by Laurel | December 6th, 2011
Conover Dishwasher
06 December 1934
Worked as Steamfitter, Invented Dish Washer
Holyoke — 04 Dec. — Edmund J. Dwyer of 461 Appleton Street, who died while serving as a juror at superior court at Springfield today was well known in this city where he was born and had spent practically his entire life. For some years after his graduation from school he had been employed at steam-fitting but about five years ago invented an electric dish-washing machine that brought him an excellent price and high royalties.
He resided here with an aunt, Miss Mary McCoy. He leaves a sister, Mrs. Floyd B. Watson of this city, and a brother, William, of Boston. He was a member of the local lodge of Elks. The funeral will be held at the Dillon Funeral parlors Saturday morning at 9:45 followed by prayers at St. Patrick’s Chapel at 10:15. Burial will be in St. Jerome’s cemetery. A high mass of requiem will be sung at the chapel on Monday morning at 7:15.
[Note: reports in the paper two years earlier cited Dwyer’s dishwasher sales at 100 weekly and was manufactured by Smith and Wesson, utilizing a valve made by S & W. While Dwyer did not invent the dishwasher — it is widely attributed to Miss Josephine Cochran of Illinois in the mid nineteenth century — doubtless Dwyer did improve upon dishwasher technology. The image below is of a popular model of the time, manufactured by Conover, a Chicago company, and was for sale by many major stores including Steiger’s and McAuslin & Wakelin during this time period in the $95 – $130 price range and offering options such as a 21 meal in-the-home test plan. ]
Adapted, in part from The Springfield Republican.
Conover Dishwasher, 1930 Model
