The Lif e a n d Wo rks

Rob e rt M c C ormlck

I n c lu d i n g

Hi s I n v e n t i o n o f t h e R e a p e r

Hall M cormi ck R . c

J ame s Hall Shi elds P RE F A C E

We have long contempl ated w riting an d comp iling a histo ry of ou r r McC ormi ck G an dfather, Robert , an d thus putting on record all the known facts conce rning h is li fe , his wo rk , an d h is inventions , an d in ou r connection the rewith fu rn ish ing all the evi dence , long in posses c r sion , rel ating to h is i nvention of the M c ormick Reape , but h ave i t now postponed f rom time to time , until , by reason of the app lica “ tion th at has b een m ade fo r the en rollment of h is n ame in the Ha ll of ” F a me r , i t becomes necessa y to fu rnish such info rm ation ; therefo re , r we h ave ca efully taken u p the subject, and on the succeed ing pages Will be f ou n d all the facts we h ave at h an d conce rning Robert M e affid av i ts i n Co rmick , togethe r with cop ies of letters , an d statements ou r i i possess ion bea r ng on the quest on of h is va rious inventions , bu t p rinci p ally an d first of all relating to h is great an d inestim able i n v en ti on r of the Reape r , an d his ea rn ing thereby a right to an en du ing H F r . memory, an d a pl ace fo reve in the all of ame

R H L M ORMI K . AL C C C

JAMES HALL S HI ELDS

A N C E S T RY

Robe rt M cco rm ick was descended f rom th at stu rdy stock of Ulster men who came ove r f rom S cotland and peopled the no rth of

I . S I relan d in the reign of J ames of cotlan d , and by thei r industry an d th rift they tu rned th at wilde rness into the most p ros pe rous de T pendency of the B ritish C rown . hey m ade themselves the reby E so much felt by the nglish i n m anu factu ring an d other in dust ries , that they caused th e gove rnmen t to levy h eavy and rep ressive taxes E on them fo r the p rotection of the nglishmen ac ross the ch annel . The result of this was th at g reat numbe rs of those people emigrated r r to Ame rica , and a ve y la ge pe r cen t of them , afte r landing in Ph il a

delphia , betook themselves to the f rontie r , an d m any of them settled S west of the usqueh ann a Rive r , befo re the I ndians ceded the land to

the Penns in 1 73 6 .

T HO M A S M c C O RM I C K

M cC ormi ck the g randfather of Robe rt , was descended f rom that

S . He cotch I rish stock , to whom refe rence h as been made came to Ame rica in 1 73 5 and settled east of the S usqueh ann a in the vicin i ty m H Pa . 1 2 of a r risbu rg, In 74 he took ou t a wa r rant f rom the Per s T for a l a rge tract of l an d located in Paxtang ownsh ip , an d late r he T P a E . . removed to Pennsboro ownsh i p , Cumbe rland Coun ty, , w he re he an d his wife pu rchased two hundred ac res of land . 1 2 8 T M eC or B efo re coming to America , abou t the yea r 7 , homas E m ick m arried lizabeth Ca ruth , a d augh te r of Adam C a ruth , who first afte rwa rds was one of the settle rs east of the Susqueh ann a , i n a T T M cC or H T D P . opewell ownsh ip , au ph in Coun ty , h is hom as H mick h ad th ree b rothers , viz . , ugh , J ohn an d S amuel , who also T came to this country about the s ame time homas d id , an d became la rge l and owne rs an d p rominen t pionee rs in the same p a rt of y Penns lvani a . T o McC ormi ck 1 60 h mas died about 7 , and his widow died in

1 66 five r. 7 , leaving a family of sons and one daugh te RO B ERT M c C O RM I C K

b r fif th the father of the su ject of this biog aphy , was the son of T E M cC ormi ck homas an d lizabeth C a ruth , an d was bo rn i n the H H Pa . 1 8 . e vicin ity of arrisbu rg , , in 73 was a fa rme r , and citizen

Pa . r of Cumberlan d County , , whe re he and h is two b othe rs took out

M ifili n wa r rants fo r a l a rge tract of l and , near wh at is now , in

u n i atta Pa. r 1 J County, , an d es i de d the re until 779, when he sol d t his p roper y and moved with h is fam ily to Rockb ridge County , R Va . , an d there he p u rchased the fa rm on wh ich h is son obe rt was He r born . se ved h is count ry in the Revolutiona ry War, an d was H He woun ded in the battle of Gu ilfo rd Cou rt ouse . was a weave r by r r t ade , as well as a fa me r , an d was a well known an d well to do citizen He i n the community wherein h e l ived . was an Elde r i n the P resby teri an Chu rch an d showed by hi s ch a racte r an d life th at he was a wo rthy descendant of h is covenante r ancestors . 1 0 S r Robe rt M cC ormi ck m a rried in 77 , M a rtha ande son , a S daughte r of George an d a g ran ddaugh te r of Alexande r an derson , wh o were both well to do and' well known farme rs of Cumberlan d r Pa . County , , thei r fa rms being located nea C a rlisle an d not ve ry He i n R f ar distant f rom the M cC ormi ck homestead . died ockb ri dge 1 2 1 8 1 8 r Va. O r County , , ctobe , , M a th a , h is wi fe , p receded h im by r fou rteen yea s . Robert an d M arth a M cC ormi ck left a family of fou r sons and r two daugh ters , o f whom the subject of th is biog aphy was the n you gest .

ROBERT M c coRM IC K

R r S M cC ormi ck the youngest son of obe t and M a rth a ande rson , and T E M c C ormi ck grandson of homas and lizabeth C aruth , was bo rn ’ 8 1 80 i n J une , 7 , a log h ouse on h is father s p l antation , Walnut G rove ,

R Vi r . ockb ri dge County, gini a Of him hi s , home , h is life , h is occup ation , his executive and busi i i af ness abil ty, h is nventive and mech anical genius , and h is family M cC ormi ck S r r fai rs , h is d augh ter , M a ry C aroline h ields , as eco ded he r in memo r i als , the o riginal copy of wh ich is in the possession of her son states — My father and mother were near the same age , were exactly the same heigh t five feet, eight inches tall . Father has often told me that ma was the prettiest woman in all that country when a young girl , and there were those who knew her w hen she was young who have equalled my father in praise of her beauty and who also talked to me o of her bright, cheerful disp sition . Grandfather Hall gave to my mother when she w as m arried property which he as I mtimated at and father , suppose , was not worth much more than the w as amount given to ma by her father , and then he in debt to the heirs of grand ' firs m father h I cC ormick for their interest in the farm . The t misfortune that ca e to m w r the as a few yea s after their marriage , the burning of a large new barn which had ’ fin i e been sh d just in time to store away their whole year s hard earnings , all the wheat w as and other grains , also the hay , which needed for the winter feeding of their stock , an d two of their best horses . A bad man in the neighborhood was tried in court for fire setting to the barn , but , while no one doubted his guilt , the evidence was not quite him su fii cien t to convict . Father was anxi ous to provide each of his sons wi th a farm so as to have them t him u s set led near to , so he bought a farm about a mile and a half south of on which w as a saw mill; he being a natural mechan ic himself attended this saw mill a great deal t He u l the and enj oyed i . wo ld wa k to it in morning , it being down hill all the way , and ma would send his horse for h im in the evening, he having taken his lunch with him as , and he always had other work carried on on this farm well as the farm on which we lived . The next investment father made w as in buying a farm about nine miles west of u s on which there was also a good saw mill an d this farm father purchased as well as the one he had bought previously on account of the south river running th rough it , which l w a wou d enable its o ner to have any kind of m nufacturing establishment , the motive power being abundant an d inexpensive . ’ In the w inter of 1 8 30 and 3 1 there was a great deal of talk and a great deal in the papers on the subject of raising hemp . There was only one thing that seemed to rofit able ffi l prevent its being made a very p product by farmers , and that was the di cu ty lVI of working it . y father went to work and invented a hemp break and a horse power ’ an d 1 I t by which it was operated , in the fall of 3 saw that machine in opera ion , break in I n g hemp , and never saw a ything perform its work more beautifully ; it was cer ’ the l 1 t ainly a perfect success . In fa l of 3 Brother Cyrus went to Kentucky to in t ro i i t Vir in a. duce th s machine , as hemp was more extensively cultivated in Kentucky han g a Brother Cyrus remained in Kentucky through the winter . The trip did not mount to an yt hing but it cost father a good deal of money . Father never did anything more with ’ NI o r n . r iso s i the hemp break . I remained at school at the Rev James unt l the last of ’ first NI a 2 I March , 1 83 2 . The of y, 3 , father took me to school to Staunton , and was NI orrison M as e accompan ied by four other girls from our church , Cynthia and arg t Mc m i r N utt, who had been my roo mates during the previous w nter , and then Marga et Rice

McN ut t an d An n Eliza Houston . r m In Jun e B rother Cy us ca e down to Staunton to see me , and I remember how as I t overjoyed I was to see him , had not seen him since the day he left for Ken ucky and he had not returned when I left home for sch ool . B rother Cyrus returned home I fi that night and did n ot see any of the family again until the rst week in July . Being brought up in the country where my companions were chicfly my father and

t an d t M r. mo her , my brother sisters , my at achment for my home was ve ry great, and S u s I St Thacher, who was principal of the eminary , gave a week of vacation beginning I w as of July . remember how happy I was to get home and ou r home a cheerful , happy home . l While I was at home a young gent eman from Staunton , a brother of a very inti as mate f riend and schoolmate of mine , called to see me , and we sat in the parlor ma came in and asked u s to w alk with her to the field back of the orchard where my father was trying a machine which he had invented to cut wheat . Father and ma and others present were delighted with the operation of the reaper . This machine had a reel which drew the wheat in and the wheat w as cut by a vibrating sickle and fell on the platform . A man walking along beside th is platform raked off the wheat in bundles the size ready 1 8 2 I fif teen for binding . This was in the summer of 3 ; was then a few months over years of age . The last of September my school closed and , although I was anxious to

o afiord . g to school longer , father thought he could not the expense My father had been experimenting for several years with his machine t o reap wheat and regretted each year that the shortness of the time of harvest prevented his experimenting as much as he desired to do . In the harvest of 1 83 3 I saw this reaper

fiel M r. cut wheat again in the d near to John Weirs . I walked to the field with a ’ A gentleman who was stopping for a few days at my father s . t that time and at my age I did not think much about the value of machinery ; I did not realize as I might have done the great invention and the great natural inventive genius of my dearly b e

. A o c u s loved father s C usin William Mc ormick , who lived with for several years , hi about this time , said , old uncle never failed in anything he ever undertook . y — Father invented several machines which he built at home , made money by building firs and selling them , but never patented . B rother Cyrus was the t born of my parents he was a smart boy and always very much indulged by my mother . I t seemed to me f that ma thought his opinion on every subj ect was just right, and if she di fered with him on any subj ect he never rested until he had convinced her that he w as right .

Whatever Brother Cyrus wanted , if he could not get his way from father , he always went to ma and through her he was generally successful . B rother Cyrus never liked to work on the farm and I remember when I was about twelv e years of age of his having an hn a great desire to be rich d of his trying to d some means of accumulating money, not liking the life of a farmer . Ma persuaded Father to give the invention of the ’ reaper to Brother Cyrus , and it took a great deal of persuasion too . Ma s argument ‘ am with father was , I sure I would rather give the honor of the invention to my son ’ ‘ ’ a than to have it myself . Father said , but I owe it equ lly to the other children . Ma replied : Cyrus has p romised me that if the reaper is made a success all the children shall be interested in it and I know he will keep his word .

( Signed ) MARY CAROLIN E SH I ELDS .

R c r obert M c o rmick was a man of very g eat energy, an d deter s min ation of cha r acter , but with al of a most kin d an d generou dis position , and was ve ry h ighly esteemed as an up r ight , reliable citizen , r hi s a man of h igh mo al wo rth , and one whose wo r d was as good as He bond . was not a commu nicative m an but kept h is business an d pu rposes p retty much to h imself .

Th e Hon . When advised by h is lawye r ( J ohn Letcher , afterwa rds fin an ci al r Governo r of Va . ) at one time when in trouble ( b ough t about th rough the rascality of h is p artne r ) th at he could legally t evade p aying debts that we re p ressing h im , by putting h is p rope r y N o r r out of h is h ands , h is reply was ; I would athe die an d leave my i r children w thout a cent, than it shoul d eve be said th at thei r fathe r h ad done a dishonest act . Th roughout h is life he took g reat p leasu re in the acqu i rement of

He . hi sto rical an d sci en tific knowledge . was very fon d of astronomy

He subscribed to the leading magazines of the day, and kept h imself well posted in all th at was transp i rin g about h im .

He was a m an of rem a rkable mech anical gen ius , an d seldom failed H to accomplish what he u ndertook . aving blacksmith and ca rpenter shops of h is own , an d being h imsel f natu rally a good workman with almost any kin d of tools , it was no h a rd matte r fo r h im to m ake wh at r eve r he desi red of eithe r wood o r i on .

HIS F IRS T REA PER

’ The first reco rd of Robe rt M cC ormi ck s endeavo rs i n the line of invention was in the const ruction of a reaping m ach ine about the 1 yea r 1 809 o r 0. B ut although m any of the p rincipals of that ma ch ine were substanti ally the s ame as those of chief impo rtance in

nearly all of the p resent reap ing mach ines , neve rtheless , i t was too 1 1 crude an d imp e rfect to be a success . Again in the pe riod be tween 8 6 1 8 2 6 an d , he was known to h ave given m uch time and though t to the r const uction of anothe r m achine o r m achines fo r cutting wheat, an d i n outline an d gene ral fo rm , a m ach ine which he bu ilt du ring th at pe riod was like the two wheeled reape r wh ich afte rwa rds became The an accep ted standa rd type . desc ription of th is m ach ine as given by Lean der McC ormi ck was as follows :

r I t had two wheels as carriers , with gea ing, a cutting apparatus , and platform

a . to receive the gr in in the rear of cutting apparatus The cutters , however, were sta n t io ary and curved . The machine had vertical reels ( very similar to the vertical reels used at the present day) to sweep the grain across the cutters , and when cut , the grain was delivered on a platform in the rear of the cutters and with an endless apron carried across the platform and delivered to one side of the machine . The horses walked along at the side of the grain , drawing the machine , being attached to the same by shafts or a h pole. T is machine , like its predecessor , on account of vital defects was not a success , but had the main features that are used in the construction of all grain and grass cu t

ting m achines of the present day. The parts of this machine were for m any years a r stored away in the loft of the old M lt House , on the home farm , and were familia o objects t those abou t the farm .

