In this regular feature, we’ll explore the early inventors and businessmen behind today’s most popular tractor brands. Today, we’ll look into Cyrus McCormick, one of the men whose name appears on early Farmall tractors.
Cyrus McCormick got his start with horse-drawn reapers. Together with his father and brothers (and possibly also with the help of a slave and someone else’s design – history is unclear), Cyrus invented the mechanical reaper. He patented his design in 1834 and moved to Chicago a couple of years later to begin manufacturing the machines. McCormick’s reaper was a good design, but his salesmanship and business savvy is what really set him apart from the competition. His business prospered, and the McCormick family quickly became one of the leading families of Chicago.
Behind every great man stands a woman, and Cyrus was no exception to this adage. He married Nancy Fowler, a woman 25 years his junior, in 1858. Nettie (the nickname she prefered) had a mind for business herself, and took part in Cyrus’s work. This was very unusual for a woman of her time, but Netty’s perseverance and business acumen played a pivotal role in what would become the International Harvester company.
When the Great Chicago Fire struck, the McCormick factory was a total loss. At this point, Cyrus was 62 years old and incredibly wealthy – he could have easily ended the business and retired. But Nettie insisted on rebuilding, both for the sake of the Chicago workmen who depended on the factory for their livelihoods and for the sake of her sons, who she didn’t want to see grow up “in idleness.” Nettie convinced her husband – they sold their home in New York (where they had been living at the time of the fire) and returned to Chicago to rebuild. Until her husband’s death in 1884, Nettie was the effective (although unofficial) head of the company.
Nettie and Cyrus were great philanthropists during their marriage, but once Cyrus had passed and the reigns of the business were in the hands of his son (Cyrus Jr.), Nettie devoted even more of her attention to doing the most good possible with her substantial wealth. Nettie and Cyrus were devout Christians, and Nettie believed quite strongly that she was responsible to God to use her wealth to honor Him. She gave to hundreds of charitable organizations both in the United States and abroad. Many of the organizations she gave to, like the McCormick Theological Seminary, Moody Bible Institute, and the Pacific Garden Mission, are still in operation today. A private giver, much of her generosity wasn’t known until years after her death.
Next time you see an older Farmall tractor, I hope you’ll take a moment to notice the name “McCormick” on the decal and think of Cyrus and Nettie. And if your tractor’s decals say “McCormick-Deering,” don’t worry! We’ll talk about William Deering and the merger that created International Harvester soon.
To read more about Cyrus and Nettie McCormick, visit the Philanthropy Roundtable or PBS.