Josephine Garis Cochran - 1880s Inventor of the Dishwasher

By Mary Dodge Allen 

How did a widow with no formal education in mechanical engineering - successfully design, manufacture, market and sell an innovative dishwashing machine in an era when a woman managing a business was rare? 

Josephine Garis Cochran (Public Domain)

Early Life and Marriage:

Josephine Garis was born into a prominent family on March 8, 1839 in Ashtabula County, Ohio. Her father was a civil engineer who operated mills in Ohio and Indiana.

When her mother died, Josephine moved to Shelbyville, Illinois to live with her sister. She soon met William Cochran, a successful businessman who ran a dry goods business. In 1858, at the age of 19, Josephine married William, who was nine years older. They had two children - a boy, Hallie, who tragically died in childhood, and a daughter, Katharine.

In 1870, William moved his family to a mansion in Chicago, and they joined the city's high society, hosting many elegant dinner parties. Josephine enjoyed using her family's 17th-century heirloom china at these events. But she was frustrated when the servants who washed the dishes often chipped and broke her prized china. When Josephine tried washing the china herself, she found she also chipped the dishes.

Vintage photo of a servant washing dishes (Public Domain)

Josephine knew there had to be a way to automate the chore of dishwashing and vowed, "If nobody else is going to invent a dishwashing machine, I'll do it myself." She began drawing sketches of a machine to effectively wash dishes without damaging them.

Her husband William, who had become a violent alcoholic, died suddenly in 1883. He left Josephine with $1,500 (the equivalent of $47,000 today) along with mismanaged finances and unpaid debts. While paying off these debts, she realized she was in financial trouble. She began devoting all her energy to developing her dishwashing machine.

Her Business Begins:

Josephine hired a young mechanic, George Butters, to help her build a working prototype from her detailed sketches. Day after day, they worked together in a woodshed behind her house. Butters always entered the shed through the back door because Josephine worried her reputation might be ruined if neighbors saw him coming to her house every day.

On the day after Christmas, 1886, J.G. Cochran was awarded patent no. 355,139 for her "Dish Washing Machine."

J.G. Cochran's U.S. patent no. 355,139 (U.S. Patent & Trademark Office)

Although Josephine was not the first to invent a dish washing machine, she was the first to use water pressure, rather than scrubbers to clean the dishes (the process that is still in use today). And her machine had specialized racks to hold the dishes and flatware in place.

Josephine called her invention the Garis-Cochran Dish Washing Machine. She enlisted financing from wealthy investors and used established manufacturing firms to build her dish washing machines. But finding competent employees proved frustrating.

Male workers who were aware of Josephine's lack of mechanical training, often tried making 'improvements' to her machine, which disrupted the manufacturing process. Josephine complained, "I couldn't get men to do the things I wanted in my way, until they had tried and failed on their own. And that was costly for me."

Through her wealthy friends and contacts, Josephine began to sell her dish washing machines to wealthy households with enough money to pay the high price (over $100) and with home water heaters large enough to run the machines.

To expand her sales, Josephine began selling a much larger model of her dish washing machine to restaurants and hotels. In 1887, a friend introduced her to the manager of Chicago's Palmer House, one of the most famous hotels in the country. Her sales pitch impressed the manager and resulted in her first large order.

The Palmer House, 17 E. Monroe St. Chicago, IL, circa 1920s (Chicago History Museum)

The second hotel she visited was the Sherman House, and she needed to make a sale without the benefit of a formal introduction. In the 1880s, an adult woman of her social class rarely left home unless accompanied by a man. 

Walking alone into the hotel, Josephine recalled, "was almost the hardest thing I ever did. You cannot imagine what it was like in those days... for a woman to cross a hotel lobby alone... the lobby seemed a mile wide. I thought I should faint at every step, but I didn't - and I got an $800 order as my reward."