THE F IRS T S U C C ES S F U L REA PER

Robert Mccorm i ck’ s daughte r M a ry C a roline has stated many times th at her fathe r invented and bu ilt the first successful wheat cut i T ting mach ne . h at th at mach ine was constructed and op e rated on T 1 8 1 2 . h is fa rm in 3 , 3 an d 33 h at she witnessed these m ach ines of h is 1 8 2 1 8 own invention an d construction cut wheat i n 3 and 3 3 , success i . T McC orm ck fully h at he r cousin William Steele , and her b rothe rs , Cyrus and Leande r and a man named S am Hite wo rked with h e r h i n r fat er h is shops , building reape rs , an d othe mach ine ry . ’ The following desc rip tion of Robert Mccorm ick s Reap ing M ach ine as constructed by h im in 1 83 1 an d 1 83 2 was dictated by M cC ormi ck Leander J . and was ap p roved by M a ry Ca roline Sh ields r o m S McC ormi ck r and is fu rthe vouched f r by W . teele and nume ous wi tnesses In its mai n features this machine embodied the vital principles of all successful a a gr in cutting machinery of the presen t day . I t was drawn by two horses that w lked

an d . in front of the main frame , close to the standing grain It had one main d riving a wheel in the main fr me , and a grain wheel at the outer end of the platform . It had a cutter bar attached to and back of which was the platform on which the grain fell . The grain was cut by a vibrating sickle and drawn in to the sickle and cast down upon the platform by a revolving overhanging reel , which had slats or ribs which dipped into the grain in front of the sickle . The grain divider of this machine was a long pointed five piece of wood extending some feet forward of the cutter bar , with an upright post some ten inches forward of the sickle , to support the grain end of the reel . The entire side of the machine , from the point of the divider named , to the rear corner of the plat w as form , and across the back of the platform , surrounded with an upright canvass , off about three feet in width . The grain was raked at the side in bundles by a man who walked beside the mach ine . The driver did not ride on the machine but on one of the norses that drew it . Robert Mccormick manufactured these machines from year to year on his own home farm until the date of h is death .

1 8 or I n 34 5, the re we re th ree of these m ach ines bu ilt , one of r e r wh ich was sol d to J ohn Umph i s. About a yea l ater there we re r 1 8 0 r . I seven m ach ines bu ilt, seve al of wh ich we re sold n 4 Ab ah am o R . Sm ith , of ockingh am County, b ugh t a m ach ine

I n 1 844 the re were 2 5 built . r i I n 1 845 the re we e 50 bu lt .

I n 1 846 there were 75 bu ilt . ’ 1 8 6 M cC ormi ck I n the yea r s business of 4 , Robe rt gave to h is son

mi ck - M cC or . Leander J . a one th i rd inte rest I t will thus be seen that manu f a M r. M cco rmick continued to be actively engaged in the c 1 8 6 his tu re of h is reaping m ach ines u ntil h is death in 4 , an d l ast 2 2 1 8 6 will an d testament dated J une , 4 , shows th at he left his two rofits d aughte rs each the p on ten machines th at were sol d th at year , an d th at h is son Cy rus was to be p ai d fif teen dolla rs on each m ach ine sol d the same yea r . Un d er th e s u b s e q u en t h ea di n g of ROBERT M C C ORMI CK the

e tor o the M c C ormi ck Rea er Rev i ew o th e E v id en ce i n I nv n f p , f

roof th ereof p , will be found fuller details in regard to h is invention , together with all testimony extant on the subject .

OTHER IN V EN T ION S OF

ROBERT M cC ORM IC K

Th e following i nformation is comp iled f rom statements m ade by M cC ormi ck r M cC ormi ck Leander J . an d M a ry C a oline Sh ields

1 0- 1 l In the winter of 83 , there was a great deal of ta k and much in the news papers on the subject of raising hemp . Only one thing seemed to be in the way of its rofit able d ifli cu lt becoming a very p product , and that was the y of cheaply and p rofit e ably reducing the fib r to its required marketable shape . Acting on this seeming de c mand , Robert Mc ormick invented a very ingenious and perfect working hemp break , and in connection w ith it a horse power , by which it was worked , and in the fall of He 1 it . 1 8 3 , he operated , and it was pronounced a perfect success also invented another machine for cleaning the hemp when broken . The excitement over hemp raising, how

e ver , died out , the demand for the machines never amounted to much , although a num ber of them were built and sold , one or two being sold in Kentucky by his son Cyrus , 1 8 1 w as whom he sent there in the fall of 3 to introduce them , as hemp cultivated more extensively in Ke ntucky than in Virginia . c Mr. Mc ormick invented and manufactured a very ingenious threshing machine , w which had a vertical shaft, through which arms were framed , and on which as a rim i m or wheel , of about f ve feet in dia eter , having a plain on its top surface on which bars were made fas t to form heaters ; over these bars was suspended a stationary section , on w the under side of which there were bars , between hich and those on the plain of the

He " wheel below the grain was threshed . also had in connection with this thresher a horse power of peculiar construction , which consisted of a ring or platform of logs m fif teen abou t thirty feet in dia eter , on which was a roller about feet long , extending from the center over the platform ; the outer end of this roller was perhaps two feet in d iameter , an d was pivoted in a center post, which post revolved by the turning of the w as roller . O n the inner end of this roller a large band wheel , and on the top of t he center post w as a pulley . The belt from the band wheel had its direction changed to the pulley above by the use of intermediate pulleys . With this machine he afterwards used bevel gearing. He also built a clover sheller of stone , resembling an ordinary mill somewhat , but never did anything with it except for his own use . He also an d invented made a blacksmith bellows , which was of a tub form , and of which he built and sold a large number . i He also invented a water power that worked by conf ned pressure , something on the principal of a steam engine . He is also said to have invented and manufactured and sold a hillside plow, the evidence of which is sustained by the statements of his son Leander and his daughter VI cC ormick S . l N ov Caroline an d is further attested by William in his letter of . 7, 1 8 78 , A where he says , s to his hillside plow , the two mould boards were attached together , m but could move under the bea , so that it formed the land side in going one way and the other , going the other way, but the shear moved only a little , and had a cutter on N v 2 0 1 8 L o H. o . hI cC rmick both ends . Again J . Rush in his letter of , 94 , to eander J . says , I remember you spent a greater part of your early life with your father in the ' ’ difieren t shops , in building machinery of kinds , reapers , threshers , horsepowers , Smith s bellows an d plows .

HIS BU S IN E S S PO S S ES S ION S

R M cC ormi ck As h as been shown , obe rt was successful an d p ros n f pero s in his own business a fai rs , and besides the two fa rms he and ac his wife h ad acqui red by pu rchase an d by inhe r itance , he h ad t wo qui red additional farms , one of th ree hund red ac res and the

fiv e fl othe r of hund red ac res , and in addition he h ad two ou r mills o and tw saw mills on h is fa rms , togethe r with a d istille ry, blacksmith and ca rpenter shops . I t will thus be seen th at he was a m an of g reat business an d ex e u tive c ability, as well as an inventive genius , when the extensive F or operations he h ad on h an d constantly are well conside red . many years he ca rried on fa rming on these fou r fa rms agg regating in al l fl ou r about ac res , and at the s ame time , ope rated his two mills , and two s aw mills , an d kept his ca rpente r and bl acksmith shops busy m anu factu ring V a rious kinds of mach ine ry of his own designing and r invention . I n all of these ope ations he h ad emp loyed du ring much i 20 0 of the t me from to 3 slaves , bes ides m any wh ite men . Abou t 1 8 2 2 he buil t h imsel f a new and commodious b rick house on h is homestead , wh ich house is still standing .

THE IRON F U RN ACE BU S IN ES S

1 r Abou t the yea r 834 M . M ccormick engaged with h is son Cyrus F an d a m an by the name of B l ack in the I ron u rnace business , which r T p oved to h ave been the one great m istake of h is life . hey h ad bought an d operated wh at was known as the “ Cotop axi F u rn ace S R r wh ich was situated on the outh ive r about two miles f om M r. ’ i M r M cC ormi ck M cc orm ck s house . . fu rnished almost the enti re i cap ital for conduct ng the business , an d the money of the conce rn was R r kep t in a b ank in ichmond . Afte r seve r al yea s of ill success c ame fin n i l 1 A r the a c a p anic of 837 . t this time B lack d ew thei r money ou t of the bank , amounting to about an d also p u t his r T r i p rope ty out of his h ands . hus the e was no cash ava lable to meet i firm the n debtedness of the , and thei r rascally p artner coul d not be r made to give u p one doll a of the fun ds he h ad embezzled . I n th is r M cC ormi ck dilem a the fu rnace h ad to be closed down an d M . h ad to bend eve ry ene rgy to the l iqu i dating an d settling the claims of the ’ firm s i c reditors , the enti re amount of the losses , from the bus ness , the i an d defalcat on , aggregating abou t

HIS RELIGIOU S CON V I CTION S

As R c h as been heretofore stated , obe rt M c orm ick was a strong r r r religious cha acter , inhe i ting h is convictions f om a long line of ancestry , h is father being an el der in the P resbyte ri an Chu rch he ’ his r an d all fathe r s family, as well as all his own ch ild en were mem r r bers of th at communion ; an d h is d aughte , M a y C a roline , became the wife of a P resbyteri an clergym an .

I t is interesting to note h is though tfulness on religious subjects , illustrating th at he di d not take all the doct rines as l aid down by i r h is religious teachers , w thout rese ve ; illustrating wh ich an extract M cC ormi ck R b i from a letter to h is b rother Geo rge , dated ock r dge h i : a. t 1 8 2 2 s V D . County, , ec 7 , , of inte rest

We i have been taught Calvinistic doctrine from our youth , but t is really a hard s doctrine to compare with that reason which the Deity has given u for our guide . Many tenets are introduced by our teachers to prove Calvinist tenets , one of which I will make

n . He a f ew remarks o , which is that of the potter and the clay having power out of ad the same lump to make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor . This we must mit as fact, and i f the vessel made to dishonor continues in the station for which it was intended has it violated the intention of the maker ? Surely not ; because upon his ow n

it . plan , i t has exactly answered the purpose for wh ich he made And if the being so formed be cast into eternal misery it is possible reason would say he is more to be pitied than faulted .

HIS CLO S IN G DAY S

Abou t the time he was beginning to once mo re get f ree f rom debt , R M cC ormick a r obe rt was caugh t ou t in heavy snowsto m , in com ing home f rom the South Rive r fa rm , whe re he had been looking H afte r the sh ipment of reaping m ach ines to Lynchbu rg . e became

an d chi lled , taking a ve ry severe cold , wh ich settled on his lungs , f rom the e ffects of it he never recove red .

He Va . 1 8 6 died at his home in Rockb ri dge County , , on J uly 4 , 4 , Y Hi . s and was bu ried in the old P rovidence G r ave a rd wi fe , M a ry ’ H Anna , died at her daughte r Amand a s ( M rs . ugh Ad ams ) house , ’ on u n e 1 1 8 con fin emen t h e r J , 53 , afte r ten weeks to bed with typhoid fever . H Robe rt an d Ma ry A . ( all ) Mcco rmick h ad issue eigh t ch il i z d ren v . , ,

H . F e . 1 1 8 I . N b b 6 0 m. F 8 . 2 6 1 8 . Cyrus all , , 9, ettie owle r , J an , 5 D 1 1 88 ied M ay 3 , 4 , at h is home in Chicago , I ll . H b 2 1 1 I . . 8 0 2 8 1 8 2 6 I Robe rt all , M ay 4 , , died J une , , at home

C o. Va . in Rockb ri dge , 1 8 1 b . . 1 I I . 2 1 8 2 6 I Susan J ane , Aug , 3 , died j une 7, , at home in o V a R C . . ockb r idge , N ov 1 8 1 S b . . 2 m. . G ri sb IV William an de rson , , 5, M ary Ann gg y, d 1 1 S . 2 86 a ack on l e 8 8 . t s v i l I J une , 4 , ep t 7, 5, J , ll . 1 8 1 11 1 V . b . . 8 1 . . . S M a ry C a roline , Ap r , 7, Rev J as hiel ds , M ay ’ 1 r 1 8 1 888 1 1 8 . D , 47 ied M a ch , , at he r son s home in I II H . ighl an d Park , d er ames F e 1 1 m H Le . b b . 8 8 . H . an Oct . VI J , , 9, en rietta amilton , F eb 2 1 0 00 . 6 1 8 . D . I , 45 ied , 9 , in Ch icago , ll N o 1 1 v 8 8 2 0 S . 8 I b . . VI . J oh n P restley , , , died ep t 4 , 49, at h is ’ a mothe r s home in V .

1 1 8 2 2 m. H b . S . 1 . . 8 8 VI I I . Amanda J , ept 7, , ugh Adams , May , 45

8 1 . D Oct . 1 2 1 ied , 9 Th e th ree b rothe rs and two siste rs a re all bu ried at G raceland

I . Cemete ry , in Ch icago , llinois HIS IN V EN TION O F THE REAPER

F or seventy- nine years those best acquainted with Robert M cC or mick , his life , genius and accompl ishments , h ave maintained that to first h im was due the c redit fo r the conception and invention , and the subsequent imp rovement an d fin al pe r fection of h is grai n reaping con fl i ct mach ine . As there h as been of opinion among some of the later descendants of Robe rt M cC o rmi ck as to the righ t and c redit fo r this great an d inestimable i nvention , it becomes a duty to make a collection of the evidence wh ich establishes h im as the I nvento r of the M cC ormi ck Reape r .

