Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-02-15
CYRUS H. MCCORMICK .

Cyrus Hall Cermick, born February
Is, 1909, was the son Of farmer Of good
property, living in Rockbridge county,
Virginia; the county deriving its name
from the remarkable natural bridge he
meath which Cedar Creek runs. His "a.
Their and mother were both natives Of the
State OF Virginia. and Of Scotch. Irish de.
scent.
In the year 1916 the elder Mccormick
made a rcaping .machine, which was used
IN the harvest Of that year, and was fairly
successful where the grain stood up
straight and untanglc<l; but it was un-
equal to the work when the grain was
lodged, and, after many unsatisfactory at
Temps, wa: eventually abandoned, the
last trial taking place in 1881, in the
presence If his son Cyrus, who was then
a young man Of twenty-five years Of age.
The machine Of the elder Mccormick
ls10-:sl) was pushed along in front Of
the horses, like the Scotch machine Of
Bell (ls26), and had several features, not
necessary here To rccapitulalc, which
have been entirely abandoned. The
cause of his fathers i'll Success seems t.
have occurred t" G, rus, and he struck
out in new patti, making machine
which embodied the principal features Of
tue harvester Of the present day. The
Young mans first nlaclin was SD hurried
" built that it was used in the same year
uS3l) which witnessed the last trial of his
fathers machine, the new rcciprocating
cutting knife being tried in Il field OF rye,
and, with the addition Of the gathering
reel and = letter divitler, IN field Of late
oats the same season.
The features OF ,liis machine were: l.,
the horses were in front and the cutting
apparatus projected 1t the s'''c; =. tie
cutter was IL rccipr'cA1ing straight SICKLE
moved laterally by u crank; 5, fingers pro-
jcc,iny forward supported the grain while
being cut; 4, the standing grain was Kan.
ed I" the sickle and finger bar BY re-
volving reel; 5, the grain was received on
~ platform, and was rakcd thcrctrOm in
ssAvels 6, Il dividrr at tho end "f the fin.
ger.bar separated the grain I" be- Gu,
from the standing portion in the field.
Nearly all OF these features were origi.
nal in this machine, and rn,i!lc Cyrus NJ
Cormick to be called the father ct the
rcapiny. machiue. The inventor Gu.
with this reaper fifty aces IF grain in
1882 with entire SUCCESS. H. took Il pat
eni for The machine June ~, 1884, and
commenced m aking it for sale IN 1889,
the intervening time having been employ
ell in gradually improving the machine,
each summer atfordiny Il short period for
practical tests.
Public trials of the Mccormick and
Hu.sey machines were ma IL in the neigh
b,rl,n,d Of Richmond, Virginia, in 134},
and certificates "f superiority in every
case awarded IT, Mccormick. In 1917 he
moved t. the city If Cnicago, where he
has sincs resided.
Mr.. Mccormick received the Gold Medal
If the American Institute, New Ymk, III
1915: the Council Medal Tor the mos. val
liable article contributed IL the Worlds
Fair. London, in 1851; the Grant Coil
Medal OF the Paris Exposition; the Grand
Gold Medal, after nine days trial, at
Syracuse, New York, in 1851; the Prize
Medal ut the London International Ex-
hibi,ion, 1862; med us at Hamburg, Ger
many, and Leeds IE"gland, III 1868; and
in 1868, the personal decorative "f Chcva.
|itr OF The Imperial Order Of the Legion
Of Honor.
Becoming member Of the Prcsbyter.
ian Church in 1884, he has taken All act.
i've part in church extension. In 1859 he
founded and endowed the "Prcsbyterian
Seminary OF the Northwest"
and has made large donat ions to the Cn-
i'n Theological Seminary Of Virgins.
On questions OF dcn"minaiional policy he
Yields vigorous pen, and in 1872 be.
came tho proprietor Of the Interior, IL re
liylous journal published in the interests
II the Presbyterian Church, with tho in
|cntion Of making i, Il tirst-class journal
"f schools, and without re.
gard 10 expense Or profit.
The manufacture Of the Mccormick
reaping-m ..chi"cs is one Of the important
Interests Of the city If Cnicay~. The
factory, commencing with small bcgin
nin.s in lS47, now covers twenty. one
acres, and 5000 machines are manuiact-