. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "vertical"@en . . "The McCormick family of Chicago and Virginia is an American family of Scottish and Scotch-Irish descent that attained prominence and fortune starting with the invention of the McCormick Reaper, a machine that revolutionized agriculture, helped break the bonds of slavery, and established the modern grain trade by beginning the mechanization of the harvesting of grain. Through the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and later, the International Harvester Company and other investments, the McCormicks became one of the wealthiest families in America. The name became ubiquitous in agriculture starting in the 19th century and the press dubbed the McCormicks the \"Reaper Kings\". Later generations expanded into media and publishing (Tribune Company), finance (William Blair & Company), and real est"@en . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "29842"^^ . . . . . . . . "Leander J. McCormick.jpg"@en . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "1115769176"^^ . . . . . . . "20354400"^^ . . . . "Cyrus McCormick engraving.png"@en . . . . . "William Sanderson McCormick.jpg"@en . . . . . . . . "right"@en . . . . "McCormick family"@en . "220"^^ . . . "Robert R. McCormick cph.3b30054.jpg"@en . . . . . . . . . . "Joseph Medill McCormick 1912.jpg"@en . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "The McCormick family of Chicago and Virginia is an American family of Scottish and Scotch-Irish descent that attained prominence and fortune starting with the invention of the McCormick Reaper, a machine that revolutionized agriculture, helped break the bonds of slavery, and established the modern grain trade by beginning the mechanization of the harvesting of grain. Through the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and later, the International Harvester Company and other investments, the McCormicks became one of the wealthiest families in America. The name became ubiquitous in agriculture starting in the 19th century and the press dubbed the McCormicks the \"Reaper Kings\". Later generations expanded into media and publishing (Tribune Company), finance (William Blair & Company), and real estate (McCormick Estate). Various family members were well known as civic leaders. They are descended from an influential leader of modern agriculture, inventor Robert McCormick Jr. (1780\u20131846), and Mary Ann \"Polly\" Hall of Steeles Tavern, Virginia. The family is Presbyterian."@en . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .