Parker

George Safford Parker did not start out a maker of pens. Instead, he began his career as a teacher of telegraphy. To supplement his teaching income, Parker started selling pens for the John Holland Pens Company. In fact, his telegraphy students were his main customers.

When the pens he sold malfunctioned, Parker felt obligated to fix them. Soon overwhelmed with repair work, he decided to invent his own version of the fountain pen. Thus, Parker's famous idea of "making a better pen" came to life. With that, the Parker Pen Company was born. It was 1888 in Janesville, Wisconsin, USA.