McCormick Estates Records, 1841-1969

Container Title
Series: Series A: Cyrus H. McCormick, Sr., Papers, 1848-1926
Physical Description: 2 archives boxes, 2 flat boxes, and 23 volumes 
Subseries: Loose manuscripts and records
Box   1
Folder   1
Estate Bequest Fund, 1913-1914
Estate of
Box   1
Folder   2
Condensed stock statement, 1884-1889
Box   1
Folder   3
Records re division of McCormick's estate, 1889, 1902, [1908?]
Box   1
Folder   4
Summary of annual statements, 1884-1890; inventory, , 1890
Box   1
Folder   5
Letter, Dec. 7, 1884; documents re division of McCormick's estate, , March 1890
Box   1
Folder   6
Testimony against and arguments for McCormick as inventor of the reaper, [ 1910?]
Box   1
Ledger sheets, 1881-1901
Physical Description: Wrapped in a package 
Scope and Content Note: Working papers re the estate of Cyrus H. McCormick, Sr., including all related financial accounts.
Box   2
Folder   1
Recapitulation, 1902, of financial condition of McCormick's estate, , 1884-1889
Scope and Content Note: Including securities, bills receivable, loans, expense accounts, cash, inventory, income, and the C. H. and L. J. McCormick account.
Box   2
Folder   2
Review and revision, [ 1906?] of recapitulation made in 1902, of financial condition of McCormick's estate
Subseries: Volumes
Volume   1
Record book, 1848-1849
Scope and Content Note: Agency records, with remarks on notes taken and due for reapers. Indexed by name.
Volume   2
Notes - sales and orders, 1849-1852
Scope and Content Note: Notes given by salesmen and others for reaper purchases, listed by name.
Volume   3
Sales book, Nov. 9, 1849; July 1850-July 1853
Scope and Content Note: Reaper sales, prices, notes taken and due. Arranged by county and state.
Volume   4
Sales book, 1855-1863
Scope and Content Note: Reaper sales, prices, notes taken and due. Arranged by county and state.
Volume   5
Sales book, 1853
Scope and Content Note: Mower sales, to whom, notes taken and due. Bound index inside.
Box   1
Volume   6
Record book, 1850-1855
Scope and Content Note: Agency records, with remarks on notes taken and due, and prices. Reaper shipments by number and destination, 1850-1851 (pp. 76-79).
Volume   7
Daybook, Aug. 28, 1873-May 1884
Scope and Content Note: Personal(?) daily records by McCormick re reaper notes due, income, expenses, profit and loss.
Volume   8
Cashbook, Aug. 1882-May 1884
Scope and Content Note: Daily disbursements of the Company (?).
Volume   9
Journal, Aug. 2, 1869-July 1882
Scope and Content Note: Daily transactions by McCormick, including income, disbursements, and personal accounts.
Volume   10
Journal, July 1878-July 1882
Scope and Content Note: Cash payments with running balance.
Volume   11
Real Estate Ledger, Nov. 11, 1848 (p. 20) - , Dec. 1889
Note: See also volume 30.

Scope and Content Note: Property locations, original costs, expenses, taxes, rentals, and sales. Bound index inside.
Volume   12
Ledger - consolidated accounts, 1869-1882
Note: See also volumes 28 and 29. See Vol. 21 for kinds of accounts.

Scope and Content Note: Summary of financial transactions re operation of McCormick companies and McCormick's personal affairs. Bound index inside.
Volume   13
Ledger - consolidated accounts, Aug. 1882-May 1884
Note: See Vol. 21 for kinds of accounts.

