E.W. Edwards

Eustis William Edwards (b. 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, the fly rods he made were considered the best of their kind. 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. His contributions were crucial in the creation of what today we regard as the 'modern fly rod'.

Eustis Edwards was born July 27, 1857 in the U.S. state of Maine. He was the son of William Scott Edwards a civil engineer and mother, Susan Jane Parsons.

As a young adult, he tried his hand at a few different occupations before joining the Leonard Rod Company in 1882 as one of Leonard's first apprentices. He left Maine to follow Leonard to Central Valley, New York as an apprentice rod builder. Other great rod makers worked there as well: F.E. Thomas, E.F. Payne, Fred Devine, George Varney, Hiram Hawes and Loman Hawes—with whom Leonard developed his revolutionary beveling machine.

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 (sports equipment) & Bros.. They built some of the most desirable rods and began setting standards for the 'modern fly rod'.

Shortly after the partnership was 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. 'Kosmic' rods were displayed at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and won a gold medal. In 1894 in a climate of a growing economic depression, Spalding sold its interest in the 'Kosmic' partnership to U.S. Net & Twine. 'Kosmic' Rods have become legendary despite their brief time of production.

After the sale of the Kosmic partnership to USN&T, the original founders broke up. Thomas returned to Maine, as did Payne to Connecticut, both to venture into independent rodmaking. Edwards left to explore Los Angeles and may have had relatives in that area—some think he apprenticed briefly with a professional photographer in either Chicago or L.A.--and returned to the New York and New England area after about a year.

...
Wikipedia