J. ROSS MOORE
Moore, Clothes Dryer Inventor, Is Dead at 77
J. Ross Moore of 2008 Menasha Ave., inventor of the first domestic clothes
dryer, died early Friday morning at Memorial Hospital after a lingering illness.
He was 77.
“I couldn’t bear to see my mother, who was a school teacher at Devils Lake (N.D.),
hang out clothes in such cold weather, so I rigged up a gasoline driven washer
and a drying room in our home,” he recalled several years ago. This led to the
eventual development of a mechanical device which successfully dried clothes and
has sold in the millions.
Mr. Moore was born at Villa Nova, Canada, Aug. 22, 1886, son of the late Thomas E.
and Mary Clark Moore. He came to the United States in 1902 and married Arvilla
Homan in 1907 at Devils Lake. The couple resided at Devils Lake until 1919, moving
to Erie, Pa., and coming to Manitowoc in 1938.
First Model
He attended Villa Nova schools and Hamilton Collegiate Institute, Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada. It was his mechanical bent that led him into the engineering field and his
desire to perfect a clothes dryer was stimulated by his desire to ease his mother’s
burden when she had to hang clothes in the 40-degrees below zero temperatures at
Devils Lake. He developed his first efficiently working model which was produced by
a Minneapolis firm.
When the company ceased to operate Moore temporarily was out of production, but a
salesman suggested Hamilton Mfg. Co. of Two Rivers investigate the possibilities of
manufacture. Its introduction by the Two Rivers firm gained public acceptance and
the success of the venture was assured.
Mr. Moore, a 32nd degree Mason, was a member of Manitowoc Lodge No. 65, F&AM;
Barney G. Lyman Chapter No. 116, R&AM: Manitowoc Council No. 18; R&SM; Manitowoc
Commandery No. 45, Knights Templar; Wisconsin Scottish Rite Bodies, AASR, Milwaukee;
Two Rivers Shrine Club, Tripoli Shrine, Milwaukee, and Manitowoc Optimist Club.
List Survivors
Surviving him are three sons, Milo, of Chattanooga, Tenn., James A., of Two Rivers
and Robert R., of Seattle; two daughters, Mrs. W. O. Hickox, of Marshfield, Wis.,
and Mrs. Walter E. Hubbs, of Minneapolis; 10 grandchildren and five great grand-
children. Mrs. Moore died Sept. 13, 1955.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Urbanek and Schlei Funeral home.
The Rev. D.L. Wandschneider will officiate and burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
Masonic services will be conducted at the funeral home following the burial rite by
the Rev. Mr. Wandschneider.
Friends may call after 3 p.m. Sunday at the State Street entrance of the funeral
home.
Manitowoc Herald Times, October 18, 1963 P. 12
*********
[d. 10-18-1963/age 77 yrs.]
Moore, Clothes Dryer Inventor, Is Dead at 77
J. Ross Moore of 2008 Menasha Ave., inventor of the first domestic clothes
dryer, died early Friday morning at Memorial Hospital after a lingering illness.
He was 77.
“I couldn’t bear to see my mother, who was a school teacher at Devils Lake (N.D.),
hang out clothes in such cold weather, so I rigged up a gasoline driven washer
and a drying room in our home,” he recalled several years ago. This led to the
eventual development of a mechanical device which successfully dried clothes and
has sold in the millions.
Mr. Moore was born at Villa Nova, Canada, Aug. 22, 1886, son of the late Thomas E.
and Mary Clark Moore. He came to the United States in 1902 and married Arvilla
Homan in 1907 at Devils Lake. The couple resided at Devils Lake until 1919, moving
to Erie, Pa., and coming to Manitowoc in 1938.
First Model
He attended Villa Nova schools and Hamilton Collegiate Institute, Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada. It was his mechanical bent that led him into the engineering field and his
desire to perfect a clothes dryer was stimulated by his desire to ease his mother’s
burden when she had to hang clothes in the 40-degrees below zero temperatures at
Devils Lake. He developed his first efficiently working model which was produced by
a Minneapolis firm.
When the company ceased to operate Moore temporarily was out of production, but a
salesman suggested Hamilton Mfg. Co. of Two Rivers investigate the possibilities of
manufacture. Its introduction by the Two Rivers firm gained public acceptance and
the success of the venture was assured.
Mr. Moore, a 32nd degree Mason, was a member of Manitowoc Lodge No. 65, F&AM;
Barney G. Lyman Chapter No. 116, R&AM: Manitowoc Council No. 18; R&SM; Manitowoc
Commandery No. 45, Knights Templar; Wisconsin Scottish Rite Bodies, AASR, Milwaukee;
Two Rivers Shrine Club, Tripoli Shrine, Milwaukee, and Manitowoc Optimist Club.
List Survivors
Surviving him are three sons, Milo, of Chattanooga, Tenn., James A., of Two Rivers
and Robert R., of Seattle; two daughters, Mrs. W. O. Hickox, of Marshfield, Wis.,
and Mrs. Walter E. Hubbs, of Minneapolis; 10 grandchildren and five great grand-
children. Mrs. Moore died Sept. 13, 1955.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Urbanek and Schlei Funeral home.
The Rev. D.L. Wandschneider will officiate and burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
Masonic services will be conducted at the funeral home following the burial rite by
the Rev. Mr. Wandschneider.
Friends may call after 3 p.m. Sunday at the State Street entrance of the funeral
home.
Manitowoc Herald Times, October 18, 1963 P. 12
*********
[d. 10-18-1963/age 77 yrs.]
