The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-05-15
CYRUS MCCORMICK.
sketch or His Cnreer--His Inventions and
His 1encvolence.


His fencvolence.
| Mr.. Mccormick. who died on Tuesday.
was born In Rockbridge county, Va, in
1909, and he inherited his inventive genius
from his father. Robert Mccormick, who
was weli-to-do farmer. and also carried
on saw. and grist-mills and blacksmitbing
and carpenters shops. Both his father and
mother were natives OF Virginia, and de-
scendants OF the hardy Scotch-Irish pioneers
who emigrated early In The last century from
the north OF Ireland to Virginia. Robert
Mccormick was also an inventor, and
great deal OF the machinery in his mills
and factories was OF his own invention.
He once attempted, while his son was a
mere child, to devise practical reaping-
machine, and he experimental with 1t in
1916. He was so disappointed with the
result that he put It aside for sixteen years,
and then made several improvements aud
again tested its practicability in the harvest
| field. This time he became convinced that
the principle OF the construction OF his
machine was impracticable, and he aban-
doned all further efforts 10 make il a Sue
cess.
J Cyrus II. Mccormick was very much in
| terestcd in his fathers invention, and OBJ
servation of the experiments convinced
| him that ripe grain in its natural tangled
state could only be successfully harvested
by taking it as body, without the separa-
tons on the cutting edge that was a feature
of his fathers machine. a study OF this
idea, and experiments with small models,
developed the principle on which all reap
/ ing-machlnes are manufactured, and winch
Is the foundation OF the machine which
made its inventor both famous aud wealthy.
Mr.. Mccormick was then only twenty-five
wears OF age. but he had previously in
vented hillside plOw, which Is at present
4 standard labor-saying implement on all
well.appointeG farms, and hand-cradle
for reaping grain, on both OF which he had
received letters-patent.
The first experiment with the harvester
was made in 1881, when Nlr. Mccormick
succeeded in cutting several acres OF oats.
The next year he made several improve
ments, and cut fifty acres OF wheat; but
he deemed it best not to put 1t on the mar
ket until he had made it perfect. In 1894
he took out his first patent on the harvester,
but. as his father gave him farm. he de-
voted most OF his time to agriculture for
several years. Then an opportunity pre-
sentcd Itself for him to engage in the IRON
smelling business, which he accepted, as
affording better opportunities for the de-
velopment OF his mechanical talents. How
ever, in the panic OF 1887 he suffered
financial reverses, and, as he had made
great many improvements in his
reaper, he devoted himself to placing
il upon the market. In 1910 he be-
gan the manufacture OF the haryestcrs,
and five years later built up mlnufactOry
in Cincinnati. He was continually i'm
proving the machine. and in lS4J he took
out more new patents. Two years after
that Mr.. Mccormick moved to Chicago,
which was then just entering upon its
prosperous career as the natural CONNER
cial centre OF the agricultural districts OF
the West. His machines were then manu-
featured in BrocEpOrt, New York, by q
firm who paid him a royalty upon them.
and the sales increased in two years from
700 rcaperS year to about 1000. Now the
annual sale is over 10000 reaperS, and the
factory in Chicago employs LOO men reg
ularly. and has 1900 men handling and
selling the rcapers throughout the world.
In 1850 Mr.. McCOrmlck'S two younger
brothers, William :. and Leander D., as
sociated themselves with him in the manu-
featuring business in Chicago, and IN 1859
they became partners In the business. In
1851 n machine was sent to the lnterna-
tional Exhibition in London, which gained
the Grand Council medal, the only prize
offered. The first prize the Mccormick
reaper gained was in lSi3, when, in CON-
petition with machine invented by Obed
Hussev in Richmond, Va, jury OF
Judges appointed by spectators on the field
awarded him the victory. He had also
won the gold medal given by the
American Institute in 1S49. He was
also awarded the grand gold medal
in Paris IN 1865. the grand prize
gold medal in London in 1862; the
first prize at a field trial in Lancashire.
England, in 1862; the grand gold medal
at Hamburg IN 1868. In the Paris Expo
sitiOn OF 1861 he was awarded the grand
prize, the highest hOnors OF the EXPOSE
tIon, and the cross OF the Legion OF Hon
or. He received the two highest awards
ut Vienna in 1873, and the two highest
prizes given mt the Centennial Exposition
in philadelphia. In 1873 he was award
ed the grand gold medal OF the Royal
Agricultural Society OF England in CON-
petitivc trial OF notwithstanding har-
yesting machines. The same year he
received the only grand prize in Pa
ris: was made an officer OF the Le-
zion of Honor, and was elected to the
French Institute as member OF the AGA
DENY OF Sciences IN the Department OF
Rural Economy, for having done more for
the cause OF agriculture than any other
living man. In 1879 the Mccormick reaper
was awarded the highest prize at the Inter
national Exhibition at sydney, Australia.
At the Worlds Fair at Melbourne, year
LATER. he received 4 gold medal rs the high
est award for every variety OF harvesting
machinery. In 1881 the twine-binder Of
the Mccormick harvester received the gold
medal from the Royal Agricultural Society
Of England. Unlike most inventors Mr..
Mccormick was in position to manuiac'
ture his own invention. and thus reap the
benefits accruing from 1t.
In 1853 Mr.. Mccormick married 4 daugh-
ter OF the late MelZar Fowler, prominent
citizen OF Detroit, gifted and accom-
plisbed lady. who survives him. lie also
leaves five children, three sons and two
daughters. The eldest son is twenty-five
wears old, and takes an active part in The
business OF the Mccormick Harvesting
Machine Works. Mr. Mccormick was 4
member of the Presbyterian church, and
he founded the Northwestern Theological
Seminary of Chicago, to which he has con-
tributed over 100000. He has given
away large amounts in unostentatious
charities. After the war he contributed
largely to the endowment OF Washington
and Lee University. He also gave the
Mccormick telescope TO the University OF
Virginia. He once received the nominal
ton for Mayor OF Chicago and also for
Congress, but was defeated at the election.
He was very active In the st. Louis Con-
yention that nominated Tilden, and his
name was mentioned for second place on
the ticket.