Marvin Stone

Marvin Chester Stone (April 4, 1842 – May 17, 1899) was an American inventor. He is best known for inventing the modern drinking straw.

Early life Stone was born in Portage County, Ohio, in 1842. The son of an inventor, Stone made many useful articles in his boyhood. He was a graduate of Oberlin College, although his course of study was interrupted by his service in the Civil War. During the Civil War, Stone served in the 7th Ohio Regiment. He was injured in the Battle of Lookout Mountain, and sent to Washington D.C. on special duty with the Veteran Reserve Corps. to produce cigarette holders for the company's Cameo brand of cigarettes.

Later, Stone developed the modern drinking straw. To combat the problem, Stone made the first drinking straw prototypes by spiraling a strip of paper around a pencil and gluing it at the ends. and had a diameter just wide enough to prevent things like fruit pips from getting lodged in the tube. By 1890, Stone's factory was producing more drinking straws than cigarette holders.

Stone invented a number of other items during his career, including a kind of fountain pen

Personal life Stone was married to Jane "Jennie" Platt.

Later life and death Stone used the newfound wealth from his straw business for a variety of philanthropic causes.

Stone died at his home on Columbia Road in Washington, D.C., on May 17, 1899, after a long illness. He was buried in Green Mount Cemetery.