From Mt. Pleasant News, Jan 8th, 1947

Original Sheaffer Pen Salesman Attends Conference

Graham orr, the first salesman of Sheaffer Pens, and Tom Stonehouse, the oldest salesman, were among the 90 Sheaffer Pen company sales representative attending the annual convention this week.

It was at the beginning of July, 1912, that Vice-President George Kraker hired Orr as his first salesman and sent him south to pioneer the sale of Sheaffer pens in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana.

Two other men with Kraker and Orr handled Sheaffer sales during that first year; they were Ben Coulson, now deceased, and a man named Smith who did not return from World War One. For two years Orr sold the pens in his southren territory and helped make the Sheaffer the most widely used pen in that area, a distinction it still holds today.

In 1915, the original salesman went to Denver Colo., which he served as his headquarters for sales in the rocky mountains and Pacific coast states for the next the years.

Chicago became Orr's home in 1925 when he was promoted to assistant genereal slaes manager. In 1931, he became Chicago branch manager, a position he still holds.

Graham Orr was born in Kansas, Ill, and was a salesman from his earliest days. Previous to Joining Sheaffers, he sold Colliers magazine for two years which in retrospect seems to him his toughest job.

Orr says the greatest pleasures of his many years with Sheaffers come whenever he establishes Sheaffer pens as the top writing instruments in a new territory.

The pioner salesman estimates that he has sold from $6,000,000 to $7,000,000 worth of fountain pens during his career.

Ton Stonehouse is 67 which gives him a seven year advantage in age over Graham Orr, but he as only been in the employ of Sheaffers since Feb. 18, 1918. Stonehouse on the first of January, became the first Sheaffer salesman to retire. He and Jim Low, former credit manager and treasurer who retired last fall, were honor guests at a banquet Tuesday.

The oldest salesman lives in New Haven, Conn. He has represented Sheaffers in the New England territory for many years.