The Chicago World's Columbian Exposition of 1893:

Josephine Cochran's big break happened at this huge event, which took place during a six month duration in 1893. It was considered the event of the century and was attended by more than 27 million people.

Machinery Hall at the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition, 1893, (Public Domain)

The large-sized model of her Garis-Cochran Dish Washing Machine - the model sold to hotels and restaurants - was showcased in Machinery Hall, along with many other innovative inventions. Of all the devices displayed in that massive hall, hers was the only device invented by a woman.

Her dish washing machine worked with amazing speed. Over 200 dirty dishes could be loaded in the dish racks. Pulleys and gears then transported them inside the machine. Minutes later, after being washed by soap and hot water pressure, the dishes emerged, sparkling clean.

The Garis-Cochran Dish Washing Machine won an award at the Exposition. It was declared the "best mechanical construction, durability, and adaptation to its line of work."

Josephine's Dish Washing Machine wasn't just on display, it was also being used by the World Exposition's many restaurants.

Advertisement touting the award at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition and that the Garis-Cochran Dish Washing Machine was used by the Exposition's restaurants. (Public Domain)

The publicity her dish washing machine received at the World's Columbian Exposition led to more orders than ever before. In addition to hotels and restaurants, she began selling to hospitals and colleges.

Her Own Factory:

In 1898, Josephine established her own factory under the name, Cochran's Crescent Dish Washing Company, with George Butters as factory manager. Sales continued growing across the country, and as far away as Alaska and Mexico.

Josephine wasn't the type to sit back and rest. She was always involved in the business, and she constantly looked for ways to improve her dish washing machine. 

Josephine Cochran in her later years (Public Domain)

In August 1913, Josephine passed away in her Chicago home, at the age of 74. The cause of death was said to be a stroke, brought on by nervous exhaustion.

Josephine received a second, posthumous patent in 1917 for an improved version of her dish washing machine.

Cochran's second posthumous U.S. patent no. 1,223,380, 1917 (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)

In 1926, the Hobart Company bought Cochran's Crescent Dish Washing Company, and went on to manufacture dishwashers under the KitchenAid brand. Sixty years later, in 1986, KitchenAid was purchased by the Whirlpool Corporation.

Josephine Garis Cochran was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006.

Shortly before her death, Josephine made this statement in an interview:

"If I knew all I know today, when I began to put the dishwasher on the market, I never would have had the courage to start. But then, I would have missed a very wonderful experience."

___________________

Mary Dodge Allen is currently finishing her sequel to Hunt for a Hometown Killer. She's won a Christian Indie Award, an Angel Book Award, and two Royal Palm Literary Awards (Florida Writer's Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Faith Hope and Love Christian Writers. 

Website: www.marydodgeallen.com

Recent release, anthology devotional: El Jireh, The God Who Provides

Mary's story, entitled: A Mother's Desperate Prayer, describes her struggle with guilt and despair after her young son is badly burned in a kitchen accident. When we are at the end of all we have, El Jireh provides what we need. 

Click the link below to purchase on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/El-Jireh-God-Who-Provides/dp/1963611608

Mary's novel: Hunt for a Hometown Killer won the 2022 Christian Indie Award, First Place - Mystery/Suspense; and the 2022 Angel Book Award - Mystery/Suspense.

Click the link below to buy Hunt for a Hometown Killer at Amazon.com:

Hunt For A Hometown Killer: A Novel: Allen, Mary Dodge: 9781952369704: Amazon.com: Books

Link to Mary's Spotlight Interview:   Mary Dodge Allen Author Spotlight EA Book

How An Average Nineteenth-Century Man from France Built One of the Most Renown Hotels in America

By Donna Wichelman

Rated among the fifteen most favorite local art businesses in the United States of America, the nineteenth-century Hotel De Paris in Georgetown, Colorado, has always maintained a first-class reputation. Though it has been owned and operated as a museum by the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America since 1954, the Hotel De Paris remains one of the best-preserved nineteenth-century hotels in the United States.

