On this day in history, March 30, 1858, American inventor Hymen Lipman receives a patent for the pencil with eraser.

On March 30, 1858, Philadelphia inventor Hymen L. Lipman secured a patent for the pencil with eraser, which revolutionized the way mistake-prone schoolchildren, draftsmen, and artists worked.

In his patent application, the inventor, Hymen L. Lipman of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, stated that he had created a new and useful Lead-Pencil and Eraser.

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A pencil with an eraser is "particularly valuable for removing or erasing lines, figures, etc., and not subject to be soiled or rnislaid on the table or desk." — Hyman Lipman

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His pencil with eraser marked perhaps America's greatest contribution to pencilcraft.

A stylus, traditionally made of lead, has been used as the earliest writing tool throughout history, from the Egyptian and Roman Empires to the present day.

"Despite appearing like coal, graphite did not ignite, according to the University of Waterloo (Canada) Earth Sciences Museum. However, it turned out to be a great indicator of sheepskins."

Graphite, unlike the lead used in earlier pencils, is not poisonous.

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Pencil.com notes that Henry David Thoreau, a well-known Concord resident and author of the transcendentalist classic "Walden," was also recognized for his skill in pencil-making.

"Henry David Thoreau was also renowned for his pencil-making prowess." — Pencil.com.

The site highlights several other prominent figures in the history of pencildom.

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He went on, "Lipman walked away a very wealthy man."

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