About
Jett Morton: typewriter collector, historian, author

Jett Morton at the Chestnut Ridge
Typewriter Museum (2008)

Herman Price, as seen in California Typewriter (2016)

Jett Morton (born May 28, 1995) is an American typewriter collector, historian, and author. A native of Morgantown, West Virginia, Morton began collecting typewriters around the age of seven. After touring the office of local accountant Herman Price, which housed hundreds of antique typewriters, Morton was given the Corona No. 3 typewriter that began Price’s Chestnut Ridge Typewriter Museum.
[1][2][3][4][20]
In November 2008, Morton attended the first typewriter collectors' meeting hosted by the Chestnut Ridge Typewriter Museum.
[5][20]

Morton and his typewriter collection (2009), photographed by Ron Rittenhouse/The Dominion Post

In May 2009, an article on Morton's collection was published in The Dominion Post. By this time, Morton’s collection had grown to 91 typewriters, many of which were acquired at yard sales, flea markets, antique malls, and estate sales.
[2][3][4]
This article was subsequently published in the Charleston Daily Mail and by The Associated Press (AP).
[3][4]
The following month, Morton's first of many contributions was published in ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association.
[2][3][4][6][7][8][10][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]
Morton with other collectors at the Chestnut Ridge Typewriter Museum collectors’ meeting in November 2009.
[7][22]
Jett Morton and his typewriter collection

Morton, as seen in AntiqueWeek Magazine

In December 2009, an article about Morton’s collection appeared in AntiqueWeek Magazine.[23]

Russo and Morton at the
February 2010 collectors’ meeting

Morton on Don Polec’s World

Morton’s book The Oliver Typewriter
Co.: Machines and History

Morton on WBOY-TV

Jett Morton

Morton (front row, fourth from right) at Midwest Typefest (2010)

In February 2010, Morton attended a collectors’ meeting at Thomas A. Russo’s Museum of Business History and Technology in Wilmington, Delaware.[8] In June 2010, Morton appeared in a Don Polec's World segment on Philadelphia's 6abc Action News filmed at this meeting, highlighting typewriters.[24] That same month, Morton attended the Midwest Typefest, a collectors' meeting hosted by author and typewriter enthusiast Richard Polt.[9][25][26]
Jett Morton and his typewriter collection
In 2011, Morton published The Oliver Typewriter Co.: Machines and History, a history of The Oliver Typewriter Company.
[11][27]
In June 2011, Morton was interviewed by local television station WBOY-TV about his collection. At this time, his collection consisted of 220 typewriters.[28]
Jett Morton and his typewriter collection

Morton in The Typewriter (in the 21st Century) (2012)

Jett Morton and his Woodstock (Oliver No. 2 variant)

Morton in California Typewriter (2016)

In 2012, Morton was featured in The Typewriter (in the 21st Century), a documentary directed by award-winning filmmaker Christopher Lockett. At this time, his collection totaled about 250 machines.[29] In 2016, Morton appeared in California Typewriter, a documentary film directed by Doug Nichol, featuring Tom Hanks, John Mayer, David McCullough, and Sam Shepard.
[30][31][32]
(See Jett Morton - IMDb.)

From August 2020 to May 2021, Morton displayed a portion of his typewriter collection, then consisting of 300 machines, in an exhibit through the West Virginia University Art in the Libraries program.
[33]
Once his collection reached somewhere between 300 to 350 typewriters, Morton began tailoring his collection toward the Oliver typewriter brand. He already had several rare Oliver typewriters and liked their design. In March 2021, after selling some of his other machines, Morton’s collection housed 54 Oliver typewriters. His Oliver collection was featured in a story published by West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
[31][32]
Oliver No. 5 typewriter

Morton’s Oliver No. 5, as seen in the Grater G. Woodson Home National Historic Site brochure

The National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior included a photo of an Oliver No. 5, part of Morton's collection, in a brochure for the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site.
[34]
The Oliver Typewriter: The Standard Visible Writer book cover

Morton’s book The Oliver Typewriter: The Standard Visible Writer

In August 2025, Morton published The Oliver Typewriter: The Standard Visible Writer, a 284-page hardcover book exploring the origins and development of Reverend Thomas Oliver’s visible writing machine, and how it secured its place as a leading typewriter of the early 20th century.
[21][35][36]

Episode 68
A chat with Jett Morton - The Oliver Typewriter

Join David and Everett as they explore the world of The Batwing - The Oliver Typewriter with guest Jett Morton. Jett also talks about his amazing new book exclusive about this very unique typewriter.