Hotel De Paris, Georgetown Colorado: Donna's Gallery, December 2019

But how did the hotel rise from the site of the Delmonico Bakery in October 1875 to become a first-class hotel and restaurant in this gold and silver mining town of 1879? To understand the origins of the Hotel de Paris, we must develop a picture of the man known to Georgetown residents as Louis Dupuy, who conceived it.

Born Adolphe Francois Gerard in October 1844 in Alencon, France, Adolphe came from parents of average means who operated an inn. After his father's death, his mother encouraged Adolphe to enter a Catholic seminary at age fifteen. However, the priesthood didn't suit him, and by age twenty, he left the seminary at Sées and headed to Paris.

Louis Dupuy (a.k.a. Adolphe Francois Gerard: Photo on the Wall of the Hotel De Paris, Georgetown, Colorado: Donna's Gallery October 2018

In Paris, Adolphe served as an apprentice chef at a large hotel and learned how to prepare fine French cuisine. However, seeking to improve his English fluency, he left France for London, England, where he worked at a newspaper, translating reviews.

But as a free spirit will be, Adolphe moved on to New York City in 1866 and worked for another newspaper. However, caught selling an article he didn't write, Adolphe enlisted in the Army in disgrace, and in August 1868 was assigned to the cavalry at Fort Russell (now Warren Air Force Base) near Cheyenne, Wyoming. By now, we can anticipate Adolphe's pattern of moving on and deserting, and indeed, he went AWOL from the cavalry on April 1, 1869, finding his way to Denver, where he called himself Louis Dupuy to hide from the government.

Yet Louis's (a.k.a. Adolphe) passion for research and writing hadn't waned, and he wrote an in-depth article about a political controversy in France that caught the attention of W.N. Byers of the Rocky Mountain Newspaper. Byers liked Louis so well that he assigned him to report on the new mining districts across Colorado. For more than a year, Louis rode a mule throughout the region until he came to Georgetown, a city of five thousand people.

Unlike the other mining towns Louis had visited, Georgetown was a bustling metropolis of homes and businesses with an international flair. This appealed to him, and he took a job as a miner at a mine near Silver Plume. But on March 6, 1873, a delayed reaction of dynamite caused an explosion in the mine. Louis saved his partner by pushing him away, taking the brunt of the explosion.

News of what Louis had done spread throughout the community, and people treated him as a hero. It was during his convalescence that Louis finally found his mission in life. "In this land of gold and silver, we should live like princes. We should have a great hostelry and the best of wines. While we cannot have the masterpieces of Michelangelo and Cellini, we can at least have the reproductions. I would have a library, and the thoughts of the best authors of the Old World would be upon its shelves."

Therefore, when an advertisement appeared in the Colorado Miner soliciting help from his fellow citizens to pay the rent on the building that housed the former Delmonico Bakery, everyone gathered around to support Louis's proposal for a first-class hotel.

Luxury Hotel Room, Hotel De Paris, Georgetown Colorado: Donna's Gallery October 2018

State of the Art Kitchen, Hotel De Paris, Georgetown, Colorado: Donna's Gallery October 2018

Hotel De Paris, Georgetown, Colorado Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Collection

Thus began a project that took shape in stages over the next four years in which Louis added onto the original building, initially doing all the work himself, remodeling and improving and paving the way for one of the finest hotels and restaurants in the region, evoking a picture of the inns one might find in Louis' home in Normandy, France. Indeed, he had been known to say, "Show them this little souvenir of Alencon which I built in America, and they will understand.


Louis's dream was realized over the years until his death from pneumonia on October 13, 1900. He built his library with books by the best authors from around the world on his shelves. He also continued to invest in the hotel, providing state-of-the-art rooms with all the accoutrements and serving the restaurant's patrons from a state-of-the-art kitchen, offering the finest French and Western wines and cuisine available in the New World, and the most elegant crystal and china one could buy.

