Answers:
The key board was originally designed to slow typing down since the keys were getting jammed from being typed too fast.
The type-bar system and the universal keyboard were the machine's novelty, but the keys jammed easily. To solve the jamming problem, another business associate, James Densmore, suggested splitting up keys for letters commonly used together to slow down typing. This became today's standard "QWERTY" keyboard.
The first practical typewriter was invented by Christopher Latham Sholes, and was marketed by the Remington Arms company in 1873.
Also a bit of trivia- all the letters that spell the word Typewriter are on the top row.