One of the famous inventors, thanks to whom it was possible to make a big step in the development of US agriculture, was Cyrus McCormick. The businessman spent almost his entire adult life in Chicago, where he constantly worked on the development of various devices. The innovations were aimed at facilitating the work of farmers, as reported by chicagoname.
Early life
The future genius of agriculture Cyrus McCormick was born on February 15, 1809 in Rockbridge, Virginia. His father was a farmer and a famous inventor, Robert McCormick. His mother was Mary Ann Hall. The parents raised eight children. Cyrus was the oldest child in the family.
A large role in the boy’s life was played by his father, who instilled in young Cyrus a love of technology and innovative developments. Robert McCormick worked for a long time on the development of a mechanical reaper. He never managed to complete the invention. His life’s work was continued by his eldest son, who constantly tried to improve his father’s innovation. Before his death, Robert McCormick handed over all the drawings to 21-year-old Cyrus.
Successful development of a mechanical reaper
At the age of 22, the young man created the first prototype of a mechanical reaper. The new development made it possible to significantly speed up the processes of harvesting wheat and other grain crops.
In 1834, Cyrus McCormick decided to patent his invention, which immediately found a response from local farmers. The mechanical reaper actually caused a revolution in agriculture. The device was able to completely replace scythes and sickles and reduce harvesting time. The equipment consisted of a platform for collecting cut plants, a knife for cutting stems, as well as wheels that controlled the operation of all mechanisms.
As a result, the use of labor resources also decreased. Farmers were able to cultivate larger areas of land, employing fewer workers. Six years later, the businessman began to sell mechanical reapers for commercial purposes.
A successful business from scratch
Cyrus McCormick decided to expand the markets for his invention and moved to Chicago. In a large city, the entrepreneur took up marketing and actively advertised mechanical reapers. McCormick considered Chicago an ideal place to turn his invention into a promising and profitable business. The marketing company was successful. In 1847, the entrepreneur opened his own factory for the production of agricultural machinery.
The businessman attracted Chicago Mayor William Ogden to his partners. The mayor’s financial contribution allowed him to significantly expand the production of mechanical reapers. After a year of cooperation, McCormick managed to buy out Ogden’s share. Since then, the company has belonged only to the entrepreneur’s family.
Every year the company grew, and after some time, McCormick became the largest manufacturer of agricultural machinery in the United States. The company was called McCormick, Ogden & Co. Cyrus McCormick’s brothers joined the company and were mainly engaged in the production process. The older brother was setting up sales markets.
The great fire of 1871 did not bypass the entrepreneur’s factory, which was completely destroyed. However, Cyrus McCormick received an insurance payment for the damaged enterprise. He took the entire amount of compensation for himself, which caused anger among his brothers. The conflict between family members escalated into legal disputes.
McCormick’s siblings tried to prove in court that their father was the real author of the mechanical reaper and that all profits from the factory should be shared between all of them. Cyrus was saved from failure by his mother. The woman swore under oath on the Bible that her son had invented the mechanical reaper.
However, competitors did not give up trying to block the extension of the patent. For many years, legal proceedings continued. In the end, Cyrus McCormick was unable to renew the patent for his own invention in 1848. The mechanical reaper became a subject of public domain.
Failure did not stop the enterprising man and he decided to bypass his competitors in another way. McCormick personally travelled around agricultural lands and offered farmers the developed device.
After the company expanded, sales representatives appeared on its staff. The reaper was known far beyond the borders of the United States. Thus, the mechanical device gained recognition at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851 and the International Exposition in Paris.
Other inventions and innovative approaches in business
Cyrus McCormick tried to do everything possible to find as many buyers as possible for his invention. To do this, the businessman used unconventional methods for that time, such as:
- creating a network of sales agents and specialized equipment maintenance services. The agency network worked successfully throughout the United States
- providing a guarantee for equipment. Cyrus McCormick’s company was one of the first to use a product guarantee service. Innovations significantly increased the confidence of buyers in the mechanical reaper
- selling equipment on credit. Farmers were able to buy McCormick’s invention on credit, which allowed him to expand the sales market.
McCormick’s contribution to the mechanization of world agriculture
Many historians and researchers believe that the mechanical reaper, created by Cyrus McCormick and his father, was one of the most important inventions of the first half of the nineteenth century.
The mechanization of the harvesting process allowed farmers to efficiently and quickly process large areas of agricultural land. At the same time, mechanization had a great impact on the development of urbanization and industrialization.
For decades, Cyrus McCormick was considered the only author of the mechanical reaper. The inventor’s competitor was Obed Hussey, who developed a similar device, patented in 1833. Hussey became the first inventor to patent a mechanical reaper. However, Cyrus McCormick’s entrepreneurial abilities allowed him to popularize his own model of a mechanical device and make it famous throughout the world.
In 1878, the Chicago entrepreneur was elected a member of the French Academy of Sciences as the person who had done the most in the world for agriculture. Six years later, Cyrus McCormick died. On the day of his death, more than half a million combines were successfully operated in the world.
Cyrus McCormick received the title of one of the most talented scientists in the United States. Even during his lifetime, the entrepreneur often received awards for his contribution to the development of agriculture. His McCormick Harvesting Machine Company became a leading manufacturer of modern agricultural machinery. Thanks to Cyrus McCormick’s innovations in entrepreneurship, he became one of the world’s founders of modern agriculture.
After his father’s death, his son, Cyrus McCormick Jr., continued the business. Under his leadership, the family company was transformed into International Harvester Corporation in 1902.
The entrepreneur’s sons merged with several other manufacturers to create the International Harvester Corporation. For a long time, the company was considered the largest manufacturer of agricultural machinery and successfully operated on the market until 1985. The entrepreneur’s name was solemnly inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame of the United States.
