who invented the ouija board

The Ouija board was invented by Elijah J. Bond, who patented the device on February 10, 1891. However, the board was developed and brought to market by Charles Kennard and his group of investors, including Bond and William Fuld, who later became the prominent manufacturer of Ouija boards. The name "Ouija" was reportedly supplied by Helen Peters, a medium and Bond's sister-in-law, who claimed the board spelled it out and said it meant "good luck." William Fuld is often credited as the "father" of the Ouija board due to his extensive marketing and production efforts, although he did not invent it originally. The invention took place in Baltimore during the early 1890s, with the patent granted after a demonstration to the patent office that the board could spell out the patent officer's name.