Massey-Harris
From Graces Guide
Massey-Harris was created by forming two companies, the Massey Manufacturing Co and A Harris and Son.
- In 1630 the Massey family emigrated to the United States from England. In the late 1700s Daniel Massey, his wife Rebecca and son Daniel moved to a place called Haldimand Township. Here Daniel purchased land and built a family home.
- The younger Daniel went to live with his grandparents in Watertown, New York, later returning to his parents to help run the family farm.
- Daniel purchased his own land, some two hundred acres near to his parents' farm and as he continued to purchase land and make trips to the United States he became interested in agricultural tools and machinery.
- He set up a small workshop on his farm where he would carry out repairs to tools and machinery for himself and local farmers. Eventually this business became so busy that he handed over the running of the farm to his son, Hart and moved to larger premises in a village called Newcastle so that he could expand his business.
- In 1849 the business was known as the Newcastle Foundry and Machine Manufactory and various agricultural machines such as ploughs, stump pullers and harrows were being produced.
- Two years later Hart Massey joined the company and the opportunities to expand opened up with the opening of the Grand Trunk Railroad.
- Daniel Massey died at the age of 58 in 1856.
- The company became known as the Newcastle Agricultural Works in 1862 and in the following years the company received many orders from Europe.
- In 1870 the company changed its name again to the Massey Manufacturing Co. Charles Massey took over the company in 1871 when his father, Hart, retired.