, 1890 further states that the patent is "to be held and enjoyed by the said C.D. Lashbrook and J. Dickinson for their own use and behoof and for the use and behoof of their legal representatives, for the full term of this patent."

Back to Ancestry I go, and, after a bit of searching the surname Kramer,  I actually located W. R. Kramer's patent.  There are 3 pages on Ancestry and page one is this image:
 

How fun is this??  OK, ladies do you want to use this for your laundry this weekend??  Moi ? - - nope, I'll skip!

Did they call it the Lashbrook washing machine??  Have no idea, but next time I have a few minutes to access old Iowa newspapers I am gonna look at the want ads!

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2 comments:

Linda Hughes Hiser said...

How interesting is that! Heck, I don't even like to use my own washing machine...ha ha...there are better ways to spend the day.

Amy Coffin said...

As inventor of the weekly challenge, I give you permission do to them in any order you wish and skip when needed.

Fascinating patent you have there. Might have to build a whole new room to house that thing.