Learn about antiques and collectibles with Dr. Georgia Caraway

from left to right on the top row of letters Sholes ingenious QWERTY design alleviated the problem of popular keys (such as t and h) sticking together when hit in quick succession QWERTY keyboards separated letters frequently used in sequence and those used most often However, these upstrike typewriters were not very popular. In 1878, Remington released an updated version known as Standard No 2 that could type lowercase letters The Standard #2 became the first commercially successful typewriter It was not until 1908, that Remington introduced its front-strike model typewriter belonged to Ian Flemming, who is the author of the James Bond novels It was purchased by Pierce Brosnan who played James Bond in “Tomorrow Never Dies ” Average prices for typewriters range from $30 to $1,000 book will be the history of Howe If anyone has photos that she can copy, please bring them to Howe Mercantile

Although the first patent for a typewriter was registered in 1714, it was not until Christopher Sholes developed and produced the first commercial typewriter in the United States in 1874, the Remington Sholes & Glidden Gun manufacturers, Remington & Sons, were looking to diversify its business with the end of the Civil War. In that first year, Remington produced 1,000 S&G typewriters, making it the first mass-produced machine This first machine could only print capital letters and the typing arm struck the paper from underneath a design called upstrike or understrike The typist could only see what they were typing by lifting the carriage

The Remington Sholes machine was the first to utilize the still used “QWERTY” keyboard, named for the sequence of keys that goes

In 1896, the Underwood Typewriter Company introduced many of the features we recognize as standard in modern typewriters four rows of keys, with a shift key and a front strike Most typewriters were patterned after the Underwood by the 1920s

Collectors seek out manual typewriters that were produced prior to the 1930s Although a form of the electric typewriter was created in 1908, it became popular with the invention of James Fields Smathers of Kansas City of what is considered the first practical power-operated typewriter in 1914 In 1920, after returning from Army service, he produced a successful model and in 1923 turned it over to the Northeast Electric Company of Rochester for development The Electromatic, introduced by IBM in the 1930s, ushered in the popularity of the electric typewriter

The most ever paid for a typewriter was $80,000. “This

Dr Georgia Caraway, former director of the Denton County Museums for 14 years, and her friends opened the Howe Mercantile at 107 East Haning Store hours are Thursday through Saturday noon until 8 p m She has written five Denton history books Her latest, North Texas State Fair and Rodeo, is available at Howe Mercantile She hopes her next

Downtown Howe has three gift and antique shops Howe Mercantile, Texas Home Emporium, and Stark Farms Gifts SHOP LOCAL We can show you Howe!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: April 8 is the date for the Annual BBQ and Auction for the Save the Church restoration project If you wish to donate to the auction, please bring your item(s) to Howe Mercantile or to 101 East Haning (Howe Chamber office)

Dr Ken Bridges

Dr. Bridges is a Texas native, writer, and history professor. He can be reached at drkenbridges@gmail com

The City of Fort Worth, a beloved Texas city sometimes known as “Cowtown” or “Where the West Begins,” has a storied past that has helped shape the history of the state However, the name behind the city was a legend in its own right Gen William Jenkins Worth was a distinguished officer and war hero who fought for the Texas and the nation

Worth was born in the small community of Hudson, New York, in 1794 His parents were devout Quakers, and his father made a comfortable living as a merchant ship captain When the War of 1812 erupted, the younger Worth enlisted in the army Though Quakers are typically pacifists, Worth nevertheless decided for a life of adventure and service to the country in the army

Worth earned a commission as a first lieutenant in March 1813 and was immediately assigned to serve as an aide to Gen Winfield Scott Scott became an important mentor and close friend as the two spent years together serving the nation Worth fought in a number of fierce battles against the British as American forces pushed into British territory in Canada At the Battle of Lundy’s Lane in July 1814, he and Scott were both wounded in what was the bloodiest battle of the war Worth’s leg injury almost proved fatal, and he never fully regained use of the leg

However, Worth was still determined to serve in the army So impressed with his bravery and determination, he was named Commandant of Cadets at the U S Military Academy at West Point in 1816 as a major. As commandant,