The story of Josephine Garis Cochran started when she was born on Mar.8, 1839, in Ashtabula County, Ohio, northeast of Cleveland. Her family influenced her to think outside of the box. Her mothers’ father, John Fitch, invented the first patented steamboat in the U.S. Her father, John Garis, was a civil engineer who managed several woolen mills, sawmills, and gristmills along the Ohio River. So, it was no wonder that when she saw a problem, she looked for a way to solve it.