A popular legend claims Jefferson invented the device for his daughter, Susan, who complained of being served last. However, Jefferson had no daughter named Susan, making this story likely fiction. He did, however, popularize the "dumbwaiter" concept at Monticello.

While there is no single confirmed inventor, the Lazy Susan likely evolved from 18th-century "dumbwaiters"—revolving trays used in Europe to replace servants at the dinner table. Key Figures & Myths Elizabeth Howell (1891): She filed one of the first U.S. patents for a "Self-Waiting Table," which used rollers and a central pivot to rotate food. Thomas Jefferson : A popular legend claims he invented it for his daughter, Susan, because she complained about being served last. However, historical evidence is thin, and Jefferson never actually had a daughter named Susan. Thomas Edison : Some believe he adapted the turntable from his phonograph into a rotating tray, but this is also largely unproven. George Hall (1950s): An engineer and restaurant partner in San Francisco who is credited with reintroducing the rotating tray into Chinese restaurants, leading to its global ubiquity today. Wikipedia +7 Where did the name "Lazy Susan" come from? The term first officially appeared in print in a

One of the first official patents for a "Self-Waiting Table" was filed in 1891 by Elizabeth Howell of Missouri. Her design used rollers on a central pivot to allow the table's center to spin. How It Got the Name "Lazy Susan"

The invention of the is a mystery with no single creator to claim the crown . Instead, its history is a blend of 18th-century European furniture, American folk legends, and a 20th-century resurgence in Chinese-American dining. The Early "Dumbwaiter" Origins (1700s)