In 1854 Edward Weissenborn came to America to establish his own pencil factory, where he learned the art in Germany working for the I.I. Renbach Lead Pencil Company. In 1864, after assisting in the design and construction of the Civil War battleship, the Monitor, Edward set up his pencil factory in Jersey City Heights, New Jersey. It was called the American Pencil Company.

The American Pencil Company quickly earned a reputation for producing quality pencils. They received hundreds of letters praising its products, including letters from four members of President Lincoln's cabinet. In 1866 letters of commendation were received from the Governor of New York and the Mayor of New York City.

In 1885 the American Pencil Company was sold to the Reckford Family. Four yearslater, in 1889, Oscar A. Weissenborn, Edward's son, began making pencils in a large room of the family home in Jersey City , New Jersey . He set up his own machine shop because at the time it was impossible to buy pencil making equipment. The following year Oscar rented a floor over a grocery, and in 1891 he rented an old mansion for a factory. He called the operation the "Pencil Exchange". In 1914 he moved into his own factory in Jersey City.

World War I nearly killed the fledgling Pencil Exchange. The British blockade made it impossible for pencil manufacturers to get lead from Germany. The British put into effect an Orders-in-Council prohibiting American importers from obtaining any German product - even if they were paid for with American money and were lying in neutral ports awaiting shipment.

An emergency meeting of importers was held in 1915 in New York City where Oscar Weissenborn took the lead in presenting the views of the pencil industry. He called the British order:

"The most outrageous invasion of the rights of the United States of America in its peaceful trade relations in non-contraband articles, being a curtailment of the commerce of the sea, contrary to all international law and custom."

His speech was widely quoted in the American Press, and it came to the attention of the British authorities. Oscar went to Washington to plead his case at the British Embassy, but the British were adamant.

This left the American pencil manufacturers unable to get their leads out of Germany. Oscar experimented and came up with a way to make his own leads.

It took Oscar 30 years to build up his business, and in December of 1923 his operation became the General Pencil Company. In 1927, his son, Oscar E. Weissenborn, entered the family business. Later three of his sons would become officials in General Pencil.

General Pencil expanded operations to California in 1965 to become closer to the incense cedar supply and to the Western markets it was developing.

General Pencil continues to handcraft its pencils in the USA in the same factory in Jersey City.