Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-02-17
Centenary of McCorriick's Birth
Observed at ". L.. u.

the birth OF Cyrus Hall McCor
mick, the inventor of the cele
brated Mccormick grain reaper
which wrought a revolution in the
agricultural world, was OBJ.
served at Washington and Lee I'm
iversity Monday with appropriate
exercises. The speakers were
President George II. Denny, DR.,
W. LeConte Stevens Of the depart
ment of ply sizes, and DR.. John d
Latane of the department Of his
tory.
Mr.. Mccormick endowed the de
partment of physics at Washing
ton and Lee with $4,000. and in
his will provided that this should
be increased by the same amount.
He was a trustee Of the University
from 1869 to the time of his death
in May, 1884.
The exercises were opened at
noon with religious services by
Rev. DR.. A. H. Hamilton, pastor
of Mt. Carmel Presby terian church
of Steele's Tavern, of which
church Mr.. Mccormick was a
mem Der while living at the old
homestead. The addresses fol-
lowed.
DR.. Denny spoke briefly Of the
sterling moral and spiritual quail
ties Ct Mr.. Mccormick. Full ex-
tracts from this address are pub
lished in another column of this
issue.
DR., Stevens discussed the char
acteristlcs Of Mr.. Mccormick as
an inventor. He referred to the
centennial observances this month
of three famous men-Abraham
Lincoln, who led revolution for
the liberation of the Negro slaves
of che South; Charles Darwin, who
agitated a revolution In science,
ard Cyrus H. Mccormick, who
created revolution in agriculture,
an employment that occupies one
half the human race. He referred
to the fact that the inception of
the reaper was largely that of
Robert Mccormick, who began HE
Investigations about the time OF
the birth of his son Cyrus and
kept them up for period of TWEEN
ty years, but without success. 1t
remained for the son to perfect the
invention. The first machine was
made in 1881, and all the cog
wheels were Of wood, made by the
inventor hiuself. The first order
for machines outside the State
was ons from Cincinnati, and the
shipment was made by hauling by
wagon sixty miles to a point on
james river, thence by canal to
Richmond and Norfolk, thence by
sea around Florida and up the
Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Gin.
cinnati. Truly round about
way.
DR.. Latane spoke Of the public
life and philanthropic work of Mr.,
Mccormick. Rockbridgs county,
said DR.. Latane. has given birth
to a remarl able number Of distln-
guished men. Among them have
been soldiers in all the wars of the
United States, judges of both
State and Federal courts, attorneys.
general of this and other States,
representatives, in State Legisia-
lures and in Congress, preachers
of the Gospel and missionaries to
foreign lands. This same county
has given a general-in-chief and
president to the Republic o!
Texas, United States minis
ter to France, an ambassador
to France, Russia and Austria,
governors to Georgia, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee and
West Virginia; " lille eight United
States senators were born within a
radius of six miles of Lexington.
But the one ockbridge name that
has gone round the world, that is
known today in every civilized
land, is that of Cyrus Hall McCor-
mick, the Inventor of the reaper
DR.. Latane spoke Of Mr.. McCor-
mick's Scotch Irish ancestry, the
race OF brain and Drawn well suit
ed to the task of subduing CONT
nent, himself typical of the race
from which he sprangi of his In
domltable pluck and enterprise In
pushing his business to the 'front.'
of overcoming almost ipsurmount'
able opposition, and Of finally win
ming the recognition Of the world,
He was liberal to the cause Of ed
ucation and religious philanthropy
His was a life moved by a mighty
purpose, softensd by broad hu.
manity, balanced and restrained
by an unswerving loyalty to the
faith and traditions of his fathers
Cyrus Hall Mccormick was born
February 15, 1902 at walnut
Grove farm, near Midway, Rock
bridge county, q short distance
from the Augustus county line
He was the eldest Of eight chill
dren of Robert and Mary AMI Hal
Mccormick, and was of Scotch