Library at Hotel De Paris, Georgetown, Colorado: Donna's Gallery October 2018

After Louis died, the hotel passed to Sophie Gally, who died only four months after Dupuy. It went to her nieces, and then was first rented, then sold, to the Burkholder family, who ran the hotel until 1949 when it closed. The hotel fell into disrepair until the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of Colorado bought the hotel and restored it to the excellently kept museum it is today. The Hotel De Paris is a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It contains ninety percent of its original furnishings.

Dining Room Hutch with Fine Crystal, Hotel De Paris, Georgetown, Colorado: Donna's Gallery 2018

Donna is an Angel-award-winning author of Historical fiction for A Song of Deliverance. Book Two in the Silver Singing Mine series, Rhythms of the Heart, was released in November 2025. Weaving history and faith into stories of intrigue and redemption grew out of Donna's love of travel, history, and literature as a young adult while attending an international college in Wales, U.K. She enjoys developing plots that show how God's love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. Her stories reflect the hunger in all of us for love, belonging, and forgiveness.

Donna was a communications professional before becoming a full-time writer. Her short stories and articles have appeared in inspirational publications. She has two indie-published romantic suspense novels, Light Out of Darkness and Undaunted Valor, in her Waldensian Series. 

Donna and her husband of forty-one years participate in ministry at their local church in Colorado. They love spending time with their grandchildren and bike, kayak, and travel whenever possible.

Unexpected Encounter - Trifecta

Where Modern Art and history meet, the intersection is golden. The depth of value at an historical site climbs as multiple facets merge. In the case of Dickman Mill Park, the effect is tripled. This Park features the trifold attraction of a former wood processing site, an Art installation, and related media honoring the Puyallup People.

Dickman Mill Park rests along Puget Sound in Point Ruston, Washington. We favor this area with the walking paths, Point Defiance Park, and local eateries. It is possible to move from the end of Point Defiance to the Tacoma Chinese Reconciliation Memorial all on foot while discovering historical markers along the way.

We passed one such marker on two recent trips. On the first, my husband remarked how neat it is when efforts combine to bring history to life through Art. True words. We walked the length of the exhibit, read the accompanying details, and observed the metal creation, noticing varied images depending on the vantage point. On the second pass, we enjoyed the installation again and gained even more appreciation after listening to the accompanying media. With two simple clicks, visitors can hear a tribute to the Puyallup People and learn of their history in relation to the area. Song, language, legend.

This unexpected trifecta exists as a treasure hunt from what we experienced with visitors encountering the exhibit. Yet another example of getting out what you put in. Imagine multiple scenarios:

A passerby observes the landmark from a distance and keeps walking...

.         

Another takes a few moments to enter the location and view the site as is. Walks through the stages of the presentation and exits to complete the stroll.

The final visitor peers from afar, explores while reading the placards, and pauses to avail themselves of the additional media. Channeling a three bears experience here as Goldilocks listens to the SoundCloud and declares it, "Just right."

In researching this post, I discovered there is a fourth enhanced option of online discovery after the fact. I’m grinning now because I did not realize there is also text within Mary Coss’ steel Ghost Log. Now I am itching to go back to see it in person. Third time is a charm, right? Getting ahead of the story. Let's go back a few years. Or maybe more than a few.

Did you know, Tacoma was known as the “Lumber Capital of the World.” How did they acquire this moniker? A plethora of timber along with proximity to the railroad and the ocean provided an ideal location for waterfront sawmills. Dickman Lumber Mill Company operated on this site from the 1890s to the 1970s and was in fact the last remaining mill in 1977. All that remains at present are a refurbished head saw, crumbling concrete foundations, and the 8’ by 44’ steel Ghost Log created by local artist, Mary Coss.