OI ’ mlC

The In v en t o r of

The Mc cormi ck Re ap er

Rev i ew of t he Ev iden c e m

Pro of There of PROOF OF IN V EN T ION

Abundant evidence exists to p rove that Rob ert M c C ormi ck was

M cC o rmi ck first the invento r of the Reape r , an d th at the successful m ach ine was const ructed an d operated by h im on h is own fa rm in

1 8 1 2 . the h arvest of 3 , 3 an d 33 The pages following contain a synopsis of this evi dence with b rief comment the reon .

THE F IRST E" PERIMEN T S

M cC ormi ck 1 1 802 -ew I nv en Robe rt , born J uly 3 , , neph of the c i to r , a son of William Mc o rm ck and M ary S teele , under date

1 8 F 1 8 of th eb ru ary, 79, states

first 1 That his recollection of the Mccormick reaper was in 809. When he w as a small boy his father told him that his brother Robert had invented a reaping machine to be drawn by horse power .

2 1 2 6 - That in 1 8 5 or 8 , Robert Mccormick ( h is uncle ) told him he had in vented a reaping machine , and he got it out of his Malt House and put it up in his w as l yard . That it constructed with sma l circular saws , which bent to the side and ’ 1 2 deposited by hands . This machine was used on Robert Mccormick s farm in 8 5 and w 2 6 . After ards Robert Mccormick obtained an entire sickle , which worked by a He crank . then invented and adopted the reel . From repeated conversation w ith Robert Mccormick and from his personal knowl lVI cC ormick t he edge of the facts , he declared that Robert was inventor of the reaper and is entitled to the credit of the invention .

Cyrus Hall M cC ormi ck decl a res in a statement dictated by h im

' in 1 874 th at h is fathe r Robert Mccormick invented and operated a reaping machine in the harvest of

1 1 8 6 . His machine did then cu t and lay the grain in swath very well , but he laid it

1 1 h aside , and d id not again try it until the harvest of 8 3 , w en he made another trial of i it r, resulting in his entire abandonment of , as an unsuccessful experiment .

Cyrus Mcco rm ick is the only witness on reco rd to state th at his r R c m fathe , obert M c ormick , took h is ol d achine th at he invented 1 1 eld 1 1 E r r an d bui lt in 8 6 agai n i nto the ha rves t fi i n 83 . ve y othe i b field m w tness descri es the m ach ine h e operated in a on h is own fa r . 1 8 1 f or r y in 3 , wh ich he h ad been wo rking on seve al yea rs , as a ve r ff r r r d i e ent mach ine f om any he eve p reviously constructed , as we will see by perus ing the testimony following .

M c ormi ck : Lean de r J . C states

That the parts of an old machine , invented and constructed by his father , Robert c Mc ormick , in 1 8 20, were stored in the old Malt House , and were familiar objects

tell him , Ah , Robert , it is of no use to try and make a machine to cut wheat , that would be the Devil ’ s work

S r. c 1 2 1 8 1 8 c O t . Robe rt M c ormick , , died , , so this t r ad ition would go to corroborate the testimony th at h is son was busily engaged on h is reape r idea before th at date . By these wi tnesses it is establish ed th at Robe rt M ccormick invented an d constructed one o r mo re m ach ines p rio r to 1 83 1 ; and r in the gene al featu res , the witnesses all seem to agree , although they ff di e r as to thei r dates .

T HE REAPER O F 1 8 3 1 THE F IRS T EN TIRELY S U C C ES S F U L MACHIN E

1 1 8 8 H c r . Cyrus all Mc o rmick , states unde date of J an , 4

I n t he s u mmer o I 8 I m at her con t ru ct ed a machi n e or cu ttin r n f 3 , y f s f g g ai , upon f w a principle entirely di ferent from mine , and on hich he had made experiments years 1 1 satisfie before ; and by his experiment in the harvest of 83 , he became d that it would not answer a valuable purpose , notwithstanding it cut well in straigh t wheat .

T con fl i ct t M r here is evi dently a be ween the statements of . Mc 1 8 8 r 1 8 Co rmick , the one in 4 an d the othe in 74 , as in the latter he states h is fathe r c ons tru cted a ma chi n e f or cu tti ng g ra i n i n

1 8 1 ma d e a n other while in the fo rme r he states , th at i n 3 h is father tria l o th e sa me ma chi n e i n 1 8 1 6 f he i nvented an d ope rated , an d then aban doned i t . I t is notewo rthy that there is no othe r wi tness on record to state th at th ere we re t wo m ach ines of enti rely di fferent type constructed R M cC ormi ck 1 8 1 an d ope rated on the fa rm of obe rt in 3 , one of ’ ’ Robert M cC ormi ck s invention and the othe r of Cyrus M cC ormi ck s invention . N ot another witness i s on record to the statement th at a machine operated on the fa rm of Robe rt M cC ormi ck in 1 83 1 was the s ame

1 8 1 6 . m ach ine or sim il ar to the mach ine , he bu ilt and operated i n N ot another witness h as eve r been foun d to state th at any m ach ine b O R M cC ormi ck 1 8 1 invented , uilt , or pe rated by obe rt in 3 was a failu re . The of u ne 2 1 1 8 r H McC ormi ck p atent J , 34, taken out by Cy us all , i r cove rs a m achine wh ich the follow ng testimony will fully desc ibe . Th at it was the mach ine which was invented by Robert M cC ormi ck and given by him to h is son , Cyrus , wh o p atented it in h is own name is fully established by the testimony following . I n so far as Cyrus Hal l M cco rmick states that h is fathe r in the summer of 1 83 1 con ” st ructed a machine f or cutting g rain an d operated i t on h is own

1 8 1 fa rm in the summe r of 3 , he is in h a rmony with all othe r wit

nesses .

S c : Again , William teele M c o rmick states

That in 1 8 2 9 or 30 he w as pe rsonally present w hen Robert lVI cCo rmick con ceiv ed He the idea of h is second reaping machine . was t he sole inventor of the whole “ \ I f a n . l S m m . se H thing , for I k ow it well y and ite were the work en , and did the w ork ,

. h Cyrus, helping This mac ine was drawn by horses in front . H ad a master wheel

i r. 3 in diameter ; a vibrating sickle driven by a crank , which got its motion from gear l wheels from t he main ad e. The sick e was supported by projecting hugers about three i nches apart . Behind the sickle was a platform on which the grain fell , when swept a w back by a revolving horizont l reel to the sickle , and cut , and as raked off by a man . The reel was supported by posts at each end and driven by a band from the main

fiel . axle . We took it into a d and it cut well I never heard his right as the inventor

m . of th is machine questioned by anyone . I know that my uncle clai ed the invention

R ormi c o . . M k C . cC M : of Patterson , , s tates i him Wm. That his father , Steele Mccorm ck had frequently related to the circumstances of his un cle Robert Mccormick s invention and const ruction of t he BI rm ck n afii avi cC o i as d t . 1 880 reaping mach i e , stated in his of Jan 5, , and his several letters to Leander Mcco rmick and Mary Caroline Shields .

E M cC ormi ck R : S . llen aney s tates th at

’ s She coincide with her brothers statements , and that she frequently heard her Wm vi father , . Steele Mccormick , make all the statements he made affida t to on Jan . 1 8 as 5 . 80, as well in his several letters referred to .

M c ormi ck an r . C Le de J desc ribes th e m achine as invented , con r 1 8 1 2 st ucted an d ope r ated successfully in the yea r 3 an d 3 , in almost “7m identical te rms as . S teele Mcco rm ick an d s ays th at h is father w as the i r th e invento r of , but gave invention to Cyrus , an d allowed H affid av i e 1 . t F b . him to obtain the p atent oweve r , in an dated 7 ,

1 8 8 H. c 4 , in the p atent extension case of Cyrus M c ormick , he an d r S M cC ormi ck his mothe an d h is b rothe r , William an derson , state “

1 1 H. r 8 C . c that du ring the h a vest of 3 , Mc orm ick did h ave con structed and put into Operation a reap ing m ach ine fo r which a paten t was granted to h im in Then they desc ribed th is m a W ch ine as i dentically the s ame mach ine desc ribed by m. S teele c h i n affid avi t M c o rmick . but t ey do not say th is th at Cyrus was the i r invento r of .

I n t esti mon ta k e n b a J usti c e o th e P ea ce i n th e ea r 1 8 8 i n y y f , y 4 .

e e i o a M c ormi ck t e ollow i n the a ten t xt ns n c s e o C rus H . C h f p f y , g q u es ti on w as as ked L ea n d e r by his b rother Cy ru s : ” S ta te the ha rv est of w ha t yea r I firs t ha d a rea pi ng mac hi n e con ”

te d es rib i t . stru c d , a n d c e “ A I ha rv es e ea 1 1 n e he escrib es the ns . n the t o th r 8 a h t n d f y 3 , d sa me ma chi n e as h eretofore b u t d oes n ot sa tha t C rus i nv e n t e d , y y i i . r M S . c I t will be obse rved , howeve , th at William c o rmick , R M cC ormi ck S am H nephew of obert , states that he and ite di d the ” of . 1 8 1 S h el w . o o rk on the reaper 3 , Cyrus help ing that Cyrus di d p con stru ct r i the reape nvented by h is fathe r . r Leander J . Mcco mick h as also stated th at he knew h is b rothe r W S c H Cyrus , his cousin ill iam teele M c o rmick , and S am ite were the wo rkmen engaged with his father in building th is mach ine .

o f R M cC ormi ck : M a ry C aroline Shields , daughter obe rt , states

In the summer of 1 83 2 her mother as ked her to walk with her to the field where w as her father trying a machine which he had invented to cut wheat . Father and ma, and others present were delighted with the operation of the machine . I t had a reel and m which drew the wheat in cut it by a vibrating sickle , and it then fell on a platfor 05 1 and a man raked it in bundl es ready for bind ing . Again in the summer of 8 3 3 she says she saw the same machine cut wheat . She further states ma pe rsuaded father to give the invention of the reaper to B rother Cyrus , and it took a good deal of per r suasion too . Ma said Cy us has promised me that if the reaper is made a success all

i i . in en the children shall be interested in t , and I know he will do t So he gave the v tion to Brother Cyrus , an d as long as ma lived she repeated to me when she had the opportunity , and to sister Amanda the promise Cyrus had made her , and she told the same to Henrietta . T i h is statemen t of M rs . Sh el ds th at she saw a mach ine invented r r by her fathe wh ich he h ad been expe rimenting on fo r seve ral yea s , at wo rk i n the field i n 1 83 2 an d 1 833 clea rly contradicts the statement “ ” th at Robert M cC ormi ck h ad ab an doned h is idea of a reap ing m a field 1 1 ch i ne after an experimen t m ade in the in 83 . M rs . Sh ields ‘m r Vl . S h as also stated th at her b rothe r Cy us , her cousin teele M c Co rmick an d S am Hite we re the workmen engaged with her fathe r i in bui ldi ng th is mach ne .

Hen rietta Hamilton M cC ormi ck states '

M r M o mi k I always understood . Robert cC r c to have been the inventor of the

On . reaper . a certain occasion Mrs Mccormick and her two daughters , Caroline and m inven A anda, and myself being present, Amanda stated that her father had given the

o " tion of the reaper t her brother Cyrus , under a promise from him that he would make i hI rmi the whole family rich if he ever made anything out of t . Mrs . cC o ck acqui esce I d in the statement by saying, I know Cyrus , I know Cyrus , know he will do it w hat he has promised if he ever makes anything out of .

H i T : Rev . o rat o hompson states

1 8 2 w as He kn ew Robert Mccormick from 3 , and that Robert Mccormick the

. I inventor of the original wheat reaper saw him at work on the machine in his shop .

His whole soul seemed to be absorbed in the work of the invention . All persons ascribed it to Robert Mccormick and to no other .

" M c hesne C . c acha ri ah y, a cousin of M rs Robe rt M c o rmick , states I never heard during the life of Robert Mccormick any other name than h is ffi associated with the invention of the reaper, although Cyrus was an e cien t aid after the invention in making s ales . Knew that Robert was engaged in studying and inventing the wheat reaper sev first eral years before it w as pu t on the market. I bought one of the reapers from

Cyrus , who acted as the agent for his father .

T r : Col . hom as Paxton , m illw igh t and fa rme r, states

2 Was intimately acquainted with Robert Mccormick from 1 8 7 to his death .

Worked for him . Have no doubt myself Robert Mccormick was original inventor of w as the i the machine . This the general opinion of community and was justif ed by the n an d an w consta t unremitting labor d attention he besto ed on the machine , and h is know n ingenuity an d skill in working and inventing . That he at one time said to Rob m hI ’ hI c or ick : r. ert C Mccormick , this is not Cyrus invention , it is yours , is it not “ He b enefi replied at once , Yes , but I intend to give Cyrus the t of it .

B . : J oh n H. Schultz states

I knew Robert hd eC ormick all my life and worked for him putting up reapers in

1 . l i the spring of 845 A ways understood he was the inventor of t . Have absolute c kn owledge that Robert Mc ormick was the inventor of the vibrating cutter , and the

i h . reel . Lived w t in two miles of him and knew him well

Hen ry Shults states :

Remember Robert Mccormick well . Was frequently in his sh0p and saw him at work . Always heard it said that he invented the reaper .

M cG u fli n Thomas H. states

i n R Was born and ra sed withi a mile and a half of obert Mccormick . He was the inventor of the reaping machine beyond all doubt . The opinion of the neighborhood w as that he was the inventor of the Mccormick machine .

H H : A . o r ace en ry states

r I have often heard my father say that M . Robert Mccormick w as the inventor of the Mccormick reaping machine .

m " W . Steele states

’ Was raised within six miles of Robert hd eC ormick s home and visited with his family all my early life . It was well known that he had invented a successful reaping machine .

