[SEL] Independeant Harvester

[Dave Merchant]

errr...Plano IL = Illinois

Dave Merchant


At 02:33 AM 9/24/2008, you wrote:
>Here is a 100 year old history mentioning the Independent Harvester Co of
>Plano IK.
>
>http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilkendal/TownHistories/Plano/HarvesterStory1908.htm
>
>Plano provided one of the components of International Harvester,
>but later Independent Harvester co was formed in Plano.
>
>Over fifty percent of the component parts of the International Harvester
>Corporation had its origin in Plano. The Marsh Harvester, the original of
>all present-day self-binders was born and perfected in Plano. C. W. and W.
>W. Marsh of DeKalb, Illinois conceived the idea in 1857. A dozen machines
>were built in 1860. The machines proved to be too frail for the harvest of
>that year and the Marsh Brothers were on the point of giving up, when they
>prevailed upon Lewis Steward, of Plano to come to DeKalb and inspect the
>machines.
>
>"The machine was operating in heavy grain," said C. W. Marsh, when
>interviewed recently for the Prospectus at his home in DeKalb. "It was
>behaving rather worse than usual. It only ran a few rods and broke down.
>However, it did good work as far as it went. One man, W. W. Marsh, was
>doing the binding and turning off good bundles, as the grain came to him
>from the elevator. We were in despair and wanted Mr. Steward to wait until
>we could fix the machine. 'Boys,' said he, 'you are all right. I see that
>the binding can be done and the machine cuts and delivers well. If it can
>be made to run ten rods, it can be made to run ten miles, and there is a
>man in Plano that can do it. Come down there with your machine, and I will
>guarantee that you will get one made that will stand up to its work,' This
>was a turning point in harvester history."
>
>In the winter of 1860-61 W. W. Marsh and Uncle John Hollister (the man)
>built at Plano a harvester that, beginning with the harvest of 1861, cut
>more grain than any other machine of its class ever did. Arrangements were
>made with Mr. Steward for manufacturing at Plano. Steward and Henning
>advanced the necessary money, and George Steward and C. W. Marsh were hired
>to run the shop.
>
>For many years Marsh Harvesters were manufactured and sold all over the
>world. The twine binder, the knotter and every important revolution in
>harvesting machinery took place in Plano. When in the early seventies the
>Harvester Company passed into the hands of E. H. Gammon and William
>Deering, it was the Marsh Harvester that was turned out by the thousands,
>the same machine that had its birth in this city. In 1880 William Deering
>moved to North Chicago and many of the Plano mechanics moved with him and
>entered the huge shops at Deering. However, the people of Plano revived the
>old plant and organized the Plano Steam Power Company. The company turned
>over the old Marsh Harvester buildings to the Plano Manufacturing Company.
>Mr. W. H. Jones took charge, and for eleven years, until 1902, the Plano
>Manufacturing Company led the world in harvesting machinery. How the Plano
>Manufacturing Company moved to West Pullman in 1902 is a matter of history.
>Even at this, the city of Plano did not flinch. They again took up the task
>of manufacturing and sold part of the factory buildings to the Plano
>Implement Company, manufactures of potato planters. This institution ran
>two years. The buildings, plant and machinery were then sold to A. H.
>Sears, and are now known as the Sears Manufacturing Works. Then the Earl
>Manufacturing Company was started. The organization of the great
>Independent Harvester Co. a year or two later virtually gave back to Plano
>all its ancient glories. It once more looms up as the greatest
>manufacturing city of its size in the United States.
>
>Another...
>
>http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33758
>
>Dave Merchant
>
>
>At 01:44 AM 9/24/2008, you wrote:
> >On 23/09/2008, craig morrison <benzengines at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
> > > Hi,
> > >          Is there anyone who has or knows of any information or dating
> > lists
> > > for independent harvester engines.
> > >
> > >     Thanks , Craig in Scotland
> >
> >Do you mean International Harvester ?
> >
> >http://www.stationary-engine.co.uk/EngineDating/IHC.htm
> >http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel/EngineDating/IHC.htm
> >
> >The whole dating menu page is at:
> >
> >http://www.stationary-engine.co.uk/EngineDating/Techdata.htm
> >http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel/EngineDating/Techdata.htm
> >
> >Peter
> >--
> >Peter A Forbes
> >Email: listerdiesel at gmail.com
> >http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel
> >http://stationary-engine.co.uk
> >http://www.oldengine.co.uk
> >_______________________________________________
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> >SEL at lists.stationary-engine.com
> >http://www.stationary-engine.com/mailman/listinfo/sel
>
>Dave Merchant
>kosh at nesys.com
>nesys_com at ameritech.net
>dmerchant at layerzero.com
>
>http://www.nesys.com
>http://www.nesys.org
>YouTube: SteamCrane
>
>
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Dave Merchant
kosh at nesys.com
nesys_com at ameritech.net
dmerchant at layerzero.com

http://www.nesys.com
http://www.nesys.org
YouTube: SteamCrane