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At the height of use, the head saw could cut nearly 150,000 feet per day. Wait until you watch the video offering a snapshot of volume in its heyday. The size of the trees! Cutting by hand – two men at the saw. The worker climbing the tree with haste and only a rope. Imagine the bravery required for many facets of this mill.

 

Long before the mill existed, the Coast Salish people lived on this land. The Ghost Log serves to honor the Puyallup Tribe. As I mentioned earlier, text exists upon this structure. The artist added traditional Twining and Lushootseed words with the help of the Puyallup Tribe. How neat is that? I encourage you to listen to this short recording, titled Ghost Timbre. This rich collage of voices, songs, and sounds celebrates the history of a people and this site.

What do you see in the sculpture above? I believe Art allows us to see and ponder anew each time we observe a piece. Depending on where you stand when you look at the Ghost Log, you can envision multiple objects, scenes, or even possibilities.

I think desired aspects of traveling could be equated to books if one is a mood reader for example. At times we hope for a light escape. At others we seek a humorous tale. Sometimes, we long for an in-depth story to transport us in time, space, or perhaps both. When the next opportunity arises for viewing a site brimming with history, I wonder which you will choose.

As a child, Rebecca loved to write. She nurtured this skill as an educator and later as an editor for an online magazine. Rebecca then joined the Cru Ministry - NBS2GO/Neighbor Bible Studies, at its inception. She serves as the YouVersion Content Creator, with over 145 Plans, in 46 languages on the Bible.com app.

Rebecca and her husband share a townhouse with their rescued dog named Ranger, who is not spoiled inthe least. They are enjoying a new season nestled in a quaint southeastern US city. She is a proud mom of an American soldier and an Aerospace grad student. If it were up to Rebecca, she would be traveling - right now. First up, trips to see their two grown sons. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, she tackles the craft of fiction while learning from a host of generous writers.

Connect with Rebecca: Facebook Goodreads Instagram Pinterest X/Twitter

The Battle of Great Bridge - Norfolk, VA December 1775

Guest Blogger: Barbara Blythe

Today we welcome special guest, Barbara Blythe who is celebrating her new historical romance release, Far Grander Than Paradise. Welcome, Barbara!

*****

Picture a sleepy, farming village in December 1775, situated on the edge of the Great Dismal Swamp. Residents aren’t decorating Christmas trees—it’s not yet a custom in colonial Virginia—nor wrapping lavish gifts for Christmas morning as their means are modest. In the village of the Great Bridge, located along the Great Road (Battlefield Blvd. in modern day Chesapeake, Virginia) Lord Dunmore, the royal governor, having forbidden the Burgesses to meet has recently been pushed from Williamsburg by mounting unrest. He has commanded British soldiers to construct a fort along a southern branch of the Elizabeth River, a waterway that leads to the port town of Norfolk. Dunmore has decided to send his troops, composed of those belonging to the 14th Regiment of Foot, emancipated enslaved men belonging to Dunmore’s Ethiopian Regiment, and the Queen’s Loyal Regiment comprised of local loyalists and formerly indentureds, to engage the Patriots. Had you been a witness to those events, you would likely have thought any patriot force foolish enough to confront the British were lacking in sense. But...

For the past two years, I’ve volunteered at the Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways History Museum as a docent, and I discover something new about this battle nearly every time I step inside the building. I have discovered what many considered untrained, undisciplined though zealous patriots, inferior to highly trained and seasoned British soldiers, surprised everyone. Not in a skirmish or minor ambush, but in an orchestrated attack.

Map of Great Bridge and Fort Murray

After escaping Williamsburg, Dunmore sought refuge on a British naval ship and sailed to Norfolk. The governor knew that many of the town’s residents were loyal Scots (Dunmore was Scottish) and would support his efforts on behalf of King George III. Tensions mounted through the fall of 1775 at which time, the British 14th Regiment summoned from St. Augustine, Florida to assist Dunmore, arrived. Hence, the necessity of a fort built along a navigable strip of the Elizabeth River. The Great Road village had prospered from its location near the river and the fact the area claimed the only passable land route taking one from northeastern North Carolina and terminating in Norfolk—and vice versa—without using a ferry or crossing shallow waterways on horseback or wheeled conveyance.

