Lewis e. waterman biography

Lewis Edson Waterman (1837 - 1901) was the inventor of the capillary feed fountain pen and the founder of Ideal Pen Company and Waterman Pen Company.

Waterman was born in Decatur, New York, on November 18, 1837.

We don’t know much about his early life, but he was a shorthand instructor, a book salesperson, and an insurance agent.

Legend says that on his last job, while trying to sign an insurance contract with a customer, his fountain pen gave in and leaked all over the contract.

Legend says further that while Waterman searched for a new contract, the customer signed a deal with another agent, and Waterman lost a sale.

Lewis e. waterman biography

This legend is just that - a legend. But the truth is that in 1883, Waterman improved a fountain pen. He noticed that fountain pens of the time didn’t have any control over the flow of ink, which caused the leaking of ink. He and his brother Elijah started experimenting with different tubes.

In the end, they found out that