The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-03-23
FREDERICK NISHWITZ DEAD.
The WeIi-Known Inventor Passed Away
Saturday.


inventor and prominent resident of
this county, died at his home in Mil
lington, March II. from pneumonia.
The funeral services were held Tues
day and interment was made in Bask-
ing Ridge.
The gratitude of the agricultural
world is certainly due to Mr.. Nish-
witz, who has given to the farming
industry some of the most useful in
ventions that have ever promoted it's
interests. AS the result of his perse-
verance, he attained a pre-eminent
position as an inventor that drew for
him admiration from foreign coun-
tries as we'll as America. His expert
ments, coupled with deep study and
vast research, enabled him to produce
devices that have revolutionized farm
labor. Although he met with many
reverses caused by several attempts ON
the part of persons who attempted to
take his patents from him, but these
difficulties he overcame and lived to
enjoy the fruits of his ingenuity.
Mr.. Nishwitz was born in Darmstadt
on the Rhine, Germany, in January,
1899. At the age of eleven he emf
grated with his parents to this coun-
try and settled at Long Hill, Passaic
Township.
During the summer months, Mr..
Nishwitz worked on his fathers farm
while during the winter he at
tended the district school, The opera
tion and construction of the machinery
used on the farm always had fasci-
nation for him and to this he gave
considerable attention and study. His
father, discovering that his son s
tastes pertained to mechanics, he en-
tered him into an apprenticeship OF
SIX years with a new York firm OF
agricultural machinists. He advanced
SO rapidly in his new position and
displayed such marked ability that
two years before his apprenticeship
expired and at the age of nineteen, he
was taken into partnership in the
firm and a year from that date he was
sole owner of the business. With
great success he carried on the busi
ness until 1870 when he disposed of it
Before this, however, he had begun
the important work of invention anC
thus entered upon the career tha
brought him wealth and fame. Ii
1853 he invented harvester and fol
lowed by taking out several patents
on improvements for reapers ant
mowers. The present style of TIVE
wheel mowers is due to his invention
and which he sold to Walter A. WooC
for 500, 600.
! In 1858 he invented the first disl
harrow and made various improve
ments on it later. In attempting tt
numerous difficulties and not unit
| 1866, when its merits were called tx
public attention by the agriculture
reports of the United States. did il
come into popular favor. The New
York Tribune also encouraged Mr.
Nishwitz, bespeaking for him tina
success. The prediction proved cor
rect and today the disk harrow il
used almost exclusively, especially il
the west.
After disposing of his business il
1870, Mr.. Nishwitz settled in Milling
ton, where he had erected pleas
ant home. On moving to Milling
ton it WAS his intention to retire
from business, but his energetic spiri
again caused him to invent the acme
harrow in 1879 and for it's manufac
ture erected large plant at Milling
operated. Besides these he has invent
ed hay forks and other useful imple
ments. In other business, Mr.. Mis-
witz was one of the directors il
the National Iron Bank, of Morris
town. Politically, Mr.. Nishwitz was
a Republican, being at one time chair.
man of the Morris County Republican
Committee. He was master mason
and a member of the Washington
Association, of New Jersey. He was
public spirited and progressive citi-
zen, he having done much to improve
the roads and advance facilities along
educational lines in his vicinity.
Mr. Nishwitz was twice married
his first wife being Miss Doris Wen
eel, of Brooklyn and to them two
daughters were born, Mrs. W. Taft,
of Millington. and Mrs. r. Byington,
of Newark. His second marriage was
with Miss @. r. Baker, of Amherst,
Mass, and of this union resulted
one daughter, Miss Doretta.