Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-03-02
The SeIf.Made Men of our Time.
WALTER A. WOOD, ESQ, DISTINGUISHED
INVENTOR AND MANUFACTURERS,
HoOsICK FALLS, N. Y.
From Chimney Corner. ]


INVENTOR AND MANUFACTURERS,
b HoosICK FALLS, N. Y.
From Chimney Corner.l
Il was once the remark of Governor
Inland Hall, of Bennington, VT, who was
ten years in Congress, and afterwards on
the Supreme Bench of the State. that such
"men as Walter A. Wood made this
country what it is," The business of this
assertion will fully appear by perusal of
the biography here given of the person
specially named.
Walter A. Wood, the distinguished in
ventor and manufacturer of moving and
resping machines, was born in the town
of Mason, Hillsborough county. n H.,
October %, 1916. He received as good
common school education as the times at
forded, and at eighteen went into his
fathers shop as mechanic. His father
was carrying on general furnishing
business for farmers in the way of plows,
wagons, blacksmithing, etc. Young Wood
worked with good deal of industry and
original talent at all parts, up to the age
of twenty years. After that time he
worked in the machine shops and carriage
shops in various parts of the country as a
iourneyman, until the year 1874. He now
started business at Hoosick Falls, of the
same kind as that conducted by his father
In this he showed marked enterprise, and
met with considerable success.
In 1850 his attention became directed
to moving maohines,and he soon took the
position as one of the most ingenious in
veutors and enterprising manufacturers
in this branch in the country. The in
ventive genius of the late Obed Hussy
had already established that moving by
machinery was entirely practicable. but
there was only one successful moving
machine. Mr.. Wood purchased terri
terial right in the machine brought for
ward by John FL. Nanny, Illinois, in 1851,
His keen mechanical perceptions led him
to make numerous improvements in it,
which attracted great attention to the
machine He sent the machines to all
the great fairs, and tried them before the
eyes of wondering thousands. These ex-
periments were fer his own information,
as well as to advance the sale of the ma
chimes; for he saw by practical use what
improvement was necessary, and his in
ventive mind was never at loss for
remedy.
Since 1852 he has received more than
thirty patents, principally for improve
ments in mowers and reapers. Having
established reputation for his machines
in the United States, he introduced them
into Europe. To him belongs the fame
of having been the first person to demon
strate to the incredulous farmers of Eng
land and other countries the possibility
of moving grass by machinery.
Ia 1856 he sent, by the hands of COM
petent agent, fifty of his machines, which
were at once sold and operated satisfsctor-
ily. The following year he sent out one
hundred and fifty machines. His expor-
tation of mowers and reapers to Great
Britain and the Continent has since been
about one thousand annually, amounting
to nearly one half of the entire European
trade. At the Paris Exposition he re-
ceived the highest prize, the Legion of
Honor and grand gold medal.
The statistics of the manufacture of
mowers and reapers are very interesting,
az showing what machinery has done for
the agricultural interests of the country.
In 1851 not more than three or four hum
dred of these machines were sold annually,
while in 1866 the whole number OF NOW
ers and reapers manufactured was but lit
tie short of one thousand. In 1853 Mr..
Wood himself made two hundred and
seventy machines, while in 1860 he manu-
featured nearly seven thousand five hun
bred at bis establishment. This work re-
quired the employment of four hundred
and fifty men. and in value amounting to
one million of dollars. Since 1852 the es-
tal hac IN mt
thousand mowers and reapers, and has a
capacity of making twelve thousand ma
chimes annually.
The works are very extensive, compris-
ing main factory, 250x44 feet, four stor-
les in height; foundry, 2OOx5O feet a
blaeksmith's shop, 44xSO; repair and
pattern shop, Office and warehouse. They
are now conducted by the Walter A
Wood Moving and Reaping Machine
Company, of which Mr.. Wood is Presi-
dent.
In country like our own, in which
the agricultural interest is so vast, and
where farms are so extensive in amount of
acres under constant cultivation, the in
trodnc of mowers, reapers and other
agricultural machines has been one of the
chief sources of national growth and pros
perity. American mechanical genius has
fully and successfully met the demand
upon it, and achieved results quite as
significant and important as those reached
in any other department of invention.
Among those who have been most practi-
cal as we'll as ingenious stands Mr.. Wood,
whose talents and enterprise must be for
ever associated with the efforts to cheaper
and facilitate farm labor.
Mr.. Wood has a graceful and we'll pro-
portione1 figure His head is long. with
sharp face and strikingly expressive fea-
lures. His whole eountenance betokens
strength and activity of his mental and
physical powers. His eyes are clear and
searching, and his mouth shows the ut
most resolution. He is a man who
throughout his lite has shown ne waver-
ing in his purpose, and no want of ability
for every position and circumstance in
which be has been placed. Looking deep
ly into all things, bold and energetic in
genius and in action, it is not too much
to say that he has reached bis present con.
dition of success and afHuenoe by the ex-
hibi,ion of the highest qualities of man
hood. Gifted by nature with mechanical
talents of a rare order, he has improved
and used them in union with personal
virtues and enterprise. which have linked
his name at once to honor and to fame.
horticultural Meeting,