Listen now on your favorite app below:
In October 2025, Morton was featured on Episode 68 of Austin Typewriter, Ink: The Podcast, discussing his book The Oliver Typewriter: The Standard Visible Writer with hosts Everett Henderson and David Torres.
[37][38][39][40]
The following month, ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association editor Paul Robert published All about the Oliver, a review of Morton's book in ETCetera No. 147.
[21]

Woodstock Typewriter Trail kickoff event banner

Morton holds his Woodstock
(Oliver No. 2 variant)

In June 2026, Morton was featured in an article in The Woodstock Independent, promoting a kickoff event to celebrate National Typewriter Day and the 130th anniversary of The Oliver Typewriter Company moving its factory to Woodstock.
[41]

Woodstock Mayor Mike Turner, Morton, and 2026 Miss Woodstock Kendra Heidtke at the Woodstock Typewriter Trail kickoff event

On June 23, 2026, Morton joined the City of Woodstock at the Woodstock Public Library to share the history of the Oliver Typewriter Company and its impact on the city. This event, titled Unlocking Woodstock’s Typewriter Legacy with Jett Morton, kicked off the Woodstock Typewriter Trail, honoring the 130th anniversary of Woodstock’s legacy as the "Typewriter Manufacturing Center of the World".
[41][42][43][44][45][46]
References
1.
^
"Jett Morton - IMDb". Retrieved July 3, 2026.
2.
^ a b c
Reinke, Malinda (May 3, 2009). "A young man with a passion for old typewriters". The Dominion Post (Morgantown, West Virginia).
3.
^ a b c d
Reinke, Malinda (May 2009). "Boy, 13, has a passion for typewriters". Charleston Daily Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) (The Dominion Post).
4.
^ a b c d
Associated Press (May 5, 2009). "13-year-old boy not a typecast collector". Retrieved February 17, 2024.
5.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 84 | December 2008.
6.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 86 | June 2009.
7.
^ a b
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 88 | December 2009.
8.
^ a b
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 89 | March 2010.
9.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 91 | September 2010.
10.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 92 | December 2010.
11.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 94 | June 2011.
12.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 95 | September 2011.
13.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 96 | December 2011.
14.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 97 | March 2012.
15.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 98 | June 2012.
16.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 99 | September 2012.
17.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 100 | December 2012.
18.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 101 | March 2013.
19.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 105 | Fall 2014.
20.
^
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 119 | Winter 2017/2018.
21.
^ a b
ETCetera – Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors’ Association – No. 147 | Fall 2025.
22.
^
Chestnut Ridge Typewriter Museum. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
23.
^
McKerrow, Katherine (December 14, 2009). "Early typewriters charm 14-year-old collector". AntiqueWeek Magazine.
24.
^
Polec, Don (June 2011). "Don Polec's World – 6abc Action News - WPVI Philadelphia".
25.
^
"Dr. Richard Polt". Xavier University.
26.
^
27.
^
Morton, Jett (2011). The Oliver Typewriter Co.: Machines and History.
28.
^
Arquilla, Dana (June 2011). "Typewriter Collector Has Hundreds of Unique Models – WBOY-TV".
29.
^
30.
^
IMDb. "California Typewriter (2016) – Full Cast & Crew". Retrieved February 17, 2024.
31.
^ a b
32.
^ a b
Slade, Duncan (March 10, 2021/Updated Jan 4, 2023). "WVU student collects dozens of rare Oliver typewriters – The Daily Athenaeum". Retrieved July 3, 2026.
33.
^
WVU Art in the Libraries: Passion or Obsession? (2020). "WVU Student Jett Morton's Typewriter Collection". Retrieved February 17, 2024.
34.
^
United States Department of the Interior / National Park Service. Carter G. Woodson Home / National Historic Site / Washington, DC.
35.
^
Morton, Jett (2025). The Oliver Typewriter: The Standard Visible Writer.
36.
^
Barnes & Noble (August 15, 2025). "The Oliver Typewriter: The Standard Visible Writer by Jett Morton, Hardcover". Retrieved September 5, 2025.
37.
^
Austin Typewriter, Ink. (2018). "Austin Typewriter, Ink. — About Us". Retrieved October 5, 2025.
38.
^
39.
^
Apple Podcasts (October 2, 2025). "Austin Typewriter, Ink. - Podcast Episode 68: A chat with Jett Morton - The Oliver Typewriter". Retrieved October 5, 2025.
40.
^
41.
^ a b
Dovidio, Janet (June 17, 2026). "Local celebration for National Typewriter Day". The Woodstock Independent.
42.
^
Real Woodstock (2026). "Follow the Keys: The Woodstock Typewriter Trail". Retrieved June 8, 2026.
43.
^
Real Woodstock (June 8, 2025). "Unlocking Woodstock’s Typewriter Legacy with Jett Morton". Retrieved June 8, 2026.
44.
^
McHenry County IL (2026). "Woodstock Typewriter Trail". Retrieved June 8, 2026.
45.
^
Instagram (June 24, 2026). "@olivertypewriters". Retrieved June 26, 2026.
46.
^
Instagram (June 25, 2026). "@misswoodstockil". Retrieved June 26, 2026.

Disclaimer: some images used under fair use for commentary and educational purposes only.