: J oh n H. Rush states m L Knew Robert Mccormick an d all his fa ily well . ived within a mile of his Was . y . home . Was often in his home and shops intimatel acquainted with his family i i He had been experimen ting with a machine for cutt ng gra n for many years , and it he w as well known by the neighbors that , Robert , was the real inventor of the reaper .

ff it . His son , Cyrus , made great e orts in introducing

A r S J ames E . . Gibbs ( invento of the Wilcox and G ibbs ewing : M ach ine) , states

Was born and raised within four miles of the Mccormick farm , and from earliest recollection remember of hearing that Robert Mccormick was trying to make a reap of ing machine . Saw the work on the reaper in the shops before any of them were fiel d . U f ered on the market . Saw one at work in a back p to this time never heard of anyone being c alled its inventor but Robert Mccormick . As to inventions made by Cy i o rus I know nothing . O my own knowledge , and the universal opini n of all citizens lVI cC ormick in this section , Robert had so far made and perfected the reaper as to make it a practical working machine before Cyrus took hold of it . Mc hesne H r . C S erena M . C . ogshead ( a daughte of D r J ohn y,

first . c : who was a cousin of M rs Robe r t M c orm ick) , states

of i She often hea rd her father speak the Mccorm ck reaper, invented by Robert

s c d u . H w a 1 8 Mc ormick , and e alone to his inventive genius er father born in 7 9 and ’ 1 1 1 0 con firm w as Robert Mccormick s family physician from 8 4 to 8 5 , and would the testimony giving the credit of its origin to Robert Mccormick , as he knew much of the reaper and its progress for many years .

McC or J oseph An derson , ( colo red ) , who was a slave of Robe rt H M cC ormi ck mick , an d who l ate r became the p rope rty of Cyrus . , r : to whom h e belonge d until he became f ee , states

I kn ow of my own kn owledge that Robert Mccormick is the real inventor of the w as first fi rst successful machine , that he the inventor of the mach ine in which the n sickle had a vibratory or cra k motion , and that had a revolving reel with the horses to an d I h draw the same , of these facts statements can say nothing less in justice to trut , a am for I know it to be a f ct , and obliged to give the statements as the facts are .

’ ’ Hi M cC ormi ck D N M . s r . . tt , one of Cyrus witnesses in the E 1 8 8 1 1 8 8 Patent xtension C ase of 4 , states on M arch 7 , 4

1 8 1 M r. M r H During the summer of 3 I saw Robert Mccormick and . C . . Mc

Cormick engaged in building a reaping machine , wh ich he afterwards saw operate in a ’ piece of wheat on Robert Mccormick s farm in the latter part of July , 1 8 3 1 . Then he goes on to d escribe the same machine William Steel Mccormick t est ifies he worked on the construction of for Robert Mccormick , and which he declares was the sole in n t i n v e o of Robert Mccormick .

’ T R M cC ormi ck s 1 8 1 6 D his was not obert m ach ine of th at r . F H ’ H . itt saw rom the natu re of D r . itt s s tatement he must h ave seen Robert M cco rmick an d Cy rus at work on th is s ame m ach ine

1 8 1 e n a ed some time before h arvest i n 3 , as he said he saw them g g ” “ i n b u ild i n g it an d asked them to let h im know when it was com “ ” He leted . p , so th at he migh t see it operate s ays noth ing abou t any b R c other m ach ine h avin g een operated by obe rt M c o rmick , but clearly indi cates th at Robert was engaged in the wo rk of building the ‘ r one he afte wa rds saw at work , an d he fu rthe rmore does not state T ’ . H who invented th at mach ine hus D r . itt s testimony shows th at a r H R eaper which D r . itt saw obert M ccormick at wo rk on i n the “ ” 1 8 1 summer of 3 , was subsequently operated in a p iece of wheat, “ r an d he desc ibes th at m ach ine as h aving been d r awn by ho rses . I t r r R , the efo re , was not the m ach ine desc ibed as the one obe rt oper 1 8 1 6 — ated in , bu t evidently was the same machine all othe r wi t ’ nesses testify to h aving seen at wo rk on Robert Mccorm i ck s farm i n 1 1 83 .

’ H r D . r itt s testimony , howeve , is clea rly in h a rmony with Willi am S M cC ormi ck r teele , an d eve ry othe witness on the question of the description of the only mach ine th at was successfully Ope rated on

A temporary experimental machine was immediately constructed , and the cut ting partially tried with success , in cutting without a reel , a little wheat left standing ” w as — I for the trial ; whereupon the machine improved , and the reel , which had in the meantime discovered—“ attached and soon afterwards ( the same harvest ) “ a very r successful experiment was made with it in cutting oats , in a field of M . John S teele , neighbor to my father . The machine at the time of this experiment contained all the 1 essential parts that were embraced in the patent of June 2 , 1 83 4 . T hen he goes on to describe the m achine , wh ich description coin cides with the desc rip tion given by several witnesses of the mach ine , R M cC ormi ck invented , const ructed an d ope r ated by obe r t in the

- — h a rvests of 1 83 1 2 3 . Th e c gr andchil dren of Robert Mc o rmick , the child ren of Will

S . . i am , M a ry Ca roline , Leande r J , and Amand a state th at by r u n t radition f om thei r p a rents , uncles and aunts , they h ave always d e rstood th at Robe rt Mcco rmick was the o riginal invento r an d con st ru ctor of the first successful Reap ing M ach ine wh ich he ope rated

- on his own home fa rm success fully in 1 83 1 2 and 3 . That it was not first first the machine he eve r bu ilt, but th at it was the enti rely suc cessf u l m ach ine , and th at at the ea rnest entreaty of thei r gran d A McC ormi ck R c mother ( M a ry . ) he ( obe rt M c o rmick) gave the p atent to h is son Cy rus , with the un derstanding that i f he made a success of it the whole family shoul d be en r iched by it and th at H the reby Cyrus . Mcco rmick acqu i red the p aten t that was issued

to him in 1 834 . F r rom the foregoing lon g a r ay of credible witnesses , an d f rom the tradition of his g ran dch ild ren , an d the h istorical facts th at are

recorded of h im , it woul d seem to be established beyon d all shadow of doubt th at — i er i fi R r c d v s ed . A . obe t M c o rm ick was a m an of genius i A m an of ext raordinary executive ab lity .

A man of va ried i nterests . r A successful m an i n m any departments of i ndust y . A m an well posted in sci en tific m atters and events of h is day an d

generation .

A man well known , high ly respected an d looked up to by the com

muni ty he l ived i n .

And in every way a ve ry unusual man .

— ’ R c B . Th at obert M c ormick invented an d constructed many dif

f eren t arti cles of mach inery, an d m anufactu red an d sol d them from rofit h is own home shops to h is advantage and p .

— T M cC ormi ck or C . h at Robert invented an d constructed one mo re

1 8 2 6 . reape rs p revious to , which he lai d asi de as not a success

— T R McC ormi ck i O D . h at obert nvented , constructed and perated r 1 8 1 1 8 2 a reape r , with g reat success , i n the h a vests of 3 , 3 and the 1 8 . T 33 , desc rip tion of which mach ine is fully authenticated hat

all of h is family knew th is m ach ine was his inven tion and h is alone , an d th at so fa r as known all h is neighbo rs and f r iends knew he was the o rigin al invento r of that mach ine ; that h is son Cyrus patented in 1 834 a mach ine which w as in its main and p rincip al fea tu res the same the i as m ach ne desc ribed as h aving been invented , constructed and b R b c 1 8 1 2 operated y o e rt M c o rm ick in the h a rvests of 3 , 3 an d 3 3 ; and h is b ro the r and s iste rs declared th at h is fathe r gave the i nven

tion to Cyrus .

— T M cC ormi ck E . h at Robe rt manu factu red , an d continued to r expe riment on and imp ove , in shops on h is own home plantation , r 1 8 r f rom yea r to yea r , on an d afte 34, reap ing machines const ucted afte r th e p atte rn of th e mach ine bu ilt by him i n 1 83 1 ; an d sold such machin es to fa rme rs in h is own an d distant neighbo rhoods ; almost r th e every yea , so fa r as now known , increasing numbe r he made and th e t t 1 8 6 r sol d , until ime of h is dea h in 4 , du ring wh ich yea 75 m a

60 . t chines we re built by h im , of wh ich we re sol d An d fur he rmo re , ’ th e p rincip al featu res of Robert M cco rmick s machine of 1 83 1 and the reafte r are the fundamental fea tu res of all success ful reap ing and mowing mach ines of the p resent day .

F — The w e . fact seems , the refo re , to be well p roven by the evidence have at h an d th at :

R M cC ormi ck obe rt , afte r successfully i nventing, constructing

1 8 1 - 2 - av e th e i nv e n ti on o h and ope r ating a reaper in 3 3 3 3 , g f t at

a hi n e t o his s on C rus Ha ll 1Mc C ormi c /z m c , y ; an d the l atter obtained

2 1 1 8 . a p atent fo r same dated J une , 34 the I n p roof of th is contention , we h ave only to refe r to tes timony c herewith attached by Leander J ames Mc ormick , M a ry Ca roline r Th R H H. c . Sh ields , en rietta M c o m ick , Col om as Paxton , obe rt Wm r c . c M c o rm ick ( nephew of Robert , S teele M c o m ick , an d r r or i las tly by th e tradition of the g randchild en of Robe t M cC m ck . Th is contention h a rmonizes enti rely w i th the tes timony of all the ’ wi tnesses collected to substanti ate the fact of Robe rt Mcco rmick s i n

n on w ve ti , and is not in antagonism i th any of the testimony ( excep t h is own ) p roduced by Cy rus Hall M cC ormi ck to p rove h is i nv en

tion of th e reaper . WELL EARN ED F AME

N o r Pe sian scythe bea ring cha riot ever cu t such a swath , po rten first tious fo r the destiny of all mankin d as th is reaper did , when r i t left in its wake the assu rance of abun dant food , more ease and mo e r p osperi ty to countless men th roughou t the earth . N o Rom an cha rioteer e re won a victo ry comm an ding the pl audits of so great a th rong as did this pl ain bu t ea rnest an d fa r seeing hus r r bandm an , who , afte more th an twenty yea s of though t and wo rk , r wherein he m ade slow p rogress , with much and oft discou agement b at last, howeve r, reached the goal of h is amb ition , there y comm an d i n g the p lau dits of not only those who knew h im in h is own day and r age , but also th at of countless millions yet unborn , for the g eat boon r his efforts h ad secu red for them an d thei s .

T r oi . herefo e , in conside r ation the rem arkab le labors and ach ieve R c ments of obe rt Mc ormick , culmi nating in the inven tion of the first r successful reap ing m ach ine eve r p oduced , wh ich h as , in its

evolution , become one of the greatest boons to civilized mankind , en abling the farmers of the enti re worl d to h a rvest thei r c rops wi th

such ease , rapi dity an d economy th at the stap le food of all modern i nat ons h as been both cheapened an d multiplied m any fold , so th at, the reap e r of to - day is in dispens able in the p roblem of the feeding of r We he R r . t the peop les of the nations of the ea th , descendants of obe t M cC ormi ck r i , claim that by h is g eat contr bution to the arts an d r c rafts in the contest for human hono s , he h as won the Golden Ch al ’ ice , gained the Victor s C rown , and ea rned a pl ace immortal in the

Ha ll o F a me f .

C opi e s o f

Let t ers Person al St at emen t s ,

cl

A ffidav it s

In t est imon y of

The In v en t i on of t he Re a pe r

Rob ert M c cormi ck

h s ss i n The Origin als are in t e po se o of eithe r R. Hall McC ormi ck or J ames Hall Shi e lds I trust that these papers will long be pres erved and that hidden truths can at all times be brought to light in justice to my beloved father , Robert Mccormick .

L . ( Signed ) . J . MCCORMICK

1 1 . May 7, 89

as I simply wish to endorse all of these papers , ( as it might be ked w ho these writers were) as they were all of my truest and best friends and that of each one of my ’ father s family .

( Signed ) L . J . MCCORMICK . thing I helped him to do w as to try a water power to work like steam from the Old N m Mill trunk , but it would not work . ext we tried a horse he p brake which did ex in l w as an e ceed g y well , and next the wheat cutter d it was all from his own head . H

- was the greatest genius I ever saw, at least I looked upon him as such . I made a neat mod el for the bellows and went with him and Cyrus to Wash on w in gt to get a patent for the same , and there as not a single model in the patent ofli ce for cutting wheat .

Give my kindest regards to all .

Yours,

M . ( Signed ) W . S . MCCORMICK

TT F WM S T M c c O RM I K LE ER O . EELE C T M c c O RM IC K O LEANDER J .

P TT R N C o. . N ov h A E SO , Wayne , Mo , . 7t , 1 8 78 . D ear C ousin Yours of October 2 8 th just came to hand and found myself and wife in feeble an d l health . I will , however , answer your letter give you such facts as I can ca l to mind or gather up in regard to the early history of the Mccormick Reaper . o My uncle , Robert Mccormick , had built a small tw wheeled reaper with sta n s t io ary cutters drawn by a horse in shafts, which failed to work , and he laid it a ide w F 2 before I went to live with him , w hich as in the all of 1 8 8 or in the Spring of al l 1 82 9. I was person ly present when Unc e Robert conceived the idea of his second machine , myself and Sam H ight were the workmen and did the work , Cyrus helping ; ’ oi but as to the invention the machine , that was my dear old Uncle Robert s and none l else . In severa cases in putting it up he would speak to me in doing it thus and

- so as I was his right hand man , but he was the sole inventor of the whole thing for I know it well as I was living with him for some time before he tried this second wheat cutter . The first thing I helped him to do w as to try a water power to Operate like steam from the old mill trunk , bu t it would not work ; next we tried a horse power an d hemp brake which did exceedingly well , and next was his second wheat cutter, and ow n t all was from his head ; he was the greates genius or natural mechanic I ever saw , at leas t I looked upon him as such . The machine was draw n by horses in front of the standing grain and it w as built on one master wheel ( say three feet in diameter ) and ran out into the grain to the right , the length of the sickle cut by a horizontal crank o motion from the main wheel . The reel w rked by a band over the cutter put in motion by a crank from the master wheel . The wheat w as thrown down on a platform behind the cutter by the reel and raked off by hand . You know the blacksmith bellows my Uncle Robert invented was made and in operation in his sh0p before I went there to live in as to his Hill Side Plough the two moldboards were attached together but could move under the beam so that it formed t he land side in going one way and the other going the other way, but the shear moved only a little and had a cutter on both ends . Yours , WM i . . C RMIC ( S gned ) S M CO K .

