Gertrude A. Muller
Ms. Gertrude A. Muller | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 9, 1887 |
| Died | October 13, 1954 (aged 67) |
| Nationality | German American |
| Alma mater | International Business College (Fort Wayne, Indiana) |
| Occupation(s) | Businesswoman and inventor |
| Parents |
|
Gertrude Agnes Muller (1887 – 1954) was an American businesswoman, entrepreneur, and inventor. She was dedicated to developing and encouraging safer childrearing standards, inventing
She is credited with inventing the first folding potty chair and the first child's car seat, in addition to pioneering the use of crash testing for product safety.
Biography
At different points throughout her life, Gertrude was a member of the Business and Professional Women's Club, the American Home Economics Association, and the Fort Wayne Women's Club. As an adult, she became an active member of the local Congregational church.[1]
Early life
Gertrude Agnes Muller was born on June 9, 1887, in Leo, Indiana to Victor Muller and Catherine Baker. She was the third of the couple's five eventual children, the second of their three daughters. Her father was the son of one of the Leo's founders and her parents owned two farms, an apple orchard, and a gravel pit, in addition both the town's post office and it's general store. Gertrude's early childhood was relatively carefree, until Victor Muller's unexpected death in 1893 when she was only six-years-old.
Left with five young children and few other options, Gertrude's mother Catherine moved the family back to her hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The family found themselves forced to take in lodgers, as they suddenly had significantly less wealth and influence than they had previously. The rest of Gertrude's childhood was marked by poverty, until her mother found success selling baked goods and the family was able to acquire some property.
Adulthood
While receiving what she considered to be a "meager" secretarial education from International Business College in Fort Wayne, Gertrude read extensively in the areas of human development, health, and nutrition. Continuing to read on the side, she got her first job working as a stenographer for the General Electric Company in 1904 when she was only seventeen. She held this job until 1910, when a family friend helped her to get a job at their factory, Van Arnam Manufacturing Company. Gertrude served as the assistant to the president of the toilet equipment manufacturing facility for four years before being promoted to assistant manager in 1914.
Death
Gertrude Muller died on October 13, 1954 in Fort Wayne, Indiana after a long bout with cancer of the spine. She was buried alongside her mother in Lindenwood Cemetery near Plymouth Congregational Church in Fort Wayne, where she had been an active member for more than forty years.[2]
Juvenile Wood Products (The Toidey Company)
In the 1910s, while Gertrude was still working at Van Arnam Manufacturing Company, her younger sister had a mortifying experience while traveling with her young daughter, Helen.[2] While carrying their luggage through the lobby of a fancy hotel, a strategically placed blanket slipped - exposing an ugly, bulky toilet seat she packed for her toilet-training child. The young mother complained to Gertrude about her embarrassment, and soon after hearing of the incident she embarked on a lifelong journey to ease the day-to-day life of mothers and their young children.[1]
Juvenile Wood Products
Gertrude worked with her sister, , to develop a toilet seat for potty-training that was both more convenient for mothers and more comfortable for toddlers. Her first prototype featured a small footrest and was capable of fitting onto a full-sized toilet or it's own stand. The first seats were made by Van Arnam Manufacturing, until Gertrude tried and failed to sell her product through plumbers. She established her own business (Juvenile Wood Products Company) in 1924, finding quick success by switching her marketing from plumbers to baby shops, boutiques, and departments stores.
The Toidey Company, Inc.
Notable inventions
- Comfy Safe Auto Seat
- Little Two-Step
- Table-Hi Seat
Recognition
Legacy
Though she never married or had children of her own, Gertrude dedicated her life to the safety of children. Her free time was spent with her family, even living with and supporting her aging mother for many years. Additionally, Gertrude paid for her nieces and nephews to receive college educations.
See also
References
- ^ a b Sicherman, Barbara; Green, Carol Hurd (1980). Notable American Women: The Modern Period : a Biographical Dictionary. Harvard University Press. pp. 504–505. ISBN 978-0-674-62733-8.
- ^ a b Mccammon-Hansen, Nancy (2014-03-04). "History Center Notes & Queries: In celebration of Women's History Month: Gertrude Muller". History Center of Fort Worth. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
