Move to Chicago In 1847, after their father's death, Cyrus and his brother Leander J. McCormick (1919–1900) moved to Chicago, where they established a factory to build their machines. At the time, other cities in the midwestern United States, such as Cleveland, Ohio; St. Louis, Missouri; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin were more established. Chicago had the best water transportation from the east over the Great Lakes for his raw materials, as well as railroad connections to the west where most of his customers would be.
Move to Chicago In 1847, after their father's death, Cyrus and his brother Leander J. McCormick (1919–1900) moved to Chicago, where they established a factory to build their machines. At the time, other cities in the midwestern United States such as Cleveland, .Ohio; St. Louis, Missouri; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin were more established Chicago had the best water transportation from the east ov,er the Great Lakes for his raw materials, as well as railroad connections to the west where most of his customers would be.