TT O F WM S T LE ER . EELE M c c O RM IC K TO LEA NDER J M c c O RM IC K

C o. ERS . N o h v. 2 8 t 1 8 8 . PATT ON, Wayne , Mo , , 7 D ear C ousin

2 d i . am Yours of the 3 nst has just come to hand and I just able to be u p. A s to the machine , from the best in formation I can get from my old torn books , ’ the work in making the first reaping machine was done at your father s in the year ’ 1 8 2 9; I made bellows at your father s in the year 1 8 30 after we came back from Wash in ton o of g City where you r father, Cyrus and myself had gone for the purp se getting t a patent for the reaper . My age at that time w as 2 5 years . The machine was pret y much the old reliable , the horses hitched to it the same way , at least the old reliable w as made from it ; the sickle or cutter w as vibrating and cut with a crank motion and the reel or rake turned w ith a b and over the cutter and threw the whea t on the platform and when there was su fii cien t for a bundle it was raked O Hby hand . My dear old uncle had made a small machine before I went to live with him ' and the crooked cutter came round horizontally but it did not work well , and he He never did anyth ing more with it after I came to live with him . never made but the h 1 1 one machine while I lived with him ; I lived there till about the last of t e year 8 3 , all I was making bellows the time . I believe I have given you about all the information I can respecting the firs t wheat cutter made by your father .

So no more for the present , but remain afiect ion Your most at e cousin ,

WM . Mc coRM i . ( Signed ) S . cK m BI C C O I IC K ll. To L . J . , Chicago , I \ l s P . S. : ; y impre sion was , before I left the State of Virginia, that my uncle had I given it to Cyrus , but I do not think got it directly from him . W M . . S . MCCORMICK

I IT O F WM S T M c c O RM IC K A FF DAV . EELE

hI c ormick - S . C . am six t name is William I seventy years of age . I w as born i a am in Augusta Coun ty , Virg ni I intimately acquainted with the invention of the n Mcco rm ick Reaper . I saw this great mach i e progress step by step from the u nsu c ces s i n l experiment my uncle Robert NI cC ormick first tried prior to the Fall of 1 8 2 8 1 2 or Spring of 8 9when I went to live with my un cle Robert Mccormick . t wo— w This machine was a small wheeled Reaper dra n by a horse in shaft , w ith sta i i n r . t o a y cutters This failed to work and it was la d aside by Uncle . A o hI ormi k nd I was pers nally present when my old uncle Robert cC c , the father I c ormi k rs H L . h C c fi t C . . . of and J , conceived the idea of his second reaping machine ,

w 8 2 1 8 0. I . as 1 H subsequently patented This in 9 or 3 , mysel f , and one Samuel ite , were the men that d id the work for Robert h I cC ormick while he invented and ex

s perimen t ed w ith the machine . I know that Robert Mccormick was the ole inventor i of the Reaping Machine . His sk llful brain invented each parcel of the Reaper in the order I now name : the machine w as drawn by horses in front by the stand ing grain , it had a master wheel , say , three feet in diameter , the sickle was vibrating and d riven by a crank which got its motion from gear wheels from the main axle , the sickle fiu w as supported by projecting gers about three inches apart . Behind the sickle there t he w was a platform on which grain fell , when it as swept back by the revolving hori

z on tal w as . reel to the sickle and cut , and raked by a man The Reel was supported by posts at each end an d was driven by a band from the main axle . The foregoin g described machine was invented solely and alone by my uncle rmick w a z Robert hI cCo . This I know ; there can be no doubt of i t whatever . I w He present . I lived with my uncle and worked ith him on this mach ine . gave his m He orders an d they were followed by mysel f and other work en . made his sug an d w ges tions an d we followed them . I know that the conception creation was holly from his own brain . I never heard h is right as the inventor of this machine ques n e s tio d by any one , nor did I hear any one el e at that time claim any of t he inv en t h ’I i tion ; on the con rary , I know that my uncle Robert cC orm ck claimed the in

h-I ven t ion of the mach ine . y uncle Robert Mccormick was endowed w ith a mind skilled and i nven t ive and he had invented other matters . I N I ESS oi W TN the foregoing statement , I have hereunto set my hand this

1 8 0. sth day of January, 8

WM . M nm x . ( Signed ) S . cCo c Wayne County State of M issouri Personally appeared before me a N otary Public within and for the County of th 1 80 Wm 8 . S . c Wayne , State of Missouri , on the 4 day of March , , Mc ormick , who

in. being duly sworn says that the foregoing statement is true substance an d in fact . I N ES IM W ERE F a afli xed ofli cial T T ONY H O , I have hereunto set my h nd and my fli seal at my o ce in Wayne County, the day. and year first above written . My term of h fli N N o ot 1 8 1 . o ce v. 8 as a otary Public will expire 3 , BU GG E I C . ( Signed ) D W TT , t b N o ary Pu li c.

TT O F WM S T M c C O RM IC K LE ER . EELE T O M A RY CAROLINE S HIELDS

h ERSO . . 2 t 1 88 . PATT N, Mo , Feb 7 , 3 C aroli n e S hields — M Y DEAR CO U SIN I have j ust received yours of the 7th inst . and I have hardly words to express my grati tude to you for the same . Well it found my family all well but myself . I have been very feeble for some time . I took a bad cold some time ago and something like neuralgia in one of my legs so I could hardly get about for some

am . time , bu t I better now and can get about a little He My family consists my wife , my youngest son , Cyrus , and his wife . has been i e . fiv months married My oldest son , Theodore , j oins places wi th me , has f ve chil fixe R d . . off dren and is well and is doing well Charles lives about two miles , has four children and is well to do and is getting rich for this country . My daughter

Ellen has four children , the wife of Judge Rainey of Greenville and he is doing well . He has . My son , John , six children will take the home place at half of its value ,

L R. and will take charge of his mother and me . My oldest daughter , ucy, married C .

five . hI ethodist . Rice , a Preacher They have children , some grown They are living He in Kansas and are doing well . is a good Preacher .

N ow . I will say something about my dear old Uncle , your father I never can forget his love an d kindness to me . I went to live with him in the Spring of 1 8 2 9. H He was the greatest natural genius and mechan ic I ever saw . e never failed to He . i t do anything he wished invented a hemp brake and a horse power to operate , s l w hich was a perfect succe s . I was persona ly present when your father conceived fir the idea of his reaper ( not his st one ) . It failed and was thrown aside before I went to live with him . Sam H ite and myself were the workmen at the time , Cyrus helping e also . Th pattern was made for the master wheel and carried down to his furnace and cast . And Uncle made the cutter bar in his own shop and he was the sole inventor h of the whole machine , and we took it into the eld and it cut well . The wheat was ff thrown on the platform by a reel turned by a cape and raked o by hand .

My dear cousin , I have not seen you since we were young and I can only look ti am ’ back on you as I last saw you . Bu I now old and feeble and feel and know that I s am must soon be numbered amongst tho e that were . I 79 years of age and have but ’ little of this world s goods , but I thank my Heavenly Father that this earth is not my

. H home I have one not made with hands eternal in the eavens . Oh when I look back to your and my youthful age and remember the prayers of that dear old sainted father of yours for you and me when we were young, wild and giddy , I cannot feel thankful enough for the hope of meeting such dear loved ones at my Savior ’ s right

n . hand where we will no more take the parting ha d That hope to me is my all . Give my kindest regards to Amanda and tell her I would be glad to receive a letter from her and yours and her pict ure to h ang up in my room with the rest of ’ e you r father s family . Writ soon and give all that would interest your old sincere friend and cousin ,

WM . S . MCCORMICK .

To M ary Carolin e Shields. M c RM I R . c O C K LET TERS O F C . AND M RS ELLEN M c C O RM I C K Y . RANE

me . 0. o ERS C o. 1 6 1 1 H , PATT ON , Wayne , Mo , June , 9 ' / r orm i l. M R. Hal rlI e ich h ca o I l . l C , C g , E R COU SI N ~I c m D A have read the letters of my father , William S teele Mc or ick , h N v 2 t h 1 N ov . t o addres sed to your father under dates of 7 and . 8 , 8 78 , and also the th 1 0 statement made under oath by my father , dated Jany . 5 , 8 8 , as well as the copy

o . of a letter written by my father to his cousin Mary Caroline Shields , dated F by 2 th 1 an d am u 7 , 8 83 , I glad to state that all the circ mstances therein related con cerning the constructi on an d invention of the Mccormick Reaping Machine and the n p art my father took in worki g on that machine under the instruction of his uncle , BI cC ormick i Robert , have been related to me by my father many t mes during his life l c time . My father frequent y told me that his un le Robert seemed always to have the ideas in his mind of just what he des ired to make and instructed my father just what an d l to make how to make it as he went a ong, just as though he h ad the entire com l l\l t l p et ed machine in his mind . y fa her a ways said that his uncle Robert was a natural l born inventor . Very tru y yours ,

R Mc mm x . ( Signed ) C . . Co c

M P U T o A LE RS C . . 1 6 1 1 0. H , Wayne , Mo , June th , 9 I have read the foregoin g also the letters and affid avits therein referred to and all r am glad to concur in that my brother , Cha les , has stated . I have frequently heard my father make al l the statements referred to concerning the cons t ruct ion an d RI cC ormick an d e r m i Wm inven tion of the Reaper, th pa t he ( y sa d fat her , . Steel Mc Cormick ) has taken in the cons t ruct ion of same under the direction of his u ncle Robert ’ i e Mccormick. My father s m nd was part icularly cl ar in regard to things which oc a l i w curred in his e rly life , and his reco lect on of hat occurred during the two years ’ that he lived at his uncle Robert Mccormick s made a great and las ting impres sion on him so that he talked much about his un cle Robe rt and his invention of the Reaper .

Mc Coam cx . ( Signed ) S . ELLEN RANEY

I I O F H I TT M I M c c O RM IC K AFF D AV T ENR E A AR A . WIFE O F LE ANDER M c c o RM IC K

w as a 2 2 1 8 . o A I m rried October , 4 5 I had previously gone to scho l with manda

a w m l' I cC ormick ormick Le . BI cC , and bec me acquainted ith y husband , ander J , at her

hl th 1 8 . w as . w edding ay 8 , 45 I one of her bridesmaids ’ w l hI cC ormick s I w as el acquainted with Robert family , my father having also

w t . M r been w ell acquainted i h them I always understood . Robert Mccormick to first have been the inventor of the Reaper . I learned for the time , shortly after our i u . On marriage , that he had g ven the invention of the Reaper to his son Cyr s a cer A s li rs . tain occa ion Mccormick , her two daughters , Caroline and manda . and myself Am t being pres ent , anda stated hat her father had given the invention of the Reaper him h to her brother Cyrus , under promise from , t at he would make the whole family rich if he ever made anything out of it . Mrs . Mccormick acquiesced in the statement “ k y . b saying , I know Cyrus , I now Cyrus I know he will do what he has promised , t if he ever m ak es an ything out of i . Shortly after our marri age my husband told me that he had made a valuable invention in the Reaping hI achin e and that he had written to his brother Cyrus at

N ew i . w B rockport , York , descr bing the same Some twenty years after ards , I saw ’ a w w a and read this s me letter i th descriptions and dra ings of the Raker s St nd , which ’ Le ander found among some of Cyrus old papers which had been left at Walnut Grove ,

s the Old Hom estead . The letter showed the cancelled postage and was addres ed in Nl Cormick N w w w H. c hi s o n h and riting, to his brother Cyrus , B rockport , e York , 1 in the summer of 845. The letter referred to was afterwards burned in our residence in the Chicago h 1 t 1 8 . Fire of October 9 , 7 I remember distinctly the place in the bureau d rawer where the letter was kept . ’

loth 1 6 Mr. August , 84 , after Robert Mccormick s death , we removed to the

South River F arm , which my husband inherited from his father, he having given it to Cyrus and taken it back on account of having had to pay Cyrus’ losses in the iron business , in which he and Cyrus were interested , with a man by the n ame of Black . ‘ afli x A 1 In witness whereof , I hereunto my signature , Chicago , ugust , 898 .

( Signed ) H ENRIETTA M . MCCORMICK . Witnesses

A. F F . E J HA Y,

FRED GRIER . i I know the signature of Mrs . Henrietta Mccormick and witness t . R CES GGER F AN HA TY,

KATIE KAVANA U GH .

AFFID AVIT O F HORA TIO THOM PS ON

D . D . Rev . Horatio Thompson , , says as follows

Q . Please give your age , residence and profession . F airfiel A . 80 . d C o. . My age years Residence , , Rockbridge , Virginia Occupation

Minister of the Gospel of the Associate Reformed Synod . hI cC ormick Q . Were you acquainted with Robert , formerly of Rockbridge L McC rmi H. . . o ck C . c County, and father of Mc ormick and J , of Chicago ; if so how long did you know him before his death ?

o 1 8 2 . A . I w as acquainted with him fr m 3 until his death C 01 i l . A i . s F a rfie d ? Q re you acquainted w th Thoma Paxton , West of What l is h is standing in the County in which he lives , as a gent eman of h igh standing and sterling integrity ?