J. ROSS MOORE
Moore, Clothes Dryer Inventor, Is Dead at 77
J. Ross Moore of 2008 Menasha Ave., inventor of the first domestic clothes
dryer, died early Friday morning at Memorial Hospital after a lingering illness.
He was 77.
“I couldn’t bear to see my mother, who was a school teacher at Devils Lake (N.D.),
hang out clothes in such cold weather, so I rigged up a gasoline driven washer
and a drying room in our home,” he recalled several years ago. This led to the
eventual development of a mechanical device which successfully dried clothes and
has sold in the millions.
Mr. Moore was born at Villa Nova, Canada, Aug. 22, 1886, son of the late Thomas E.
and Mary Clark Moore. He came to the United States in 1902 and married Arvilla
Homan in 1907 at Devils Lake. The couple resided at Devils Lake until 1919, moving
to Erie, Pa., and coming to Manitowoc in 1938.
First Model
He attended Villa Nova schools and Hamilton Collegiate Institute, Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada. It was his mechanical bent that led him into the engineering field and his
desire to perfect a clothes dryer was stimulated by his desire to ease his mother’s
burden when she had to hang clothes in the 40-degrees below zero temperatures at
Devils Lake. He developed his first efficiently working model which was produced by
a Minneapolis firm.
When the company ceased to operate Moore temporarily was out of production, but a
salesman suggested Hamilton Mfg. Co. of Two Rivers investigate the possibilities of
manufacture. Its introduction by the Two Rivers firm gained public acceptance and
the success of the venture was assured.
Mr. Moore, a 32nd degree Mason, was a member of Manitowoc Lodge No. 65, F&AM;
Barney G. Lyman Chapter No. 116, R&AM: Manitowoc Council No. 18; R&SM; Manitowoc
Commandery No. 45, Knights Templar; Wisconsin Scottish Rite Bodies, AASR, Milwaukee;
Two Rivers Shrine Club, Tripoli Shrine, Milwaukee, and Manitowoc Optimist Club.
List Survivors
Surviving him are three sons, Milo, of Chattanooga, Tenn., James A., of Two Rivers
and Robert R., of Seattle; two daughters, Mrs. W. O. Hickox, of Marshfield, Wis.,
and Mrs. Walter E. Hubbs, of Minneapolis; 10 grandchildren and five great grand-
children. Mrs. Moore died Sept. 13, 1955.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Urbanek and Schlei Funeral home.
The Rev. D.L. Wandschneider will officiate and burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
Masonic services will be conducted at the funeral home following the burial rite by
the Rev. Mr. Wandschneider.
Friends may call after 3 p.m. Sunday at the State Street entrance of the funeral
home.
Manitowoc Herald Times, October 18, 1963 P. 12
*********
[d. 10-18-1963/age 77 yrs.]
Moore, Clothes Dryer Inventor, Is Dead at 77
J. Ross Moore of 2008 Menasha Ave., inventor of the first domestic clothes
dryer, died early Friday morning at Memorial Hospital after a lingering illness.
He was 77.
“I couldn’t bear to see my mother, who was a school teacher at Devils Lake (N.D.),
hang out clothes in such cold weather, so I rigged up a gasoline driven washer
and a drying room in our home,” he recalled several years ago. This led to the
eventual development of a mechanical device which successfully dried clothes and
has sold in the millions.
Mr. Moore was born at Villa Nova, Canada, Aug. 22, 1886, son of the late Thomas E.
and Mary Clark Moore. He came to the United States in 1902 and married Arvilla
Homan in 1907 at Devils Lake. The couple resided at Devils Lake until 1919, moving
to Erie, Pa., and coming to Manitowoc in 1938.
First Model
He attended Villa Nova schools and Hamilton Collegiate Institute, Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada. It was his mechanical bent that led him into the engineering field and his
desire to perfect a clothes dryer was stimulated by his desire to ease his mother’s
burden when she had to hang clothes in the 40-degrees below zero temperatures at
Devils Lake. He developed his first efficiently working model which was produced by
a Minneapolis firm.
When the company ceased to operate Moore temporarily was out of production, but a
salesman suggested Hamilton Mfg. Co. of Two Rivers investigate the possibilities of
manufacture. Its introduction by the Two Rivers firm gained public acceptance and
the success of the venture was assured.
Mr. Moore, a 32nd degree Mason, was a member of Manitowoc Lodge No. 65, F&AM;
Barney G. Lyman Chapter No. 116, R&AM: Manitowoc Council No. 18; R&SM; Manitowoc
Commandery No. 45, Knights Templar; Wisconsin Scottish Rite Bodies, AASR, Milwaukee;
Two Rivers Shrine Club, Tripoli Shrine, Milwaukee, and Manitowoc Optimist Club.
List Survivors
Surviving him are three sons, Milo, of Chattanooga, Tenn., James A., of Two Rivers
and Robert R., of Seattle; two daughters, Mrs. W. O. Hickox, of Marshfield, Wis.,
and Mrs. Walter E. Hubbs, of Minneapolis; 10 grandchildren and five great grand-
children. Mrs. Moore died Sept. 13, 1955.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Urbanek and Schlei Funeral home.
The Rev. D.L. Wandschneider will officiate and burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
Masonic services will be conducted at the funeral home following the burial rite by
the Rev. Mr. Wandschneider.
Friends may call after 3 p.m. Sunday at the State Street entrance of the funeral
home.
Manitowoc Herald Times, October 18, 1963 P. 12
*********
[d. 10-18-1963/age 77 yrs.]
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