Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-11-08
EZRA NuckoLLS, OF ELDoRA,
DESIGNED DEVICE NOW OF
GENERAL USE.
FAILED TO SECURE PATENT,
PEpDLER REAPs REWARD
As. Youthful JuurssAyman Jswsisr Mr..
NuekoIls Worked Out Idea at Re-
quest fltinerant Merchant Who
Made Thousands Of Dollars by Sale
Of Idea.
Special to Times-Republican.

L
Eldora, Nov Sit may not be gener-
ally known, but it is nevertheless a
fact that a citizen OF Eldora was the
first man in the United States to make
with his own hands the small yet gen.
orally used safety pin
In the year 1859 Ezra Nuckoils was
young man employed III the town of
Anamosa as a journeyman jeweler 1t
was while thus employed that a
peddler OF notions came into the store
one day and asked Mr.. Nuckolls If he
thought he could make for hin. a de-
vice which could be used for fastening
snawls about the shoulders Of men
and women so that the wrap would not
come unIastened so easily while the
person wearing the gaI ment was at
work. Mr.. Nuckolls said he could try,
and that night after the regular work
Ing hours he started TO work out the
plan in mis- mind. At that time not
many overcoats or long cloaks were
worn by men and women. shawis
thrown over the shoulders loosely being
the heavier wraps used in the winter.
When the peddler again came into the
store few days afterward Mr.. Muck
oils showed him the work Of his
hands. The peddler told him it was
just what he wanted and to go ahead
and make all that he could and that he
would receive l2ia cents for every
article made The peddler sold the
articles over the state at IS cents
apiece.
First One Crude.
The first of these articles made by
Mr.. Nuekolls was somewhat crude for
the reason that he had none of the
modern finer machinery 10 work with,
but the more modern device has not
been improved upon in principle, the
enclosed end being the same idea as
that which came to the original in
ventor in his little room in Anamosa
As the days went by the peddler con-
ttaued his purchases of the handy
article OF dress and a little later Mr..
Nuckolls and the peddler thought that
together they could work out larger
fastener to be used in the pinning to-
gether of horse blankets. and for
these the young jeweler received 50
cents each
Peddler Makes Fortune.
AudAy luS pcQCter SOLO 10 "A. L.
Stewart, the celebrated New York
merchant, a quantity Of the home
made safety pins for sufficient money
to enable the peddler to get the idea
patented. and the wholesale manu-
facture of the economical device has
been ever since carried on extensively.
The sale Of the patented article brought
TO the peddler Of notions many thous
ands of dollars. and Mr.. Nuckolls says
that his own failure to have the device
patented kept him OUT Of the million
aire class-it was his opportunity, but
he neglected it.
Another bit OF interesting history
connected with the life Of Mr.. Nuckols
is the little bronze button that he wears
on the lapel OF his coat. While a
member OF the Ninth iowa volunteer
infantry, his regiment captured from
the rebels, among other things, can
non, from which Mr.. Nuckolls took a
piece OF metal as a relic while the regi
rnent We're stationed at Vicksburg.
Miss. near which city one OF the
bloodiest battles Of the war was waged.
After the close Of the war and the
organization of the Grand Army of the
Republic Mr.. Nuckolls had the relic
taken on the field of battle made into
button which is the insignia that the
wearer thereof saw service for the
union in one Of the most cruel wars Of
ali time.