William Sanderson McCormick

William Sanderson McCormick (November 2, 1815 – September 27, 1865) was an American businessman who developed the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company the company that became the major producer of agricultural equipment in the 19th century. The business became the International Harvester corporation in 1902a. Although he died relatively young with most of the fame going to his brothers, his extended McCormick family continued to be influential in the politics and business of Chicago.

Life William Sanderson McCormick was born November 2, 1815, on the family estate known as Walnut Grove, in Virginia. His father was Robert McCormick (1780–1846) and mother Mary Ann (Hall) McCormick.

He was educated in public schools and took an interest in business. When the family farm had financial problems in the panic of 1837, he took over its management and made it profitable again. When his father died in 1846, his older brother Cyrus McCormick and younger brother Leander J. McCormick left to start a factory to produce the mechanical reapers that had been developed on the farm, while he was left to take care of the estate.

Career In 1850, William, his wife, and infant son moved to Chicago to join his brothers in the family business, first on a salary basis. The California Gold Rush had created a labor shortage, which was good for demand, but also caused turnover in the factory employees. William managed the day-to-day operations of the business while Cyrus was often traveling or pursuing patent infringement lawsuits. William tried to mediate between Cyrus (who claimed all the credit as "inventor") and his brother Leander, who was now in charge of technical aspects of product development. Together, William and Mary were the parents of five children: Emma Louise McCormick (1854–1893), who married Wisconsin and Chicago judge, politician and railroad executive Perry H. Smith on June 18, 1878. Anna Reubenia "Ruby" McCormick (1860–1917), who married Edward Tyler Blair (1857–1939) on May 29, 1882. Lucy Virginia McCormick (1865–1928), who married lawyer Samuel Rountree Jewett (1862–1922), on October 9, 1888.

Outwardly, McCormick was described as "of a cheerful disposition, quick spoken... a most interesting and agreeable man". He was buried in Graceland Cemetery, and replaced as general manager by Charles A. Spring Jr.

Descendants Through his son Robert, he was the paternal grandfather of Joseph Medill McCormick (1877–1925), a U.S. Senator from Illinois, and Robert R. McCormick (1880–1955), the publisher of the Tribune, which had been a major attacker of the family during the war. and patrilineal great-grandfather of Brooks McCormick (1917–2006), who was the last McCormick to lead the family firm.

Through his daughter Ruby, he was the maternal grandfather of financier William McCormick Blair (1884–1982) and a great-grandfather of William McCormick Blair Jr. (1916–2015), who served as U.S. Ambassador to Denmark from 1961 to 1964 and as the Philippines from 1964 until 1967.

Family tree