User:Tnb2643/E.W. Edwards

Eustis William Edwards (b. Bangor, Maine, July 27, 1857; d. Mt. Carmel, Connecticut December 31, 1931) was best known as a premier bamboo fly rod maker and innovator. During his time his fly rod were considered the best of their kind. His contributions working were crucial in the creation of what we today regard as the 'modern fly rod'. He worked for H.L. Leonard, co-created the Kosmic Rod, produced fly rods under his own name and manufactured them for the large sporting goods companies of his time.

Early Life & Leonard
Eustis Edwards was born July 27, 1857 in Bangor, Maine. He was the son of William Scott Edwards a civil engineer and mother, Susan Jane Parsons. Little is known about Eustis' childhood, but he experienced a middle-class upbringing. As a young adult, he tried his hand a few different occupations before joining the Leonard Rod Company in 1882. He left Maine to follow Leonard to Central Valley, New York as an apprentice rod builder. Edwards worked here with other great rodmakers: F.E. Thomas, E.F. Payne, Fred Devine, George Varney, Hiram Hawes and Loman Hawes--with whom Leonard developed his revolutionary beveling machine.

Kosmic & Beyond
In 1889 Edwards, along with F.E. Thomas and Loman Hawes left the Leonard shop to start a new rodmaking partnership. With Edwards' bamboo processing skills, Hawes' mechanical ingenuity, and Thomas' management experience, the firm quickly established themselves under the name 'Kosmic' for A.G. Spalding & Bros. sporting goods.

Shortly after the partnership is formed, Loman Hawes left and was replaced by E.F. Payne.

The 'Kosmic' fly rod enjoyed many awards and accolades in its short time. Edwards and Hawes received patents for ferrule designs in 1890. Thirty 'Kosmic' rods were displayed at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, 1893 and won a gold medal. Unfortunately, in 1894 in a climate of a growing economic depression, Spalding sold its interest in the 'Kosmic' partnership to U.S. Net & Twine. Though rod sales did not reflect it at towards the end, 'Kosmic' became legendary in their brief time of production.

After a brief and tragic year in Los Angeles, Edwards moved to Brewer, Maine and started a partnership with F.E. Thomas. It is unclear how many rods 'Thomas & Edwards' produced, but some have attributed to them bearing the name of sporting retailers.

Experiments & Innovation
At the age of 58, after a fifteen year hiatus from rod building, E.W. Edwards began to produce again. It is speculated that he spent years experimenting with the Arundinaria Amabilis material in secret. When he began to once again produce rods in earnest, they contained some revolutionary technical advantages. He developed a way to temper the newly adopted Tonkin Cane which increased its resiliency, quickening its recovery time (damping) and lessened its weight. He first experimented with chemicals from his photographic profession and with steam. It was with an open flame that found success. The newly "flamed" bamboo allowed Edwards to shorten the length of the rod. It was able to achieve the desired performance without the full working length of rod then standard in fly fishing rods. His seven and a half foot and shorter lengths became a sensation. Flamed cane possed a golden hue that enthusiast today still admire in bamboo fly rods. It was these innovations that made Edwards' rods seminal in the creation of the 'modern dry fly rod'.

It is estimated that between 1914 and 1919, E.W. Edwards made 420 rods in Brewer, Maine. His son Bill Edwards, joined Eustis in the manufacturer fly rods in 1916. Two years later his other son, Gene Edwards, joined the company. These rods begin to take on some of the distinctive hallmarks of the E.W. Edwards Rod, such as the "autograph" in white script on the bamboo near the grip. They produced both darkly flamed rods as well as traditional light cane rods. They made rods bearing the name, Abercrombie & Fitch, the sporting goods house. In 1919 Winchester Repeating Arms Company purchases the E.W. Edward Rod Company.

Winchester
When Winchester bought the Edward Rod Company, Edwards was retained to oversee the operations in New Haven, Connecticut. Edwards moved there with his son Gene. Bill stayed behind. At Winchester, they started producing fly rods with many price ranges and options--the top end being more expensive than leading competitors of the day. After his five year contract expired, Edwards left Winchester in 1924, though he continued to build rods at his New Haven home.

Mt. Carmel
In the mid-1920's, Edwards moved his shop to Mt. Carmel, Connecticut. He built rods for the remainder of his days. Edwards produced four ranges of models. He had six employees, including his sons Bill and Gene. Master Rodmaker, Clarence "Sam" Carlson also worked there as a boy. In 1927, the name of the company changed to E.W. Edwards & Sons. The company made rods for various suppliers: Abbey & Imbrie, Weber, Paul H. Young as well as others. In 1931, a gravely ill Eustis sold 'E.W. Edwards & Sons' to Horton Manufacturing in a deal mired with difficulties.

Personal Life
Eustis Edwards was born in 1857 in Bangor, Maine. His grandfather was the editor and part-owner of the Portland Advertiser newspaper in Maine, his great-grandfather was an Advocate General in the Continental Army.

Throughout his life, Edwards tried various occupations. As a young adult, he started a small business selling fruit and confections, he was a bookkeeper and laborer before becoming an apprentice at the Leonard shop. He practiced professional photography.

In 1886, Eustis married Jennie Gordon, a woman who's brother worked at H.L. Leonard. They gave birth to son, William in 1887. In 1895, Edwards and family left for Los Angeles; an ill-fated journey that took about a year. Within a month of leaving, Jennie became ill and died. Eustis returned to New York to work as a photographer. The next year, he moved to Brewer, Maine and began making fly rods in partnership with F.E. Thomas. Twelve to seventeen months later, he returned to photography until 1914.

Edwards re-married in 1900 to Bertha Ford, a schoolteacher from a prominent family. In 1902, their son Gene was born.

After becoming ill in 1931, Edwards made arrangements to sell his fly rod company. The deal became difficult due to the Great Depression and the price agreed upon was never received. Eustis Edwards died on New Year's Eve. He is buried in Highland Mills, New York at Cemetery of the Highlands, the same resting place as Jim Payne and H.L. Leonard.