A . . I think his character covers all that an d Q . Do you know anything of the early history invention of the Mccormick o Wheat Reaper ? If s , please give a brief statement of the invention and the name h of the inventor, the source of your information and the time at w ich it commences . m A. I a sure I never heard the name of the inventor of the Mccormick Wheat

Reaper questioned before the death of Robert Mccormick . c i Robert Mc ormick was the nventor of the original Wheat Reaper . This I u n derstood more than forty years ago . I saw him at work on the machine in his shoo; his whole soul appeared to be absorbed in the work of this invention . People spoke of him as being engaged in a foolish undertaking . All persons ascribed it to Robert N lVI cC ormick and to no other . o other name was in those days associated with the

n . inventor, tha that of Robert Mccormick

I heard Robert Mccormick speak himself of the invention of the Wheat Reaper ,

" and he told me that he had every reason to believe it would be a success , if he could get it arranged to suit himself . This Wheat Reaper of Robert Mccormick ’s is the same improved upon by

H L . . c . C . . and J Mc ormick and now manu factured in Chicago

th 1 . Given under my hand this 9 day of September, 8 78 R I H M PS ( Signed ) HO AT O T O ON . Attest

MR . F N . VI S . S DA , M N ELI" A THO PSO . State of Virginia Rockbridge County

Personally appeared before the undersigned , Horatio Howe Thompson , a Justice y of the Peace , in and for the County of Rockbridge and S tate of Virginia , in the Count aforesaid . Rev . Horatio Thompson , who being duly sworn , declared on oath that he

He He w as . death . not a communicative man always kept his counsel and business an d purposes pretty much to himself . Al though at times he would speak somewhat of his business to his personal friends . n Me Q . Do you remember a ything of the early history and invention of the ? Cormick Wheat Reaper I f so, please give a brief statement of the invention , the name O of the inventor, the pportunities you had of learning , the sources of your informa tion and the time at which it commences . al A. The first of my recollection is , though I think I heard frequently before , r that Robert Mccormick was inventing a Reaper . I was working for Robert hI cC o M r o mick . I saw . Robert Mccormick frequently standing ver the machine and musing n s w a and studying. O one occa ion he had the machine in the yard , he as st nding study

i . l ing over t , drawing down , as was his habit , his underlip Finally he ca led me to s him , the machine did not work to suit him , and a ked me my Opinion about some w as change he intended m aking in h is Reaper . I a millwright and working in the yard near him . I gave him my advice as far as I could , and then as he stood there “ ’ M r m i : . c study ng, I remarked to the old gentleman Mc or ick , this is not Cyrus ” “ ? He : invention , it is yours , is it not replied at once Yes , but I intend to give f ” Cyrus the bene i t of it . I have n o d oubt myself that Robert Mccormick was the original inventor of the machine . It was the general opinion of the community around and about Robert Mccormick w as u stified that he was the inventor, and this j by the constant and unremitting labor and attention Robert Mccormick bes towed on the mach ine and his known ingenui ty n He and skill in working and in inve ting. invented a Threshing machine and I erected one of them , that was run by water . h'I cC ormick m This Reaper invented by Robert is the sa e one improved , that is

u H L . now being manu factured by Cyr s . and eander J Mccormick in the City of

Chicago . l th t o 1 8 8 . Given under my hand this day of Sep , 7

" . ( Signed ) THos . S. PA TON Attest H H . O ER JO N P TT ,

P. A. A" O P T N .

TT S O F OH H B S CHU T" LE ER J N . . L

’

2 6 . GREENVILLE, Sept . , 94

M r L . c ormick . . J M C

E R SIR—I w as 2 d 1 8 1 D A born March 3 , 5, and was raised about two miles from ’ ou r as y father s residence , consequently knew him all my life as long he lived , and 1 worked for him in his shop at putting up reapers in the Spring of 845. Then your father told me the invention was a family concern , but I always understood that your father Robert Mccormick was the inventor of it .

Yours respectfully,

H B T . O . SC U " ( Signed ) J HN . H L

REE VILLE N 1 G N , ovember 5, 1 897. r L M c ormic ic M . . J . C k Ch a o I ll To , g , Father says that your father was the first man that ever invented a horse power w as i Reaper , and he knows that he the founder of the f rst one ever used since the days of Adam and Eve. Robert Mccormick was the inventor of the V i b rating motion

an d . to the cutter the reel Having absolute knowledge of the above facts , I give them to you for what they are worth . My age is 8 3 ; I lived within tw o miles of your father and knew h im well as long as he lived . Yours truly,

H B. SC U T" . ( Signed ) J . . H L LETTER O F HEN RY S CHU LT"

2 GREENVILLE, Sept . 7, 1 894 . r L rmick M . . J . M cco

E R SIR—I am 2 D A nearly 7 years old , remember your father well and always i heard it sa d that he invented the Reaper , and was frequently in h is shop and saw him H C . . and yourself at work . I never recollect of seeing Mccormick in the shop or any he H o C . . c where else . I understo d that , Mc ormick , helped to make some improve ment on it just before he went to Chicago . I also remember having heard my father ’ he h/I cC ormick w say that , Robert , orked on it in his father s lifetime , and your grand a father would tell him , Ah , Robert , it is of no use to try to m ke a machine to cut ' w wheat , that would be the Devil s orks .

Respectfully yours ,

( Signed ) H ENRY SC H U LT" .

TT F TH S H M c GU F F IN LE ER O O . . V A N a. ct 2 6 1 . LO E , , O . , 894 L n d er M orm k ea J . cC i c , Esq IR— ri f ew DEAR S According to my promise I w te you a lines . I am seventy ’ i hI r hI c ormi k w as an d an d . C c s. eight years old . I born raised with n one a half miles of

A reaping machine at that day would be much talked about , and I do well know e hI’ cC ormick that th opinion of the neighborhood was that Robert , your father , was the c y ou inventor of the Mccormick ma hine . As both parties are now dead , may as well l\I r I cC ormick w as the . h put saddle on the right horse , for Robert , your father , the \‘ in inventor of the Mccormick Reaping lI ach e beyond all doubt .

Yours very respectfully ,

T 11 05. H U F F . ( S igned ) . MCG IN m M r. M cC or i ck

h u fli n ‘ as At the request of M r. I cG , I have written this letter for him , he is in r very feeble health an d at present can not write very well . I have often heard my fathe

'

I\I r. Me ( Capt . 125 . Henry ) say that Robert Mccormick was the inventor of the

Cormick Reaping Machine . Yours truly ,

A R H N Y . ( Signed ) . HO ACE E R

TT F WM S T LE ER O . EELE

B Va 2 2 1 8 . IDDLE R . . M OOK , , Jany , 95 D ear L ea n der As there has b een discussion for sometime upon the question who invented the a Reaper , I th ink it may be of satisfaction to you that I should state my person l ’ kn owledge as to this . Having been raised about six miles from your father s home , ’ an d having visited with your father s family all my early life , I had many oppor r tu n it ies of knowi ng much of the histo y of the Reaper . It was well know n that your father had inven ted a successful reaping machine . With reference to what is called ’ n w the Raker s Sta d , I know of my own knowledge that you ere the inventor . I can not believe that your brother Cyrus ever claimed that he had anything to do wi th w as its origin . I t a fortunate thing for the farmers of this and other countries that Robert Mcco rmick lived long enough to originate and develop a successful Wheat

Reaping Machine . As as w as w as W hington the Father of his Country , so Robert Mccormick the r Fat her of the Reaper , and will live in the hea ts of a grateful people .

Yours , etc. ,

( Signed ) WM . STEELE . Witness es H A. EELE . ST ,

m . McC . Hoosu n S . TT F H H RU S H LE ER O J O N .

’ h TEE E c . a. 0t 1 . S L S VER A C V N ov . 2 8 TA N , ugusta , , , 94 M c ormick Jl r L ean der J . C l . M r In accordance with your request, I write to say that I knew your father, . ’

all . Robert Mccormick , and of his family well My father s family lived within a mile W w . as of his home . I as often in and about his home and shops intimately acquainted

h . with the various members of his family . I went to school wit you I remember you spent a greater part of your early life with your father in the shops , in building ’ difi eren t i mac hinery of k nds , reapers , threshers , horse powers , Smith s bellows and t plows . Your father , Robert , had been experimenting with a machine for cu t ing grain w he w for many years and it was well kno n by his neighbors that , Robert, as the f it real inventor of the reaper . H is son Cyrus made great e forts in introducing , and I remember that you invented the stand for a rake to ride and do the raking an d that you were always working and improving the machine . To your raker stand is due its success . I cannot believe that Cyrus would have said that he was its inventor .

My age is 73 years .

Very respectfully,

H RU . ( Signed ) JOHN . SH

TT O F A S E A G BBS LE ER J . . . I

R A P I N E Va . 1 1 8 . H , , May 3 , 99 M c ormi ck M r. L ea n d er J . C — DEAR SIR I n answer to your letter as king what I kn ow about the invention of

the Mccormick Reaper , I will state that I was born and raised within fou r miles of

the Mccormick farm and from my earliest recollection , I remember of hearing that

Robert Mccormick was trying to make a reaping machine . My father being an invalid , at an early age I was called upon to make many trips to M idway to the mill s an d and store , always pa sing the farm shops , and having a mechanical turn of mind , w I took every opportunity to see the work on the Reaper , as i t as then called ; at a an d f very early date before any of these machines were o fered on the market . I had i the satisfaction of seeing one at work in a back f eld , and young as I was , I w as one of the fi rst to prophesy success for the invention . Up to this time I never heard lVI cC ormick an a of any one being called its inventor than Robert , d his n me only i was used in connection wi th t . I know of a shipment of machines later and 1 842 Via N ew a Richmond and Orle ns to Springfield , Illinois ( about the time Cyrus and you es removed to the W t ) which were for Cyrus and in which he took a deep interest . w As to inventions made by Cyrus , I know nothing ; but of my own kno ledge and the

universal opinion and belief of all of the citizens of my age in this section, would go c r to prove that Robert Mc o mick had so far made and perfected the Reaper, as to make i it a practical working machine before Cyrus took hold of t . My early recollection ’ ’ coupled with my father s an d others kn owledge of its history is positive proof of its

origin and progress . Yours very truly,

As. E A . ras ( Signed ) J . G s . Witnesses

N . W YATT,

M R. W. C . ARS ALL H , J

TT O F S M C H GS H LE ER ERENA . . O E AD

OAK HI LL , March 7 , 1 899. m ck J . M cC or i M r. L ean d er E R IR—I c S . D A write to say that I have often heard my father, Dr John Me hes ne c i M r y, speak of the Mc orm ck Reaper, invented by your father , . Robert McC or

con ceived id ea mick , and speak also of how hard he labored to make a success of his w of a reaping machine , hich was rid iculed at the time by his neighbors and friends as — something utterly impossible but which has resulted , as the world knows , in one inven of the greatest achievements of the nineteenth century , and due alone to the 1 1 h 1 tive genius of your father . My father dated from April t , 789, and was nearly H m 1 1 1 0 i n related to the family . e was their fa ily physician from 8 4 to 85 , and t imately acquainted with M r. Robert Mccormick and spoke of how hard he labored _ to bring it into working condition and make a success of his conceived id ea of a reaping machine , which has resulted as the world knows in one of the greatest inventions of the w an age . My father kne much of the reaper and its progress for many years , d when he was living could relate incidents in its history an d would confi rm the testimony M r giving the credit of its origin to . Robert Mccormick .

C H G . ( Signed ) S ERENA M . . O SH EAD Witnesses H G GGIE T . S EAD MA O H ,

B H G . MARY . O SH EAD

T ES TIM ONY O F JOS EPH ANDERS ON Being asked the question as to my knowledge and recollection of who was the ori ginal inventor and maker of the first successful Mccormick machine .

lVI r . I know of my own knowledge that . Robt Mccormick , the father of C . H. lVI cC ormick ” i and L . J . , is the real inventor of the f rst successful Machine , that is , that he was the inventor of the first machine in which the sickle had a vibratory or crank motion an d that had a revolving reel with the horses to draw the same . Of these facts and statements I can say nothing less in justice to truth for I know am it to be a fact and obliged to give the statement as the facts are .

Very truly yours , H is h 1 1 P " D March 1 6 t , 8 8 JOSE H AN ERSON

. V Greenville , Augusta C o , a. Mark . Witnesses W U R C . . H IE G T ,

P B W W . J . . OOD ARD State of Virginia Court Coun ty of Augu sta

This day, Joseph Anderson , colored , whose name or mark appears to the fore N going writing, personally appeared before the undersigned , a otary Public for said County an d State and made oath that the statements made in said writing are correct and true in every particular as therein stated , and that the said statements are made of his own knowledge , and the said Joseph Anderson further acknowledged his sign a ture thereto before me—and he further states that he believes himself to be in h is d a 73 ye r . an d N d A A D 1 Given under my hand otarial Seal this 3 day of ugust, . . , 88 1 . P B W W SE H . D ARD N ot ar P b JO OO , y u li c

C o. Va. for Augusta ,

’ w as Joseph Anderson a slave of Robert Mccormick s , but later was owned by H a He Cyrus . Mccormick to whom he belonged thereafter until he bec me free . w as about the same age as Cyrus Mccormick .

COP IED FROM THE M c C O RM IC K E" TENS ION CA S E O F 1 8 4 8

M mm x e r S . cCo c 1 h ou o ILLI M t 1 8 8 . H s W A , March 7 , 4 Agreeable to an order made on the 2 3 d ult by the Board of Commissioners for a ten ts Ba imore t t C . H. extending p , and according to notice given to Obed Hussey of , by h’l N . . . Mccormick of this place , Dr . Hitt A i n A Va. ppeared before me , a Justice of the Peace , , and for, ugusta County , as a witness to testify in relation to certain matters touching the invention of a Reap ing Machine in which said Hussey Mccormick have con flict in g claims interests first — said witness after being duly sworn , states as follows Viz said Hussey 81 McC or mick being present C H Question by . . Mccormick What do you know relative to the construction of a reaping Machine invented by me m 1 1 NI r 8 . M r A . c H. ns During the su mer of 3 I saw Robert Mc ormick . C . NI cC ormick , engaged in building a Reaping Machine and Requested them to let me know when they got it completed , that I wished to see it operate , they did so and I came — to their plantation and saw i t . to the best of my recollection in the Latter part of le 1 8 1 . w as I reco ct . July 3 It drawn by a horse or horses , do not which , with wheels w heet Cut with a strait sickel blade . Set in motion by a Crank the fell upon a platform and to the best of my recollection it Cut about six feet wide , the Horse that hd hin e drew the ac Walked forward and on one side of the wheat . M r Question by . Obed Hussey osat ive Are you p as the year in which you saw it Operate . An o tive s. Just as p sa as I am, of sitting upon the Chaire on which I now sit .

