George Stafford Parker
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George Safford Parker (b. November 1, 1863 in Shullsburg, Wisconsin; d. July 19, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois) was an American inventor and industrialist.
Parker was a telegraphy instructor in Janesville and had a sideline repairing and selling fountain pens. Dismayed by the unreliability of the pens, he experimented with ways to prevent ink leaks. In 1890, Parker received his first fountain pen patent; the next year he founded the The Parker Pen Company in Janesville, Wisconsin. By 1908, his factory on Main St. was reportedly the largest pen manufacturing facility in the world. Parker eventually became one of the world's premier pen brands, and one of the first brands with a global presence. He is the namesake of George S. Parker High School in Janesville.