British Fort

By early December 1775, the British had taken up residence in the hastily constructed fort, having grown in number to approximately 600 men. Dunmore, certain his force would have little trouble subduing the patriots, underestimated the number assembled by the opposing force—nearly 900 in total. He also underestimated the marksmanship and superior rifles the patriots had brought to the battle, of note the Culpepper Minutemen, waving their battle flag proclaiming “Don’t Tread on Me” which bore the image of a snake.

Lord Dunmore

When December 9, 1775 dawned, Lord Dunmore commanded his troops to advance, the 14th Regiment the first line to march toward the Patriots. As they reached the wooden bridge, sentries from the patriot side confronted them, among their number a freed black man, William Flora, from Portsmouth, Virginia, who’d volunteered to fight with the patriots. He and his companions pulled boards from the bridge to restrict the soldiers’ progress. Eventually only Flora remained, firing numerous shots at the advancing British force. But once across the bridge, the British encountered a problem far worse than a sentry shooting at them. The narrow strip that connected the bridge to the village, a causeway, was narrow and limited the progress of the British as they collapsed to six men across to fit within the fourteen feet of width provided by the causeway. Surrounded on all sides by swampy wet lands—marsh, reeds, muck, and mire—the 14th Regiment faced a deadly assault from the riflemen protected by breastworks across the southern end of the causeway.

The battle lasted thirty minutes. The British retreated to the fort and by that evening had marched back to Norfolk. It was a Patriot victory no one expected.

Why was this win a major turning point in the pursuit of freedom from England? News of the victory spread throughout the colonies and across the Atlantic. Throughout the colonies the realization that obtaining independence from Great Britain was more than a dream. And that dream became reality, but not without extreme sacrifice. We should all value the efforts of those 900 men who gathered along the Great Road and the Great Bridge 250 years ago.

*****

ABOUT BARBARA:

   Bitten by the writing bug in sixth grade, Barbara was further encouraged in middle and high school. Upon graduating from college, she was in banking for 25 years and later, was an administrative assistant with a local school system. Life events altered Barbara’s dreams—unfinished manuscripts ended up in a file cabinet for many years. In 2023, after retiring, she joined a local ACFW group and dusted off her unfinished manuscripts with hopes of bringing to life fascinating historical stories. 

     Barbara’s priority is to honor God and share her commitment through her writing. Her stories are faith-driven, entwining actual historical events with her characters who discover love in spite of all that threatens to drive them apart. 

     Previously published novels are: Fire Dragon’s Angel, Ransom for Many, and Dance of Life. Newest release: Far Grander than Paradise. Website: https://www.barbarablythebooks.com/

Echoes of the Ancient New Testament Cities: Thessalonica

Matthew James Elliott

Ancient Ruins in Thessalonica

One of my favorite parts about being an author who writes historical fiction from a biblical foundation is learning the facts about what actually took place in history and how those details connect to the scriptural narrative. Thessalonica is one of those cities that have always stood out to me.

As one of only two cities that received multiple surviving letters from Paul, Thessalonica holds a significant place in early Christian history. Paul’s connection with the Thessalonian believers was deeply pastoral. His letters reveal a community of great importance to him, set within a city that was a crossroads of culture, politics, and faith.

Thessalonica held special status within the Roman Empire as a “free city,” one of the few places Rome allowed to govern itself. This privilege meant that Rome stationed no garrison within its walls. As long as Thessalonica remained loyal and honored the imperial power of Rome, troops in the region would never establish a permanent base inside the city.

Local magistrates, known as politarchs, handled civic affairs. This is why Acts 17 shows Jason and members of his household being taken to city officials rather than Roman authorities. Soldiers certainly passed through Thessalonica; it sat on the Via Egnatia, after all. However, they did not control the vibrant center of trade, culture, and commerce that the city became.