" N M . Hu l . it i e N . IVI . w I hereby cirt ify that the foregoing d pos an s of Dr . Hitt as duely taken as r o it appears befo e me , said Hussey Mcc rmick being present , and I have sealed up the same directed to the Commissioners of Patt en t s this 1 7th day of March 1 848 JAM ES H ENRY

T e st i mon y of J ame s Hall S hi e lds Con c e rn i n g t h e In v e n t i on of t h e M cC ormi ck Re ap e r

T I H S H h is is to ce rtify that , J ames all h iel ds , of ighl and Park , Rev L ake Coun ty , Illinois , son of J ames an d M a ry C a roline Shields ,

R M cC ormi ck u n i att a and gran dson of obert , was bo rn in J County

a 1 8 . Penn , in 49

. 1 1 86 2 Afte r the death of my father , wh ich occu rred on Aug 9, ,

I came to live in Ch icago , accom p anied by my mothe r an d siste r 1 886 re Am an da , an d resided the re continuously until J uly, , when I

Hi . moved to ghlan d Pa rk , I ll inois F 1 868 N 1 1 88 2 rom Ap ril , , until ovember 3 , , ( excep ting abou t a 1 8 r yea r and a h alf , from the summe r of 73 to the sp ing of I

H. L . C . M cC or was continuously in the employ of my uncles and J . ffice mick in the o of the reaper wo rks , an d fo r the l ast few years of r my se rvice I h ad enti re ch arge of the p inting and advertising, as well as hol ding the position of pu rch as ing agen t f or the comp any ; an d thus I became ve ry familia r with all dep artments of the reape r business . I was f rom my boyhood on the mos t friendly terms with c both my uncles Cyrus and Lean de r Mc ormick , but as I s aw much machinery of the present day . I t was drawn by two horses that walked in front of the main frame , and close to the standing grain . I t had one main driving wheel in the

a . main frame , and a gr in wheel at the outer end of the platform I t had a cutter bar , . attached to and back of which was the platform , on which the grain fell . The grain an d was cut by a vibrating sickle , drawn in to the sickle , and cast down upon the plat form by a revolving overhanging reel which had slats or ribs which dipped unto the grain in front of the sickle . The grain divider of this machine was a long pointed piece of wood extending h e some y feet forward of the cutter bar , with an upright post some ten inches forward of the sickle , to support the grain end of the reel . The entire side of the machine , from the point of the divider named to the rear corner of the platform and across s the back of the platform , was surrounded with an upright canva about three feet in wid th . The grain was raked off at the side in bundles by a man who walked along

s be ide the machine . The driver d id not ride on the machine but on one of the horses

that drew it .

Th e l ast n amed m ach ine U ncle Leande r f requen tly told me was ’ 1 8 1 buil t in 3 , i n g randfathe r s shop on his home fa rm , an d was suc cessf u ll field r y operated in a on his fa rm th at an d succeeding yea s . U ncle Lean de r also stated th at h is fathe r gave th is m achine to h is 1 H 8 . e son , Cyrus , and that it was p atented by Cyrus i n 34 also stated ’ r 0 r i re th at h is b rothe r , Cy us , wo rked in the sh p unde h is fathe r s d c

tion , in the cons truction of pa rts of th is mach ine , and th at h is cousin , S am H S . c Willi am Mc o rmick , an d igh t, we re the p rinci pal wo rk ’ r men i n h is fathe s shop at th at time in the making of this reaper . Uncle Leander also stated f requently to me that the only di ff e r ence between the mach ine as invented an d constructed by his fath e r 1 8 1 r 1 8 in 3 , an d the m achine p atented by h is b rothe r Cy us in 34 , was

th at Cyrus attached the ho rses to the rea r of the mach ine , as shown i n R r M cC ormi ck r an d described h is p aten t , whe reas obe t neve con

structed a m ach ine to be p ropelled on th at pl an . r S My mothe r , M a y C a roline h ields , also f requen tly talked with r h er me about her fathe an d h is g reat inven tive gen ius , and in all con ’ ve rs ation in relation to he r fathe r s invention of the reap ing mach ine she coi nci ded with the statements I h ave rel ated as bei ng given me by U ncle Lean der i n regard to the description of the machine invented r by her fathe . She also stated to me m any times th at she saw th is 1 8 2 1 8 m ach ine cut grain in the h a rvests of 3 and 33 , an d th at she knew — h er r it to h ave been the sole i nvention of he r father also that fathe , r at the ea rnest ent eaty of he r mothe r , gave the invention of the m a ch ine to he r b rothe r Cyrus under the explicit p romise f rom Cyrus th at if he eve r made a success of the reape r all the family shou ld be

en riched by i t . I n this connection my mother made the following statemen t to i i n 1 886 : me , wh ch I wrote out

n H Father never failed in a ything he tried to do . e invented several machines \ which he built at home , and made money by building , but never patented . I I a per h i su aded fat er to g ve the invention of the reaper to brother Cyrus , and it took a great ’ hI w as as . a s am deal of persu ion too argument with father , I sure , I would rather give the honor of the invention to my son than to have it myself . Father said , but I

. has owe it equally to my other children Ma said , Cyrus promised me that if the h it reaper is made a success all the c ildren shall be interested in , and I know he will it o do . S he gave the inven tion to brother Cyrus , and as long as ma lived she repeated an d to me when she had Opportunity , to sister Amanda , the promise Cyrus had made her, an d she told the same to Henrietta.

My mothe r in her statements to me also coincided with the state ments of others to th e effect that it was a m atte r of family knowledge and tradition th at he r father h ad invented , buil t an d expe rimented or with one more reap ing machines f rom a ve ry ea rly date , beginning Was efior before she bo rn , an d th at he so continued h is ts in that d i rec tion u ntil h is labors we re c rowned with success by the m ach ine he i n 1 8 1 invented and built 3 , and ope r ated th at an d succeeding years .

on Also , that he continued to be actively engaged i n expe rimenting , imp roving and bu ilding h is reaping machines u ntil the time of his i n 1 8 6 c r death 4 , an d that U ncle Leande r M c o m ick wo rked with h is ’ r fathe in the shops building reape rs , blacksmith s bellows , and othe r mach inery . Again , my moth er and U ncle Leande r M cC ormi ck both r told me th at thei fathe r h ad invented , m anufactu red an d sol d a h ill ‘ h i t . si de plow, but t ey neve r gave me any desc rip tion of I n my close an d intimate association with my cous ins ( the sons

S . , L r . c an d daughters of my uncles Willi am and eande J M c o rmick , an d Aunt Amanda Adams ) we h ave often talked over the subject of ’ r R M cC ormi ck s my g randfathe obert inven tions , and i t was ou r com mon unde rstanding and t radition th at Robe rt M cC ormi ck was the r th e original invento of reape r , an d th at he gave the invention to his r H c son , Cy us all M c o rm ick , who took out a p aten t fo r the same i n

2 1 1 8 . J une , 34

’ A a i n r r r M cC ormi ck s r g in efe ence to Robe t va ious inventions , i M cC ormi ck I un der the instruct on of U ncle Leande r , w rote out i n 1 886 the following desc riptions of othe r inventions made by h is

c . father, Robert Mc o rmick

1 8 0- 1 In the winter of 3 , there was a great deal of talk and much in the news papers on the subject of raising hemp . Only one thing seemed to be in the way of its i an d w as difii cu lt becoming a very prof table product , that the y of cheaply an d p rofitably reducing the fi ber to its required marketable shape . Acting on this seeming demand , c r - Robert Mc ormick invented a ve y ingenious and perfect working hemp break , and in connection with it a horse power , by wh ich it was worked , and in the fall of 1 8 3 1 he

t w as . He operated i , and it pronounced a perfect success also invented another ma

l a . chine for c e ning the hemp when broken The excitement over hemp raising , how ever , died out , the demand for the machines never amounted to much , although a h an d number of t em were built sold , one or two being sold in Kentucky by his son 1 8 1 Cyrus , whom he sent there in the fall of 3 to introduce them , as hemp was cul tivated more extensively in Ken tucky than in Virginia . Robert Mccormick also invented an d manufactured an ingenious threshing machine , which had a vertical shaft , through which arms were framed , and on which five was a ri m or wheel , of about feet in diameter , having a plane on its top surface on which bars were made fast to form beaters ; over these bars were suspended a sta t ion ary section , on the underside of which there were bars , between which and th ose He on the plane of the wheel below the grain was threshed . also had in connection const ru cion with this thresher a horse power of peculiar , which consisted of a ring or platform of logs abou t thirty feet in diameter , on which was a roller about fi fteen feet long , extending from the center over the platform ; the outer end of this roller was perhaps two feet in diameter, and was pivoted in a center post , which post revolved by On the turning of the roller . the inner end of this roller was a large band wheel , and as on top of the center post w a pulley. The belt from the band wheel had its direction changed to the pulley above by the use of intermediate pulleys . With this mac hine he afterwards used bevel gearing .

He also built a clover sheller of stone , resembling an ordinary mill somewhat , but never did anything with it except for its own use . He l a so invented and made a blacksmith bellows , which was of a tub form , and of which he built and sold a large number . He i also invented a water power that worked by conf ned pressure , something on the principle of a steam engine .

At my request my mother w rote , in a little memoranda book , at cons iderable length the sto ry of her ancestry , he r ea rly home life , and i many ncidents conce rning he r fathe r an d mothe r , including h er ’ r knowledge of her fathe s inventions , which book I h ave in my pos session . I N WITN ES S WHE REOF I h ave he reto set my h an d this D 1 1 A . 0. w . t el fth day of September , 9 AME H HI LD J S . S E S .

State of Illinois Cook County N Personally appeared before me , a otary Public , within and for the Coun ty

D . 1 1 m l 1 2 th A . 0 of Cook , and State of Illinois , on the day of September, , 9 , Ja es Ha l

Shields , who being duly sworn says that the foregoing statement is true in substance and fact . I N TESTIM ONY WH EREOF I have hereunto set my hand and afii xed my ofli cial seal the day and year above wri tten . A P W s. . ERS J J O ,

N ot ary Pu blic.

Test i mon y of R. Hall M c c ormi ck . Con cern i n g In v e n ti on of t h e Mc c ormi ck Re ap er

I R H M c ormi ck r T . C . his is to testify th at , all , son of Leande J

' H M C ormi ck an Hen ri etta M . c d amilton , an d g randson of Robe rt 8 R M c r 1 . c o rmick , was bo n in 47 in ockb ridge County, Vi rginia As the di ffe rent members of the family we re intim ately associated wi th each othe r , the p rincipal top ic of conve rsation was in rega rd to r r I the eape , its p rogress and invention , and was told m any times that d M cC ormi ck 1 8 1 th e reape r was i nvente by Robe rt in 3 , he h aving spen t many yea rs expe rimenting with va rious reap e rs , but he h ad r 1 8 1 neve b rought one to a state of pe rfection until 3 , when he made i t

a successful m ach ine , and this was the t radition of the family . i A model of th is mach ne , togethe r with models of othe r inventions R M cC ormi ck of obe rt , a re in my possession , wh ich we re made by

C . S 1 8 J . eyl , a model make r , unde r the di rection of my fathe r in 94 ; the he gave them to me , an d tol d me at time th at they we re models of r M cC ormi ck the inventions of h is fathe r , Robe t , including im p rove ’ On ments he h ad added . one of these models is shown the rake rs an d ’ d rivers seat, the g rain o r casto r wheel , (wh ich avoided its plowing th e into g roun d when the m ach ine tu rned a co rne r , ) the divide r

(wh ich divi ded the cu t f rom the standing g rain ) , the ship per ( that on th rew the m achine i n an d out of gea r ) , an d the b ridles ( wh ich the

ou t m ach ine coul d be ch anged to highe r o r lowe r ) . All these im p rovemen ts to the reape r my father tol d me he h ad added to the ma ch ine . I n all my intimate relationsh ip with the di ffe rent membe rs of the c family, I neve r hea rd the invention of the M c o rm ick reape r attrib R M ormi ck u ted to any pe rson th an obe rt cC . By family t radition I lea rned th at f rom 1 83 1 on the mach ines 1 8 6 we re m anufactu red in Vi rgini a continuously up to 4 , my g rand

fathe r and fathe r m aking them wh ile Cyrus took cha rge of the sales ,

S . an d int roduced them th roughout the country , and William looked f afte r the fa rming interests . D i fe rent membe rs of the family h ave often told me th at my gr andfathe r h ad given the invention of th is 1 8 mach ine to his son Cy rus , who obtained a p aten t on it in 34, a fte r he h ad ch anged it so th at it was pushed by a ho rse f rom behin d i n

stead of being p ulled by a ho rse in f ront . I also hea r d f rom th e di ffe rent membe rs of the family th at my

grandfathe r was rega rded as an inventive genius , having invented

and constructed many other useful mach ines , some of wh ich he p at

- en ted and some of which he d id not . Among them we re ho rse pow ’ - ers , hemp b rake , bl acksmith s bellows , th resh ing m ach ine , clove r

- r . shelle , wate r powe r and h illside plow Th e first m achine I pe rsonally remembe r was called the OLD E E R L IAB L , and I always unde rstood it was the o riginal mach ine I with ce rtain imp rovements , which have he retofo re desc ribed as

T 1 8 1 added by my father . h is mach ine ry was taken to London in 5 and E received the leading honors of the xposition . i As I h ave stated above , mmediately u pon the a r rival of my father in Chicago in 1 848 he took ch a rge of the mech an ical dep a rt

r 8 . men t of the reape r wo ks , an d when Willi am came to Ch icago in 1 849he assumed cha rge of the office and establishing of agencies f or The . H. selling m achines o riginal contracts between Cyrus , Willi am