Scope and Content Note: Summary of financial transactions re the McCormick Harvesting Machine Co., individuals, and McCormick's personal affairs. Bound index inside.
Box   4
Volume   14
Diary, Apr. 13-Aug. 30, 1878
Scope and Content Note: Diary by the U.S. Director of Agriculture at the Paris Exposition, 1878. (Name not shown.) Frequent references to McCormick, who donated money for the U.S. buildings, salaries, and expenses.
Box   4
Volume   15
“Mechanics Magazine”, London, England
Scope and Content Note: Typewritten excerpts from random issues, 1823-1864; illustration of McCormick's reaper in July-Dec. 1851 issue; with reference to McCormick in other excerpts.
Volumes re McCormick's Estate
Volume   16
Cashbook, June 1884-Feb. 1888
Scope and Content Note: Daily expenditures for the estate, with monthly balances.
Volume   17
Cashbook, Feb. 20, 1888-Dec. 1889
Scope and Content Note: Receipts and disbursements for the estate, with daily balances.
Volume   18
Daybook, June 1884-Dec. 1889
Scope and Content Note: Receipts and disbursements for the estate.
Volume   19
Ledger, May 19, 1884-Dec. 1889
Scope and Content Note: Transactions grouped by receipts and disbursements, bank balances, real estate, loans, interest, bills receivable, rental records, and accounts re McCormick Harvesting Machine Co., C. H. and L. J. McCormick accounts, and personal loans and gifts. Bound index inside.
Box   3
Volume   20
Ledger, Jan. 1890-Jan. 1907
Scope and Content Note: Income and disbursements for the estate from capital accounts, properties, and securities.
Volume   21
Ledger - Consolidated accounts, 1854-1919
Scope and Content Note: Record of transactions begun by McCormick and continued thru the liquidation of his estate. Examples of headings: Reaper sales and notes, 1854-1858; individual accounts, 1872-1891; collecting commissions, 1898-1905; properties including Illinois and other states; 1902-1919; McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. expenditures, 1879-1919; C. H. McCormick, 1872-1873; C. H. and L. J. McCormick, 1879-1886; accounts re many of the McCormicks and some Co. officers; and IHC entries after 1902. Indexed. (Vol. 21 is marked “C.H. McCormick and Bro.”, the Co. name only between 1859-1866.).
Volume   22
Donation Journal, May 20, 1884-Jan. 1899
Scope and Content Note: Daily record of donations from estate funds, amount, and recipient.
Volume   23
Donations Ledger, June 1884-Jan. 1899
Scope and Content Note: Donations grouped by recipients. Bound index inside.
Box   4
Volume   24
Bequest Fund, Oct. 1902-June 24, 1914
Scope and Content Note: Accounts recorded as cashbook entries, journal, and bills receivable and payable.
Volume   25
Bequest Fund, June 24, 1914-May 1, 1926
Note: Bequest Fund name changed to “McCormick Estate Special Account” Feb. 23, 1917.

Scope and Content Note: Daily cashbook receipts and disbursements, and journal.
Box   4
Volume   26
Bequest Fund - Bills receivable, July 1914-Apr. 1919
Note: Fund financed purchase of IHC stock certificates for employees of the McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. and IHC.

Scope and Content Note: Bills receivable from sales of shares to IHC employees.
Box   4
Volume   27
Bequest Fund - Ledger, Oct. 1902-Apr. 30, 1926
Scope and Content Note: Loan and expense accounts, bills receivable, interest, profit and loss.
Volume   28
Ledger, May 1863-Nov. 1869
Note: Volumes 28, 29, and 30 were presented by Mr. and Mrs. Mel Dee Bartelmey in 1976, and added to the McCormick Estates Records.

Scope and Content Note: C. H. McCormick's record of transactions grouped by individuals; receipts and disbursements, stock, cash and bank accounts; reaper notes, 1849-1859; C.H. McCormick and Bro., 1863; real estate and rentals, Importers and Traders Bank accounts; interest; and bills receivable and payable. Bound index inside.
Volume   29
Journal, May 1863-July 1869
Scope and Content Note: Daily transactions by McCormick including income, disbursements, and personal accounts.
Volume   30
Real Estate Ledger, Apr. 1865-1889
Scope and Content Note: Properties: daily record of rental accounts.