The Via Egnatia was the road Paul, Silas, and Timothy traveled from Philippi. As they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they shared the gospel in the synagogues and among the people. Though they were only in Thessalonica for three weeks before being forced out, the gospel took root quickly. That rapid growth also brought rapid opposition.

The community was receptive to the message, yet cautious because of their commitment to Rome. Many found faith, but they also felt the weight of Roman scrutiny. Historically, Paul’s arrival in Thessalonica likely occurred around the same time Claudius expelled Jews from Rome because of unrest throughout the empire.

Painting from Acts 17 from Bible Encyclopedia

This tension helps explain the retaliation from certain Jewish citizens in Thessalonica. When Paul preached the gospel, they gathered a mob and raided Jason’s home. To maintain peace, Jason had to guarantee that the new community of believers would not cause further disturbance. Without that assurance, he risked losing everything, and the lives of those with him could have been in danger.

Another Thessalonian appears in Scripture, though he is often overlooked. Aristarchus, one of the main characters in my biblical fiction series, was born in the city and became one of Paul’s closest companions. His presence during the Ephesian riot, less than five years after the events involving Jason, marks one of the most dramatic moments in that city’s history.

Aristarchus traveled with Paul multiple times and even journeyed with Paul and Luke to Rome. Paul refers to him as a fellow prisoner and coworker in his letter to the church in Colossae. The courage we see in Aristarchus reflects the character of a church built on loyalty, endurance, and faithfulness.

The book of Acts highlights the Thessalonian church’s foundation in diversity, generosity, and perseverance. Paul’s brief stay is evidence of that. Despite the turmoil of the Roman world, one thing is certain: they endured immediate suffering. Paul’s letters show a church that stood firm under pressure, placing its hope in something greater than the empire surrounding them.

Those letters also reveal Paul’s deep appreciation for their love toward those in need. Their example became a model for other churches. In October, I discovered a biblical fiction novel that beautifully echoes this message: Worn Sandals by Sean Lyon. You can read my review here.

Though fictional, the novel is rooted in the story of Acts 17–18. I believe the author says it best with this quote from his introduction:

“I wrote Worn Sandals with one foot in Acts and the other in the dust of ordinary life. The spine is real… Around those bones, I set living flesh. House churches in workshops and courtyards. Oil lamps, agape meals, the kiss of peace that can feel holy and a little awkward… That is the life of the early church as I imagine it.” — Sean Lyon

My experience reading his novel reflects this vision and aligns with what my own research suggests Thessalonica may have felt like during the early church era: a community marked by courage and faithfulness in the shadow of Rome’s influence, even within the “free cities” of the empire.

While Thessalonica’s unique place in history will stay with me for some time, next month we begin exploring Ephesus, a city that has become the focus of my own stories. We follow the path many early believers walked as they carried the gospel from one great city to the next. The legacy of the early church continues to unfold, and I look forward to taking you there.

See you in the pages, 

M.J.E.

~ Biography ~

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which gave him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew is married and has three wonderful children who bring him immense joy and inspiration. One of his favorite things to do with them is to share stories they can someday learn from. When writing a story, he aspires to minister to others with love, equip them with encouragement, and use the gift God has given him as a writer to help readers experience God in a real and meaningful way.

Find Matthew on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, BookBub, and His Website. He has written Devotionals, An Episodic Series, Novellas, and even Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

The Ephesus Pages: A Journey Begins: (Part 1; Episodes 1-10) is available now for $1.29. Grab it while you can.

One Man. His Continued Journey. Working to Build the Early Church. 

