St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-16
WALTER A. WOOD DEAD
The Great Harvester King
Passes Away at Hoosiek
Falls.
A Sad Close Of a Long and
Energetic Business
Career.
His Death will Make No
Change in st. Paul
Plans.
Brief History Of the Many In
ventions He Accom-
plished.

HoosICX FALLS. n. Y, Jan. b
Walter Abbott Wood, the renowned
manufacturer of harvesting machi merry,
died here today at half past three
O'Clock. His funeral will occur here
next Tuesday morning.
Upon receiving the telegram announc-
ing the death at Hoosick Falls, n. Y,
of Walter Abbott Wood, the Eastern
representatives of the harvester works
here-MessrS. j. Russell Parsons, Wal
ter p. Warren and P. S. Macgowan-con-
ferred together at Hotel Ryan. and it was
decided that Mr.. Parsons should return
at once to HOoSick Falls. He started on
the evening train. z. S. Mcgowan
has been selected as general manager of
the Walter A. Wood Company of st.
Paul. He was engaged in business en-
terprises for a long time in Boston,
Mass, and four years ago entered into
the management of the Hoosick Falls
mandatory. He is highly esteemed by
those with whom he has been associated
in business. He will take charge of the
offices of his company in the Mer-
chants National bank building and will
locate permanently i'll the city.
VIII Not Affect St Paul.
Walter P Warren. seen last evening,
said: I'VE regret most sincerely the
death of Walter A. Wood. He was an
energetic and successful business man.
The Hoosick Falls plant was estab-
lIShed many years ago, and it grew
steadily and often rapidly to its present
great proportions under his manage
ment. Other plants in New York state
have existed, and some of them have
been removed, but none of this class
have had the success there which has
been reached by the concern at HooSick
Falls. The William Arson Wood har-
vester works. for instance. moved to
Ohio and is now located in Tennessee.
The death of Walter A. Wood will
make no change in the arrangements
for this new company in St. Paul. The
feeble health of Mr.. Wood (his
age was seYenty-siX years. has been
known for weeks past, and the result an
DOunced i'll this telegram is the closing
of long, energetic and honorable life''
MI. Wood has held high political posi-
lions in the state Of New York, and the
mourning friends will be found to be
many.
In 1878 he was sent to congress, and
served two terms, from March IS, 1879,
till March 4, 1888. During the past few
years he has had residence IN Wash
lngton, ID. c., and passed his winters
there. He was prominently mentioned
for the governorship of New York
at the time Judge Folger ran.
Napoleon III. made him an officer of
the Legion of Honor. and the emperor
of Austria bestowed upon him the
Order of st. Joseph in recognition of
the improvements in harvesting ma
chinery due to his inventive talents.
He had carried on this business for a
longer time-fully forty-one years-than
any other man in his line. The COM
pany possesses more gold and silver
medals than any other. In fact, hun
dreds of such medals were awarded for
his inventions.
History OF His Career.
Walter Abbott Wood, the great in
ventor of harvesting machinery, was
born in Mason, n. H., Oct. %, 1915.
His father, Aaron Wood, settled early
in New York state and was among the
first to manufacture the cast iron plows
invented by Jethro Wood. Walter A.
Wood had a natural fondness for
mechanics. In 1885 he settled in
Hooslck Falls, n. Y, and in a few years
began manufacturing on his own ac-
COuHt. NE Introduced tl6 NANNY mar
vesting machines with Woods improve
ments, of which he made aDd sold
nearly 200 in 1852. Mr.. Wood contin-
ued his improvements, and in 1858 his
sales reached 500 machines. In 1869
he disposed of 5000 mowers and reap
ers. and in 1884 his sales reached 4S,3OO
machines. Nearly 100000 machines
We're sold by him dnring the period
from 1851 to 1889. He held about thirty
patents and his works at Hoosick Falls,
n. Y, are probably the most extensive
of the kind in the world. He conducted
the business when it was organized into
a stock company called the Walter a.
Wood Mower and Reaper company, of
which Mr.. Wood has been the presi-
dent. Mr.. Wood early recognized the
Importance of sending his machines
abroad, and his sales to foreign coun-
tries have steadily increased until
it is estimated that 80 per cent of the
machines that are sold abroad were
made by him. The value of his inven-
tions has been recognized at the worlds
fair in Paris in 1867, in Vienna in 1873.
in Philadelphia i'll 1876, by many medals
at local fairs, and by the orders con-
ferred upon him by imperial rulers re-
ferred to in the interview with MIR.
Warren.