Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-12-10
BaItimore's System Commended.
JEFFERSON's FOUNTAIN PEN,
An Interesting Letter Written by til
Sage of Monticello.

An Interesting Letter Written by the
Sage of Monticello.
A weil-known citizen has in his possession
an interesting autograph letter dated at
Monticello. May 81. 1924, and addressed to
Gen. Bernard Peyton of Richmond. In this
letter. written in Jefferson's copperplate
hand. which showed no signs of the feeble
ness Of age. Mr.. Jefferson said:
You are one Of the best friends in the
world. because you attend to the smallest
things, which are often more gratifying
than great ones. saw yesterday in the
hands Of Mr.. Dyer a fountain pen, one of
the best 1 ever saw. He said 1t was made
for him by Mr.. Cowan, a Matchmaker of
Richmond, and cost him cd. The outer
tube was of silver, but the two leaves of
the pen were gold, and no other metal will
resist the corrosion of the ink. Pray get
the favor of Mr.. Cowan to make such q
one for me. Add this TO the many kind
offices you render me. and which ever en-
title you to my affectionate attachment
The present custodian of the letter writes
to The Star as follows:
THE publication of the inclosed letter
may be of interest to your many readers.
Ii was addressed by Mr.. Jefferson In 1874
to Gen Bernard Peyton. a distinguished
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 a gallant
ohiSSr III tHe war OF lSlS, and one OF the
first and most admirable official acts Of
President William Henry Harrison was the
appointment of his comrade in arms to the
place or postmaster of Richmond. The let
ter was written a little more than two
years before the death of Mr. Jefferson
who died on the Fourth of July, 1895. at
the age or eight-three. The chirography as
you observe. Is wonderfully firm and leg
1p'e. and would have been remarkably fine
II 1t had come from the hand of a nan of
leisure of forty years of age The letter
eNlnces the undated and active interest NJ
Mr. Jenerson In matters even of minor
pubic interest, and its contents NAV per-
maps surprise most persons who have been
under tie common impression that the
fountain pen is a recent invention. as Mr.
of hsm SPEAK speaks OF having seen examples
Whatever the Cowan fountain. which
COSY ID. may have been no one now
hviEg seems likely to know. II 1t was pat
ented as fountain pens are nowadays mr.
record OF 1t exists at the patent office The
nrst fountain pen invented and patented
by an American was made by Douglass
hyde whose patent is dated May 20, 1880
Mr. T. {. Gould the same year. on Octo-
Der l. also patented a fountain pen AND
In 1Ss' Charles Cleveland devised one.
Ten years passed before another patent on
fountain pen was issued. Then Nicholas
Bartlett took out protection on an inyen-
ton in this line. Starting slowly, the idea
OF seif-feeding pens seems to have -four
lshed vigorously when once under head
way Down to October 10. 1882. there had
been Isl patents granted on fountain pens
Since then there have been perhars as
n any more. There we're fountain pens pat
ented In England as far back as 1909 when
Thomas Folsch made record of his inyen-
ton. In 1919 Charles Scheffer followed
and In 1925 William Johnston patented a
fountain pen. There Is great similarity in
all the devices. and the drawings Of the
earliest of them resemble those Of the
latest so closely that one may well WON
der where the invention in the modern
devices comes in. In 1909 Joseph Brahma
of Pimlico, England. invented q fountain
quill pen. One inventor whose design CO.
incides closely with all the rest, shows In
vention in his name for 1t. which was the
"polypantagraph.'