CASE
Jerome Increase Case (1819-91) sold and contracted with early threshing machines. He settled in Racine, Wisconsin to make his own improved versions in 1844 and from 1865 incorporated the ‘Old Abe’ bald eagle regimental mascot made famous in the Civil War and named in honour of President Abraham Lincoln.
From 1869 Case made steam portables (No. 1 is preserved at the Smithsonian) followed by traction engines from 1876 (having built a buggy to the design of Dr Carhart - which see - in 1872). Also in 1876 Case added ploughs to his range and these became a separate business called the Case Plow Works which was finally acquired by Massey-Harris (see Sawyer-Massey) in 1928. The resale of the Case name at the time to the original Case Threshing Machine Co incidentally recouped most of Massey’s costs and allowed the formation of just one J I Case Company.
Meanwhile, five hundred Case steamers were in use by 1876 with output
