Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-11
JEFFERsoN's FOUNTAIN PEN.
An Interesting Letter Written by
the Sage OF Monticello.

wv dSulublbh HAdtJ
A well-known citizen has in his posses
sion an interesting autograph letter dated
at Monticello. May 81, 1924, and addressed
TO General Bernard Feyton. Of Richmond.
In this letter written IN Jetfersons cop
per-plate hand which showed no signs
OF The feebleness Of age. Mr.. Jefferson
said:
"You ore one Of the best friends In tue
world. because you attend 10 the smallest
things which are often more gratifying
than great ones. 1 saw yesterday In the
hands OF Mr.. Dyer a fountain pen, one
Of the beat | ever saw. He said IL was
made for him by Mr.. Cowan, watch
maker. OF Richmond, and cost him Cd.
The outer tube was Of silver, but the two
leaves Of the pen We're gold. and no other
metal will resist the corrOsion Of the Ink.
PRAY yet the favor OF Mr C0wan 10 make
such a ono for me Add this 10 the many
kind Offices you render me, and which ever
enttle you to my aifectionate attach
ment."
The present custodian OF the letter
writes 20 the Star az follows:
The publication or the inclosed letter
may be Of interest 20 your many read
ers IL was addressed by Mr. Jefferson
I'm 1924 10 General Bernard Peyton,
| dlstin guished citizen of Richmond, Va,
whose family was connected with Mr..
Jefferson and on terms Of Intimate
! friendship with him for many years.
! General Peyton was asgallant officer IN
/ the war OF 1872, and one Of the first
and most admirable official acts or
/ President William Henry Harrison was
/ TIE appointment Of his cOmradG in
/ arms 10 the place Of postmaster Of
Richmond The letter was written a
HttIe more than two years before the
death of Mr.. Jefferson, who died on me
! ith of July, 1876, at the age of @. The
! chirography, as you observe. is Won
| derfully drm and legable, and would
/ have been remarkably fine II It had
! come from the hand of a man OF leisure
OF % years Of age. The letter evinces
the unabated and active interest or Mr.
! Jefferson ia matters even of minor pub
/ Nc interest, and it's contents may, per-
haps. surprise most persons who have
been under the common impression that
! the fountain pen IS a recent invention,
| a. Mr.. Jefferson speaks Of having seen
| examples OF them before lS2i A. Il. II.
Whatever the Cowan fountain. which
! cost sd" may have been no one now
living seems likely 10 know. II IL was
patented as fountain-pens are nowadays
| no record Of II exists at the Patent-Ofhce.
! The first fountain-pen invented and pa
tented by an American was made by
| Douglass Hyde. whose patent Is dated
| May 20. 1890. Mr.. T. C. Gould the same
year. on October LIST. also patented a
fountain-pen. and In 1898 Charles Cleve-
land devised one. Ten years passed be-
| fore another patent on a fountain-pen
| was issued Then Nicholas Bartlett took
! out protection ON an invention In this
line. Starting slowly, the Idea OF self
feeding pens seems TO have flourished
vigorously when once under Roadway.
Down to October TO- 1882 there had been
ISL patents granted on fountain-pens.
Since then there have been. perhaps. as
many more. There were fountain-pens
patented IN England as far back as 1909
when Thomas Folsch made record OF his
invention. In 1919 Charles Scheffer fol
lowed and N 1s2s William Johnston
| patented q fountain-pen. There IL great