This New York Born Woman Revolutionized the Way Ice Cream Was Made

Nancy Johnson, born in New York in 1794, defied the norms of her era by becoming a successful inventor, despite the significant limitations placed on women at that time, which makes her invention even more remarkable.

The Birth of a Pioneer

Nancy Maria Donaldson Johnson (1794–1890) holds the distinguished honor of being awarded the first US patent for a hand-cranked ice cream freezer in 1843. Her invention revolutionized the labor-intensive process of making ice cream, significantly reducing the time and effort required to produce this treat.

Changing Ice Cream Production

Before Johnson's invention, making ice cream was extremely hard work, and even President Thomas Jefferson had a long and complicated recipe with eighteen steps. But thanks to Johnson's ice cream churn invention, making ice cream became much easier and faster, and as you can imagine, it made a whole lot of people very happy. Johnson's patent for the "Artificial Freezer" forever changed the way that we make ice cream.

Empowering Women Through Innovation

Johnson's accomplishments are particularly remarkable in the context of the restrictions placed on women during her time. Despite the laws of coverture, which stripped women of their legal identities upon marriage, Johnson went against what society expected and became a successful inventor.

Johnson's work showed others that women were capable of doing great things and she inspired other women to follow their own dreams, even when society tried to hold them back.

Get our free mobile app

Legacy and Recognition

In addition to revolutionizing the way ice cream was made, Nancy and her sister Mary were also dedicated missionaries for the American Mission Society. In 1862, they worked as teachers in the 'Port Royal Experiment', where they helped educate freed slaves in South Carolina.