Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-08-18

by Him Fifty-fOur Years agO-His
Death in Syracuse, N. IA Preface
with Brief Reference to Pillow HistO
ry.
An accurate history of the pillow, the mos
important of all agricultural implements. has
not been, and never will be, written. The bes1
compilation of what is known of its early ex-
istence appeared some years ago in report by
the agricultural department of the Govern
ment.
The coulter of this day would be the climax
OF the implement. as 1t was in all countries I'LL
ABOUT 100, when an Engilsnman named Jethre
Tull published a work entitled "Horse-hoeing
Husoandry," in which he advocated deep I'LL
age and four coultered plow. Who it was
that invented the mould-board, whlch was
first made of wood, thus introducing the sod
turning plow, is not known. Mr. Jefferson,
whilst in France, knew OF It's existence. and
furnished the French Institute with paper
discussing the problem of the shape of the
mould board. hich, with the first introduce
ton and all subsequent improvements TIL the
invention of the Livingston, had a wrought
iron side, share, and steel or iron points. IN
l7s3. Mr.. JEFFERSON hao Inc turning pio" nuaoe
at Shaoweli lof HIS Hion'icSlAo anu Juliet pam
tations III Aioeliaiie' anu ioi nis opiei roi
est estate III beoioro COUNTY anu linus he was
Inc hrst W ih1loouoe 'na' iinPieneh' on JIG
American cohlinehe.
In I197, Charles Newpold, OF New Jersey, IL Is
said, maze cast-lron mould BOARD, 1or Whlcn
he obtained letters patent, signed by President
John Adams. He spent thirty thousand dol
lars In perfectlng his Invention, which he nnal-
ly aoondoned because OF the strange deluslon
whlch selzed Inc mlnds OF farmers, VINO were
of opinion that cast-iron, coming in contact
with the soil, poisoned the land and injured
Its fertility and promoted the growth OF ROCKS
This was about as bad on that side OF the plct-
ure and in that era as it was in Ireland in the
early part of the seventeenth century in using
the implement there made of three sticks ana
no Improvement upon the Egyptlah OF Chl-
nese plow of antiquity. Some progress had
been made in substituting the horse or OK for
woman-labor in drawing the implement, ana
thus beast-power was utilized. The tongue OF
the pillow was fastened by thong TO Inc AMI
mails tail. One man held the handle. another
pressed on the beam, and the third, the driver
seized the poor brute by the ears, and facing IL
and walking backwards, he directed the course
of the furrow, and he was the principal man,
also. in forcing the motive power. as II walked
along in the deepest pain and torture Ihls
practice was finally stopped by legislation In
1634-the act providing ITO prevent plow1ng by
the taile.' In the early Norman agriculture
oxen drew the pillow. tearing the surface, whist
a man followed with an edged instrument
cutting the clods by hand.
1t is generally conceded that member OF
the Mccormick family, resident in Clarke Co.,
introduced the first iron mould-b board into our
section of the Valley. This implement, it will
be remembered, had neither the cast share nor
point. The country blacksmith had to be call
ed on to make 1t effective by giving it the nee
essary parts. 1t is supposed by some of our
day that it was Cyrus or his father. Robert
Mccormick, who introduced the MCCORMICK
pillow. In after years, Cyrus made hill sloe
pillow, which will, perhaps, explain the exist
ence of the error.
The inventive genius of the country, partlc-
ularly in the State of New York, was intently
engaged in making cast-iron plow. ready at
at all times for work without the intervention
of the blacksmith. This was accomplished IN
Livingston county, in thai State, shortly prior
to 1880. From this circumstance this famous
pillow derived its name. The name of the in
ven tor was Wizard.
Two bfothSEs, named sidney and Benjamin
T. Avery, of the interior of the State OF New
York, purchased the right to manufacture the
Livingston Plow taking the State of Virginia
as their territory for that purpose. About 1851,
they established mandatory in GAINESVILLE,
Mecklenburg county, but they soon discovered
that in the heavy clay soil OF the valley OF VIZ
ginia the best demand would exist for this i'm
proved implement in agriculture. They pros
pected, desiring to be near transportation as 1t
existed in addition to wagons, as well as near
the source of supply in pig-iron. In the South
River valley. in Rockbridge county. was the
Vesuvius Furnace. in full blast, and a little
lower down, near the junction of that stream
with the North River. where there was batteau
navigation. the splendid edge-tool factory of
John McCown. with its trip hammers and I'M
proved methods. was the main reliance of that
and surrounding counties for axes, scythe-
blades, drawing knives etc., which, at that
day, were but slightly imported into the iu-
terror. There they made their plant, and from
that place the first Livingston, and the first
complete cast-iron. pillow in Virginia emanated
Previous to locating at McCown's, on the
South River, which was in 1882, they brought
to Virginia young man, then about twenty
one years of age a native of Cayuga county,
New York. This was Schuyler Bradley, He
was fairly educated, well-read in history, and
a splendid artisan, and associating him in the
business his patrons left its entire direction to
him. 1t progressed marvellously. extending
the products all through the Valley, and In the
Piedmont and lower sections of the State. The
Aver2s were enterprising men of large means
They sought new fields in the West for en-
largement, and the mammoth establishment
in Louisville, KY, by B. F. Avery & Sons. is
one result of the ability of its founder, who
died recently. The elder brother, Sidney, died
some years ago. The Louisville corncer pub
lish an agricultural journal and the BiUouoc.
Mr.. Bradley, thus installed in new and pro-
gressive industry indispensable to agriculture,
with Virginia for his field, became leading
citizen, and truly an estimable man in busi-
ness. in social life, and in the church.
About 1885, Lexington built the first water
works of that town. Bradley's foundry was
about eight miles distant, and he contracted
for, and delivered in good order. the iron pipes
for that purpose. The metal was from Vesuvi-
us.
The younger reader can we'll imagine, as
some of our older will remember, the bright
and prosperous career Mr. Bradley was pursu-
ing in the earlier years OF his enterprise Thus
it continued till July, 1872, when a most de-