Walter A. Sheaffer (July 27, 1867 – June 19, 1946) was an American inventor and businessman who developed the first commercially successful lever-filling
fountain pen
A fountain pen is a writing instrument which uses a metal nib to apply a water-based ink to paper. It is distinguished from earlier dip pens by using an internal reservoir to hold ink, eliminating the need to repeatedly dip the pen in an inkw ...
and founded the
W.A. Sheaffer Pen Company.
Walter A. Sheaffer was born in Bloomfield, Davis County, Iowa, on July 27, 1867. His father, Jacob Sheaffer, moved to Bloomfield from Ottumwa, Iowa, after returning from California Gulch in 1854 and entered the jewelry business. At that time in Bloomfield, which was only a small town of several hundred people. He was the oldest child of Elizabeth and Jacob Royer Sheaffer, who had settled in Bloomfield in 1854 and established a jewelry store. Sheaffer dropped out of school and first started working as a printer's devil, then a grocery boy and in the summer he operated a peanut stand. He next worked at a jewelry store in
Centerville, Iowa
Centerville is a city in and the county seat of Appanoose County, Iowa, Appanoose County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,412 in the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, a decline from 5,924 in 2000 United States Census, 2000. After ...
and later at a store in
Unionville, Missouri
Unionville is a city in Putnam County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,735 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Putnam County.
History
Unionville was first named Harmony when established in 1853 as the county seat for Putn ...
. He returned to Bloomfield in 1888, to become a partner with his father in the family business.
In 1906, Sheaffer purchased a jewelry store in
Fort Madison, Iowa
Fort Madison is a city and a county seat of Lee County, Iowa, United States along with Keokuk. Of Iowa's 99 counties, Lee County is the only one with two county seats. The population was 10,270 at the time of the 2020 census. Located along the ...
where he established the Sheaffer Jewelry and Music Co. on Second St. Inspired by the success of self-filling fountain pens—notably, Conklins—Sheaffer turned his attention to inventing a self-filling mechanism of his own. He received his first fountain pen patent in 1908, for a lever-filler, but did not put his design into production until 1912. The new business was incorporated at the end of January 1913 as the
W.A. Sheaffer Pen Company; its success was rapid, and the jewelry store was soon sold. Within ten years, the company had joined the top rank of American pen manufacturers, and was advertising nationally. Sheaffer served as president of the company from 1913 to 1938. From 1938 until his death, he served as chairman of the board, while his son
Craig Royer Sheaffer __NOTOC__
Craig may refer to:
Geology
*Craig (landform), a rocky hill or mountain often having large casims or sharp intentations.
People (and fictional characters)
* Craig (surname)
* Craig (given name)
Places
Scotland
*Craig, Angus, aka Barony ...
served as president.
Sheaffer died in
Fort Madison
Fort Madison is a city and a county seat of Lee County, Iowa, United States along with Keokuk. Of Iowa's 99 counties, Lee County is the only one with two county seats. The population was 10,270 at the time of the 2020 census. Located along the ...
.
See also
*
Walter A. Sheaffer House
References
External links
"Walter A. Sheaffer Life Story"(With many related photos).
''The Des Moines Register'' , Famous Iowans: Walter A. Sheaffer*
ttp://www.penhero.com/ PenHero.com(Many photo illustrated reference articles and reviews on modern and vintage Sheaffer pens and large list of pen links in PenBookmarks section.)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheaffer, Walter A.
1867 births
1946 deaths
20th-century American inventors
People from Bloomfield, Iowa
People from Fort Madison, Iowa