The McCormick Historical Association Papers, 1892-1963, consist primarily of the
correspondence, reports, and papers having to do with the general business of the
Association; such as answering historical or genealogical inquiries, doing
historical research and background for various projects, or searching out
historically pertinent materials for the collections.
The papers are arranged
chronologically by year and divided into eight broad subject classifications:
Correspondence and Reports, 1916-1950: This consists of incoming and outgoing
correspondence having to do with the general business of the Association. It also
includes reports made by Mr. Kellar on the various projects and activities of the
Association.
Cyrus Bentley, “Invention of the Reaper,” 1910-1925: Mr. Bentley
served as liaison secretary between the members of the family and Mr. Kellar for
some years. In the late 1920s he was commissioned to write a book refuting once and
for all the claims of the Leander J. McCormick side of the family for the invention
of the reaper by Robert McCormick, a claim which had been hotly contested since
Cyrus's death in 1884. These papers consist of the correspondence, manuscripts and
research materials in connection with the writing of Mr. Bentley's book.
Genealogy, 1917-1963: This consists primarily of incoming and outgoing
correspondence concerning genealogical claims and inquiries. It also includes a few
miscellaneous McCormick and collateral families' genealogical charts.
Information Requests, 1920-1949: This consists of incoming and outgoing
correspondence related to various non-genealogical inquiries made by and of the
Historical Association.
Library Administration, 1922-1953: This consists of
the incoming and outgoing correspondence having to do with the administrative
business of the Historical Association.
McCormick Historical
Association-Madison, 1951-1963: This consists of all correspondence of the
Historical Association after it moved its headquarters to Madison and the State
Historical Society of Wisconsin.
Walnut Grove Restoration, 1933-1941: This
consists of the various correspondence, plans, blue prints, and notes concerned with
the restoration of Walnut Grove, the McCormick family homestead in Rockbridge
County, Virginia.
Miscellaneous: This is miscellaneous correspondence relating
to the attempts at installing Cyrus H. McCormick Sr. in the New York Hall of Fame,
1920-1935; miscellaneous correspondence and notes relating to various machine
models, 1892-1959; and miscellaneous notes and research material, mostly consisting
of research done by Mr. Kellar for Mr. Bentley's book.
