Who invented the hash brown?

I just got home from a long workday (its 4 a.m.) and was starving so I made a stop on my way at Jack In The Box for a sausage croissant. Yes, I eat that fancy international breakfast food.

The meal came with hash brown sticks. I like food in stick form so I was excited. As I was chowing on the sticks it occured to me: Who invented the hash brown?

I looked it up on Google on the pretty red Ken Carr Blackberry and came up disappointed. No one who writes things on the internet seems to know.

I had secretly hoped it was someone named Hash Brown. Or had the last name of Hash like Sheila Hash. Or Olivia Brown. It ended up being a mystery.

So, to whomever in history made this wonderful food I thank you. And if there's someone out there named Shaniqua Stick who turned the hash brown into sticks you deserve a special thanks.

Hash browns are Kentastic!