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Best

Daniel Best

Early years


Daniel Best
(Click to enlarge)

In 1839, Daniel Best�s father, John, moved the family to Missouri. There he built a saw mill and proceeded to cut lumber for the local pioneers to use in building their homes. The first nine years of Daniel's life were spent here and is probably where he received his interest in logging and machines.

In 1847, the family moved again to Lee County, Iowa, here they took up farming and raised stock. In 1859 Daniel, desiring adventure, and wanting to follow his brother, joined a wagon train heading west to Fort Walla Walla, Washington, employed as an ox tender and a sharpshooter.

Life in the West

As was the case for many other Americans of his day, the West changed Daniel Best�s life � but not how he expected. Along the way, he went from fighting Indians to befriending Indians. Once the wagon train reached its destination, Daniel went his own way to try his hand at gold mining followed by working in sawmills and eventually building his own sawmill.

While working in his sawmill, an accident occurred that changed the course of his life; he lost the first three fingers of his left hand. It was at this time in his life, as he would say later, that he began to "use his head". He then moved to Sutter County, California to work with his brother, Henry Best, on his ranch, where he discovered his calling as an inventor.

Inventions

Best_files Equipment Company
(A preserved 1905 Best steam tractor)

Over a period of forty-three years, Daniel Best received 41 patents, ranging from an improved washing machine to combine harvesters. His first invention, patented April 25, 1871, was a portable grain cleaner and separator, prior to this, farmers had to haul their grain to town to have it cleaned and separated; now the cleaner and separator could be brought to the grain. This invention won first prize at the California State Fair in 1871.

While continuing to produce grain cleaners Daniel began experimenting with the idea of combining grain harvesting, threshing and cleaning in one machine. He was successful in 1885 when he sold his first horse-powered combined harvester. This new addition to his product line gave him the capital and the means to move onto the next major invention. It was actually an improvement on an existing design, but is still one of his better known inventions.

Traction engine

Daniel Best, as with most industrialists, was always looking to improve, simplify, or create pieces of equipment that would ease operations. It began when he saw the need for an improved traction engine, what some now call a steam tractor, to pull his combine harvesters. He first purchased the rights to build a successful steam traction engine from Remington of Woodburn, Oregon in 1888. He immediately began to make improvements until his engines were known as the strongest, most dependable, and longest-lasting engines in North America.

Around 1891, Daniel began to experiment with gas engines to replace the steam engines on his tractors. He developed his first gas-powered tractor in 1896. To prove its superiority, he staged a tug of war between his steam tractor and his new gas-powered engine. Not only did the gas-powered engine win, but it pulled the steam tractor around the block. As word spread of his dependable traction engines, he received more and more orders from clients all around the world. At this time, Daniel was selling $400,000 worth of machinery per year.

Retirement

In 1908, at the age of 70, Daniel retired. His son, Clarence Leo Best ("Leo"), continued in his father�s footsteps, and with his father still giving advice, continued to experiment and improve on their tractors. One improvement made was the track laying design. This type of tractor moved on rolling tracks instead of wheels. He made several different models, but two really stood out as notable. The two models � the 30 hp field tractor, and the 60 hp field tractor � were well received and highly praised by the farming community. These tractors would eventually launch a new line of tractors that are still used today.

Caterpillar Tractor Company

In 1925, the C. L. Best Tractor Company and the Holt Manufacturing Company, who also manufactured tractors and had trademarked the Caterpillar brand, merged to form the Caterpillar Tractor Company. Leo became the chairman of the board of this new company, a position he held until 1951, overseeing its growth into the largest manufacturer of heavy machinery and farm equipment worldwide.[citation needed]

Family and personal life

On 29 August 1872, Daniel Best married Meta Johanna Steinkamp in Marysville, Yuba County, California. They had nine children

