HARRY GEORGE FERGUSON
Henry George (Harry) Ferguson (November 4, 1884 - October 25, 1960) had an
important role in the development of the modern agricultural tractor, and his
name lives on in the name of the Massey Ferguson company. As a young man he
became the first Irishman to build and fly his own aeroplane, with the 1909
flight of the Ferguson monoplane, and his company later developed the first four
wheel drive Formula One car, the Ferguson P99.
He was born at Growell, near Dromore, County Down, Ireland, and was the son of a
farmer.
In 1902 Ferguson went to work with his brother Joe in his bicycle and car repair
business. Whilst working there as a mechanic he developed an interest in
aviation, to the extent of visiting airshows abroad. In 1904 he began to race
motorcycles.
In 1909 Ferguson became the first person to fly in Ireland, when he took off on
December 31 in a monoplane he had designed and built himself. After falling out
with his brother over the safety and future of aviation Ferguson decided to go
it alone, and in 1911 founded a company selling Maxwell automobile, Star and
Vauxhall cars and Overtime Tractors - eventually to be named Harry Ferguson
Limited.
Ferguson saw at first hand the weakness of having tractor and plough as separate
articulated units, and in 1917 he devised a plough which could be rigidly
attached to a Model T Ford car - the Eros, which became a limited success,
competing with the Model F Fordson.
Ferguson eventually founded the Ferguson-Sherman Inc., along with Eber and
George Sherman. The new enterprise developed a ploughing system that
incorporated a Duplex hitch system which fitted the Fordson line tractors.
Ferguson's new hydraulic system was first seen on the Ferguson-Brown Model A
tractors. Ferguson eventually made a handshake agreement with Henry Ford so that
Ford could use Ferguson's three-point hitch system on his new line of tractors (9N,
2N, and 8N). Henry Ford II, Ford's grandson, abruptly ended the handshake deal
on June 30, 1947. Ferguson's reaction was a law suit demanding $251,000,000 in
all. The disagreement was settled by Ferguson in April of 1952. A year later
Ferguson merged with Massey Harris to become Massey-Harris-Ferguson Co. This
merger eventually turned into Massey Ferguson.
Ferguson's research division went on to develop various cars and tractors,
including the first Formula One 4 wheel drive car. See Ferguson Research Ltd.
Henry George (Harry) Ferguson (November 4, 1884 - October 25, 1960) had an
important role in the development of the modern agricultural tractor, and his
name lives on in the name of the Massey Ferguson company. As a young man he
became the first Irishman to build and fly his own aeroplane, with the 1909
flight of the Ferguson monoplane, and his company later developed the first four
wheel drive Formula One car, the Ferguson P99.
He was born at Growell, near Dromore, County Down, Ireland, and was the son of a
farmer.
In 1902 Ferguson went to work with his brother Joe in his bicycle and car repair
business. Whilst working there as a mechanic he developed an interest in
aviation, to the extent of visiting airshows abroad. In 1904 he began to race
motorcycles.
In 1909 Ferguson became the first person to fly in Ireland, when he took off on
December 31 in a monoplane he had designed and built himself. After falling out
with his brother over the safety and future of aviation Ferguson decided to go
it alone, and in 1911 founded a company selling Maxwell automobile, Star and
Vauxhall cars and Overtime Tractors - eventually to be named Harry Ferguson
Limited.
Ferguson saw at first hand the weakness of having tractor and plough as separate
articulated units, and in 1917 he devised a plough which could be rigidly
attached to a Model T Ford car - the Eros, which became a limited success,
competing with the Model F Fordson.
Ferguson eventually founded the Ferguson-Sherman Inc., along with Eber and
George Sherman. The new enterprise developed a ploughing system that
incorporated a Duplex hitch system which fitted the Fordson line tractors.
Ferguson's new hydraulic system was first seen on the Ferguson-Brown Model A
tractors. Ferguson eventually made a handshake agreement with Henry Ford so that
Ford could use Ferguson's three-point hitch system on his new line of tractors (9N,
2N, and 8N). Henry Ford II, Ford's grandson, abruptly ended the handshake deal
on June 30, 1947. Ferguson's reaction was a law suit demanding $251,000,000 in
all. The disagreement was settled by Ferguson in April of 1952. A year later
Ferguson merged with Massey Harris to become Massey-Harris-Ferguson Co. This
merger eventually turned into Massey Ferguson.
Ferguson's research division went on to develop various cars and tractors,
including the first Formula One 4 wheel drive car. See Ferguson Research Ltd.