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This is a collection of Fountain Pen Articles, Fountain Pen Histories and Fountain Pen Essays that have been published either online or in obscure books or jorunals. Things that I found while doing research on other pen topics and I thought were too good to be lost to obscurity and should be put online where a Google search could unearth them easily for the fountain pen enthusiast and fountain pen researcher.. If you know of an article that should be placed here, please let me know.
Feel free to use this information as you like, but I would appreciate a mention for the Kamakura pens site if you publish an article, or book with information gathered here. Recently, I have seen people publish pen articles exclusively from my archive with out any mention at all and that always breaks my heart.
Any Comments? Please send an e-mail to: rd@kamakurapens.com |
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Found in the New York Hearld Aug 20 1903
CAPT. JOHN FOLEY DEAD,
Was a Well-Known Pen Manufacturer,
Civil War Veteran, and Fighter
Against Municipal Corruption.
Capt. John Foley died at his home, 442
Lexington Avenue, Saturday night, after a
lingering illness. The funeral services will
be held at St. Patrick's Cathedral Tuesday
morning at 11 o'clock. Capt Foley leaves
a widow, five sons, and two daughters. He
was born m Ireland; Oct. 16, 1835, and
came to this country when he was nine
years old. He was educated at St. Joseph's
College, Montreal. He came to New
York to engage in business. After several
ventures that were not very successful, he
had just begun to establish himself when
the civil war broke out He enlisted, and
was appointed a Captain and made a commissary
officer.
His appointment by President
Lincoln was at the suggestion of
Archbishop Hughes.
At the close of the war he began his
career as a manufacturer of gold pens, in
which business he was singularly successful.
Notwithstanding the strain of his business
affairs, he took an active Interest in
public affairs. He established the Empire
Club of the Twenty-first Ward and was a
factor in politics, showing his greatest
strength in his courageous fight against
the Tweed ring.
In 1869 he was elected as one of the
members of the Board of Supervisors by
the Democratic Union, an organization
that promised to break up the corruption
of the board in the system of graft then in
vogue. He was elected, but was kept out
of office. He instituted a suit against the
administration, which was the sensation
of the day. When the courts decided in
his favor the Board of Supervisors was
abolished by the Tammany organisation.
Capt. Foley was in the thick of the fight
against the Tweed ring until Its downfall.
His activity In public affairs, as well as
his business, was more than he could stand,
and he broke down in health. For many
years he had been a half invalid, but kept
his cheerfulness, and when his health would
allow it would ba in the ranks with those
who opposed official corruption.
He was one of the earliest of those who
fougnt for rapid transit His interest in
the various measures to bring the upper
part of the city into easy and quick communication
with the lower part continued
up to the time of his last illness.