Best

Daniel Best was a famous 19th century US pioneer and inventor, who manufactured steam traction engines and harvesting equipment in a factory at San Leandro, California. In the early 1900s there was keen competition between Best and his rival Benjamin Holt, which resulted in a number of lawsuits and the eventual purchase of the Best company by Holt. Daniel's son, C.L. Best, worked for Holt for several years before leaving in 1910 to found his own company in Elmhurst, California. This was named the Best Gas Traction Engine Co. and began to produce both wheeled and crawler tractors. Further conflict with Holt ensued, especially regarding patents, but Best went on to build a range of high-quality crawler tractors from 16 to 90hp. In 1925 Best and Holt merged to form the Caterpillar Tractor Co.

(Click on images below to enlarge)


Best 70 round-wheeled tractor at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 75 (serial no. 351 C) at the Heidrick Ag History Center, Woodland, California, USA in 2005.


Best 75 (serial no. 617 C) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 75 (serial no. 880 C) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 75 (serial no. 963 C) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 75 at Bright's Pioneer Exhibit, Le Grand, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 "Humpback" Orchard tractor at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 40 (serial no. 538 D) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 40 (serial no. 578 D) at the Heidrick Ag History Center, Woodland, California, USA in 2005.


Best 40 at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 25 at the Heidrick Ag History Center, Woodland, California, USA in 2005.


Best 25 at Bright's Pioneer Exhibit, Le Grand, California, USA in 2008.


Best 25 at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 25 at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 (serial no. 101 A, built 1918), the first Best 60 built, at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 (serial no. 102 A, built 1919) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 (serial no. 150 A, built 1919) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 (serial no. 372 A, built 1920) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 (serial no. 858 A, built 1920) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 (serial no. 1078 A, built 1922) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 (serial no. 1159 A, built 1922) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 (serial no. 1587 A, built 1923) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 (serial no. 1592 A, built 1923) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008. This tractor was built as a "Logging Cruiser", which was introduced in 1920 for the forestry industry and had a number of additional features such as three-speed transmission, hand brake, two-person seat, collapsible canopy and larger fuel tank. The tractor in the photo is currently being restored to this specification.


Best 60 (serial no. 1990 A, built 1923) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 (serial no. 2363 A, built 1925) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 (serial no. 2371 A, built 1925) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 (serial no. 2489 A, built 1925), fitted with late Caterpillar 60 engine, at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 at the Heidrick Ag History Center, Woodland, California, USA in 2005.


Best 60 with 1933 Caterpillar Fifty diesel conversion at the Heidrick Ag History Center, Woodland, California, USA in 2005.


Best 60 at the Little Casterton Working Weekend, Lincolnshire, England in 2007.


Best 60 at Bright's Pioneer Exhibit, Le Grand, California, USA in 2008.


Best 60 at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 (serial no. S 1016, built 1921) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 (serial no. S 1514, built 1922) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 (serial no. S 1581, built 1922) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 (serial no. S 1868, built 1923) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 (serial no. S 2040, built 1923) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 (serial no. S 2103, built 1923) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 (serial no. S 2332, built 1924) at the Little Casterton Working Weekend, Lincolnshire, England in 2011.


Best 30 (serial no. S 2886, built 1924) at the Heidrick Ag History Center, Woodland, California, USA in 2005.


Best 30 (serial no. S 3138, built 1925) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 (serial no. S 3140, built 1925) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 (serial no. S 3432, built 1925) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 (serial no. S 3507, built 1925) at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 at the Antique Farm Equipment Museum, Tulare, California, USA in 2005.


Best 30 at the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, Vista, California (USA) in 2008. This tractor looks to have been fitted with a later Caterpillar Thirty radiator at some stage.


Best 30 at Bright's Pioneer Exhibit, Le Grand, California, USA in 2008. This tractor also appears to be fitted with a later Caterpillar Thirty radiator.


Best 30 at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.


Best 30 at the Best Show on Tracks, Woodland, California, USA in 2008.