S . . c an d Leander J Mc orm ick a re in my possession . On firm C H. leaving college I connected mysel f with the of . c Mc ormick B rother, bu t my active wo rk di d not begin until the 1 8 1 fall of 7 , when I took a position on a salary, and was adm itted as a r 1 member of the fi m in 874 . I remained with the firm until the i n i 1 8 0 co rporation of the bus ness in 7 , when I was assigned to the pos i r tion of assistant m anage of the manu factu rin g dep artment . I was active i n the h a rvest field an d m ade imp rovements which we re p at

en ted an d used on both reape rs an d b inders . I pe rson ally conducted the field tri als at the Centenn ial Exposi tion i n 1 876 and thus took an active p a rt in i nt roducing to the publ ic

- the self binde r , one of the greatest l abor saving inventions of the age . ’ r ar Sho rtly afte r the comp any s i nco rpo ation , I reti red f rom active p

ti cip ati on i n the bus iness . I N W TN E WHEREOF i I S S , I hereto set my h an d an d seal th s N H Ten tenth day of September , i neteen und red and . R HALL C O IC . . M C RM K

A ffid av i t of K at h ari n e Me di ll Mcc ormi ck

o e M c ormi ck Wi e o R b rt S . C f f ,

F ormerl A mb assa d or t o d u stria Ru ss ia a n d F ra n ce y ,

r R b S . M . c I was m arried to o e rt M c ormick , a gran dson of r A t c r i 1 8 6 . Robe rt Mc o mick the nven to , in J une , 7 th at time the ’

r . hi . s invento r s two daughte s , M rs Sh iel ds and M rs Adams , an d M r M c or M r H. c . . C two sons , . Cyrus Mc o rmick an d Lean de r J

- i n - k S . mic , we re all alive , also my mother l aw, widow of William f Mccormick . I always l ived on a fectionate an d friendly terms i w th all of these and s aw them constantly , as we dwelt in the same r i neighborhood . I neve hea r d at any time , until with n the last few r r R yea s , any wo d th at coul d possibly question the fact th at obert

c r. . Mc orm ick was the inventor of the Reape My husban d , M rs

- i - n M r. . S hields , M rs . Adams , my mother l aw , an d M rs . Leander J c s M cC or M c o rmick , each and every one alway stated th at Robe rt r r mick , the g an dfathe of my husb and , was the i nventor of the c R i n Mc ormick eape r , an d this was accepted as tradition an d he ever undertook . Father invented several machines which he built at home , made first money by build ing and selling" them , but never patented . B rother Cyrus was the born of my parents ; he was a smart boy and always very much indulged by my mother . It seemed to me that ma thought his opinion on every subject was just right and him he if she di ffered with on any subject , he never rested until had convinced her that he was right . Whatever brother Cyrus wanted if he could not get his way from father he always went to ma and through her he was generally successful . B rother Cyru s never liked to work on the farm and I remember when I was about tw elve years of age of his having a great desire to be rich and of his trying to fi nd som means of accumulating money , not liking the life of a farmer . Ma persuaded father ersua to give the invention of the reaper to brother Cyrus, and it took a great deal of p ’ i m sion too . Ma s argument w th father was, I a sure I would rather give the honor of the invention to my son than to have it myself . Father said , But I owe it equally to the other child ren . Ma replied , Cyrus has promised me that if the reaper is made a success all the children shall be interested in it and I know he will keep his word .

MARY CAROLINE SHIELDS .

Last Will an d Te st amen t of

Rob ert Mcc ormi ck

I the an d , Robert Mccormick , of County of Rockbridge , State of Virginia , do make and publish this my last will and testament , hereby revoking and making void all other wills heretofore made by me , in the manner and form following , viz I st : I desire that my funeral expenses and all my just debts be paid as soon after as my decease practicable . 2 n d : b - I give and equeath to my beloved wife Mary , one third part of my estate in lands during her natural life , and my negro woman Hannah , and Preston and Eras an d mus, also my barouche and harness to be disposed of by her as she may think proper . rd : m f u rn i 3 I give and bequeath to my daughter A anda two beds , bedsteads , and ture and a suitable outfi t for housekeeping and the proceeds of ten machines made and rofits sold this season , with their p or losses after deducting all expenses of building, and : a family of negroes , viz Sally, her two child ren , Mary and and ( which family I estimate at a thousand dollars ) together with the sum of two thou sand five hundred dollars , including any sum I may have given to her or paid for : Hugh Adams since her marriage , to be paid as follows , viz Five hundred dollars on the i first day of September next , an d the balance in equal annual payments of ( say f ve hund red dollars ) it being understood that a part of this legacy ( say one thousand dol lars ) has and will have been paid before the first of September next . 4t h : I give and bequeath to my daughter Caroline her living on the plantation in a comfortable style so long as she remains unmarried ( she devoting her care and atten tion to the interest of her brother ) also tw o beds , bedsteads , and furniture and a suit ou tfit able for housekeeping, and the proceeds of ten machines , made and sold this fi s o ro ts . sea n , with their p and losses , after deducting all expenses of building , etc , and the f i further sum of two thousand and eigh t hund red dollars , bearing interest a ter the f rst 1 8 an d day of June , 47, payable in four equal annual installments of seven hund red dol i 1 l lars each , after and on the f rst day of January , 848 ; and a so a family of negroes , iz — v : A . Peggy , her three child ren Fanny, mos and a sucking child t h : t o son H 5 I give and bequeath my Cyrus . my negro boy Sam , and girl Emily , and I hereby acknowledge myself indebted to him in the sum of one hundred and fi fty - n nine dollars and seventy two cents upon a settlement made o the third day of February , 1 8 6 an 4 , as also in the further sum of fifteen d ollars on each machine made d sold this season , the sale of which may or will have been actually received . 6 th : I give and bequeath to my son Leander in addition to the plan tation already deeded to him , a bed , a bedstead and furniture and my negro man Dick , and also the - o s l proceeds of one third of all the machines made and s ld this sea on , after deducting a l i n i . e fi expen ses in buildi g , deliver ng, etc , said machines , about which there exists a sp c c a agreement , also a bay horse seven years old , a little sorrel m re three or four years old , and a bay horse now in his possess ion . th : l an d 7 I wi l bequeath to my son John a horse , saddle and bridle , and my negro boy Rufus and the sum of three thousand dollars to be paid to him in six equ al l lm i i an nua insta l ents of f ve hundred dollars each , the f rst to fall due one year after my decease , giving to my executor the privilege of extending the time on any or all these s installment four years , should his circumstances in his estimation require it ( without interes t ) . 8 th : As regards the legacy of t w o thousan d eight hund red dollars left to my A l reflect ion e daughter Caroline in rtic e 4 , upon further I d sire that it bear no interest so long as she remains on the pl antation . w \V l 9t h : I ill an d bequeath to my son illiam S . al the residue of my estate both real and personal of every kind and description requiring him to pay all my just debts

- an d an d s a . l\I cC or the foregoing legacies ; la tly , I do hereby appoint my son Willi m S s i e mick executor of this , my la t w ll and testament , written on a sh et of letter paper , t and respec fully request that the worship ful , the County Court of Rockbridge require no security of him for his executorship . In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my han d and afli xed my seal this l gth day of June in the year of our Lo rd one t hou ' t - san d eigh t h u ndred and for y sut . B RO ERT M . MCCORMICK . l u s n S igned , sea ed and delivered in presence of who have sig ed in presence of each

N ote— The alteration of the word two to four in the third page and eighteenth line and the addition of the words t t ' i t hou t i n terest in the l gth line made before ackn ow l edged . t i I BI cC ormick In tes mony of the above , , Robert , have hereunto set my hand and — affix e l h w 1 8 6 . d my sea t is t en ty second day of June , 4 B EA L RO ERT MCCORMICK ( s ) . s u s In pre ence of , o Thomas Mcc rmick ,

H. John Rush ,

I saac H all .

Ar Law 1 8 1 8 8 . Rockbridge Circuit Superior Court of and Chancery September , 4 1 l an d m The last wi l testament of Robert Mccor ick , deceased , was proved by the s NI cC rmick H be oaths of Thoma o and John . Rush witnesses thereto , and ordered to BI C ormi k recorded , and on the motion of William S . c c , the executor therein named , t w ri w who made oath hereto and i thout secu ty accordin g, to the directions of said ill entered into an d acknowledged his bond in the pen alty of fi fteen thousand dollars con d ition ed i w n according law directs , certif cate as gra ted him for obtaining a probate the of said w il l in due form . — M U EL Mc H R5 11) . s . Te te SA , Clerk . S . 1 2 1 1 0. Chicago , I lls , ep t , 9 R H or i k T I . M cC m c h is is to ce rtify th at , all , h ave now in my possession the o riginals of the following named lette rs an d affid av i ts 1 2 1 t numbe red from to , i nclusive , and h at the following a re cop ies of same and a re true and accu rate cop ies i n every respect :

i 1 8 1 8 . 1 Afli dav t of Robert Mccormick , dated Feb . , 79

m N ov 1 . W . . 8 8 2 Letter of . S Mccormick , dated 7, 7 N 1 8 8 . Wm. S . ov. 3 Letter of Mccormick , dated 7, 7

m N ov 2 1 8 8 . L W . S . c . 4 etter of Mc ormick , dated 3 , 7

m c 1 0. Affidav i W . . . 8 8 5 t of S Mc ormick , dated Jany 5,

R. 1 6 1 1 0. 6 Letter of C . Mccormick , dated June , 9 6 1 1 0 L S . c 1 7 etter of Ellen Mc ormick Raney , dated June , 9

M . 8 Afii davit of Henrietta . Mccormick , dated Aug 1 9 Afli dav it of Horatio Thompson , dated Sept . 9, 8 78 .

1 8 . i " c . 1 0 Aff davit of ach . J . Mc hesney , dated Sept 9, 78

Afli i 1 0 1 . 1 1 dav t . S . . 8 8 of Thos Paxton , dated Sept , 7

1 2 L H B. . 2 1 8 . etter of John . Shultz , dated Sept 8 , 94

1 Le H. B 1 1 . 3 tter of John . Shultz , dated Sept . 5, 897

1 Le . 2 1 8 . 4 tter of Henry Schultz , dated Sept 7 , 94

fli 2 6 1 8 . 1 L H M cG u n . 5 etter of Thos . . , dated Oct , 94 Le A 2 1 1 6 . . 6 8 . tter of Horace Henry, dated Oct , 94 m 2 1 Le W . . 2 1 . 6 tter of S teele , dated Jan , 895

1 L H. N ov 20 1 . 7 etter of John Rush , dated . , 894

1 L as E . A . 1 1 8 etter of J . Gibbs , dated May 3 , 899. 1 M 1 L cC . Meh. 8 . 9 etter of Serena Hogshead , dated 7 , 99 Affi h 0 dav it c 1 6 1 1 . 2 M . 8 8 of Joseph Anderson , dated , Affidav it 1 1 2 1 1 2 0. of James Hall Shields , dated Sept . , 9

HAL L . R. MCCORMICK

. 1 2 1 1 0. Ch icago , I ll , Sep t . , 9 T i t I H S h s is to ce rti fy th a , J ames all h ields , h ave now in my pos s ecified session th e origin als of th e documen ts hereafte r p , and th at the succeeding cop ies a re true an d accu rate cop ies of s ame

m . L W . 2 1 8 etter of Steele Mccormick dated Feb . 7, 83

1 1 . Statement of Mary Caroline Shields dated Jan . 7, 8 83

JAM ES HALL Smaw s. To Wh om It M ay Con ce rn

\Vi liam 1 .\ l 8 . This is to certify that I , Trautmann , in 94 , while in the employ of I r

e ls 1 E. J . C . S y , then proprietor of the Chicago Model Works , located at 79 Madison

l d M r Le . Street, Chicago, Ill . , persona ly constructed a number of mo els for . ander J Ofii ce s an d I rmick . N cC o Some of these models were constructed from Patent drawing , r I C rmi k M . B c o c in missing parts were supplied by , and the others were built from st ruct ions given by him personally . Among other things he told me that they were all

M r. . inventions of his father , Robert Mccormick These models consisted of two reapers ( made an d invented by Robert Mccormick ) ; two d ifi eren t kinds of hemp breaks ; one water- power ( hydraulic) engine ; one stalk cutter with a peculiar cam — - m shaped horse power attachment ; one crushing machine with horse power attach ent ,

- and one tub shaped bellows . 1 2 1 0 i f i M r R I On January , 9 9, I identif ed the models in the o f ce of . . Hall h c 1 La l Cormick , 45 Sa le Street , Chicago , as the original models referred to , and which r I M . L . l cC ormick I constructed under the supervision of eander J , and the photo graphs of same ( numbered from one to eight ) , and which hear my signature , I certify al to be photographs of the origin models above referred to , and which are now in fii ce I r R o . poss ess io n. of L . . Hall Mccormick , at his above mentioned

1 1 . Witness my hand and seal this 5th day of January , 909 WM A U . . TR TMANN

M r t i u This day appeared before me . William Trau mann , who f rst being d ly e s worn on oath stat s that he has read the foregoing , and that it is correct to the best of his knowledge and belief .

’ ‘ G eo. A . SC HMITI , r N ota y Pu blic. 1 1 0 Jan . 5, 9 9.

T o Wh om It M ay Con c ern

\ I C . 1 I odel Th is is to certify that , J . Seyl , proprietor of the Chicago Works in 1 1 E M r 894 , located then at 79 . Madison Street , Chicago , under instructions from . n BI cC ormick Lea der J . , caused to be constructed the models referred to in the fore ffi t w going a davit signed by William Trautmann , and that said William Trau mann as an d employed by me at that time , that he constructed the said models as set forth in the NI r L foregoing instrument , under the personal supervision of . eander J . Mccormick , I r m I\ . . who told me that they were inventions of Robert Mccor ick , his father I have id en t ifie d the photographs of the above mentioned models, and as evidence thereof , I r also have afiixed my signature to each of s ai d photog aphs .

h 1 1 . Witness my and and seal this 5th day of January , 909

S Y . J . C . E L ( SEAL)

has NI . . w ho This day appeared before me , L J C Seyl , states on oath that he read the foregoing instrument, by him subscribed , and that it is correct to the best of h is kn owledge and belief an d that he knows the contents thereof . A G eo. . CHMI S TT ,

N otary P ublic.

J an 1 5, 1 909.