The History of Cross Pens

Richard Cross established the A.T. Cross Company in Providence, Rhode Island in 1846. In it's first year, Cross debuted its first fountain pen, the Peerless. In 1889, Richard Cross created a number of ornate pencil casings made with gold and silver. Cross’ son, Alonzo Townsend Cross, also contributed to the company with a number of inventions and innovations in luxury writing instruments. In 1916, a Cross employee named Walter Boss took over leadership of the company. In 1946, Cross celebrated its centennial with the Century Pencil, which came in gold or silver. In the 1990s, the company’s Townsend pen became known as “the pen of presidents” because it was frequently used by world leaders to sign official documents. The Cross Century II pen also made history in the early 1990s, as both major political parties adopted it for use during official White House signing ceremonies. Today, Cross still produces luxury writing utensils and its pens are used in over 140 countries.