Part One: A Journey Begins

John Mark carries the weight of his past on his shoulders, and there is one person he has never reconciled with. In an epic story surrounding the city of Ephesus and the ministry of Paul during his three-year ministry there, life as we know it will change. Join John Mark as he embarks on a new journey seeking reconciliation. As he leaves all that he knows behind on the shores of Cyprus, John Mark will begin a new three-part journey that will test his faith, build him up, and reveal much about his past.

Wellington Train Disaster - 1910 by Nancy J. Farrier

As winter weather envelops much of the United States, I am reminded of the Wellington Train disaster, one of the worst train disasters in U.S. history. This natural disaster remains the worst in Washington history.

Wellington before the Avalanche
Technical World Magazine, 1910
Wikimedia Commons

 

In late February 1910, snowfall in the Cascade Mountains delayed two trains traveling from Spokane to Seattle. The Great Northern trains were the Spokane Local, a passenger train, and the Fast Mail train. Between the two they had five or six steam and electrical engines, 15 boxcars, passenger cars, and sleepers. 

 

They were finally cleared to pass through the Cascade tunnel to the west side of the mountains, but were delayed once again when they reached Wellington, Washington. Heavy snowfall and a few smaller avalanches blocked the tracks. The trains stopped under Windy Mountain above Tye Creek. 

 

For six days, the trains waited in whiteout conditions. The weather made it impossible for the crews to clear the tracks. The telegraph lines went down on February 26^th, cutting off communications with the outside world. Then, on February 28^th, an electrical storm moved in, the heavy rain, thunder and lightning shaking the snow-laden mountains.

 

It was after midnight on March 1^st, when the snow on the slope above the trains became an avalanche. The snow picked up momentum as it tumbled down toward the tracks, taking everything with it. The trains were picked up and tumbled down the slope to Tye Creek. 

 

Train wreckage from avalanche, By B.E. Frazier
Library of Congress, Wikemedia Commons

Charles Andrews, a Great Northern employee happened to be on his way to the bunkhouse in Wellington when he heard the rumble of the avalanche. He later described what he saw as, “White Death moving down the mountainside above the trains.” He went on to say, “[The avalanche] descended to the ledge where the side tracks lay, picked up cars and equipment as though they were so many snow-draped toys, and swallowing them up, disappeared like a white, broad monster into the ravine below.”

 

With no way to contact anyone for help, the few Great Northern employees began the laborious task of digging down to the wreckage, which was buried under forty to seventy feet of snow. During the first few hours they were able to rescue 23 survivors.

 

Debris from avalanche, By John Juleen
Technical World Magazine, 1910
Wikimedia Commons

In all, there were 96 deaths from the avalanche, 35 passengers and 58 railroad employees. Recovery took time and the bodies were taken by toboggan to trains that carried them to Everett and Seattle. 

Names of those who died in the avalanche.

 

The town of Wellington was partially destroyed by the avalanche and was renamed, Tye, to distance it from the disaster. Within three weeks, Great Northern had the tracks repaired and trains resumed their travels. In 1913, Great Northern constructed snow-sheds to protect trains from more avalanches. 

Snow sheds in 1911-1913

Snow shed today on hiking trail.

 

What caused this disaster? It was proven in court that the fault was not the railway’s but a natural disaster. However, many believed clear cutting the slopes was a contributing factor, as was the sparks from the trains and the fires they caused. 

 

You can still see wood from one of the Wellington 
buildings destroyed in the avalanche.

A new tunnel was built in 1929, making the old railroad obsolete. Today, the old grade is a hiking trail, the Iron Goat Trail. It was so named after the Great Northern Railway’s symbol of a mountain goat standing on a rock.

Beautiful forest along the trail.

 

Last fall, I visited my daughter in Washington and she took me hiking on one of the Iron Goat trails. It was a beautiful area and there were markers talking about the tragedy of 1910. It’s hard to imagine the people stuck on those trains for days, only to be killed by an avalanche. 

Nancy J Farrier is an award-winning, best-selling author who lives in Southern Arizona in the Sonoran Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats and dog, and spend time with her family. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.