Inventor, Industrialist. A native of Ohio, Best came to California in 1869 to work on his brother's ranch after having failed at gold mining in Oregon. Discovering the amount of work it took to take grain into town for cleaning and separating, he invented and patented a transportable grain cleaner in 1871. In 1885 he developed his first combine harvester. In 1886, he founded the Daniel Best Agricultural Works in San Leandro, later named the Best Manufacturing Company. In 1888, he purchased the rights to build the Remington steam tractor engine, which he added to a combine harvester a year later. In 1896, he developed a gasoline-powered traction engine and to prove that it was more powerful than a steam engine. He held a tug-of-war competition between the two types, which the gasoline engine easily won. In 1908, he sold his company to his chief rival, Benjamin Holt and the Holt Manufacturing Company. His son, C.L. Best, later founded and operated his own company until 1925, when he merged with Holt to found the Caterpillar Tractor Company.
Inventor, Industrialist. A native of Ohio, Best came to California in 1869 to work on his brother's ranch after having failed at gold mining in Oregon. Discovering the amount of work it took to take grain into town for cleaning and separating, he invented and patented a transportable grain cleaner in 1871. In 1885 he developed his first combine harvester. In 1886, he founded the Daniel Best Agricultural Works in San Leandro, later named the Best Manufacturing Company. In 1888, he purchased the rights to build the Remington steam tractor engine, which he added to a combine harvester a year later. In 1896, he developed a gasoline-powered traction engine and to prove that it was more powerful than a steam engine. He held a tug-of-war competition between the two types, which the gasoline engine easily won. In 1908, he sold his company to his chief rival, Benjamin Holt and the Holt Manufacturing Company. His son, C.L. Best, later founded and operated his own company until 1925, when he merged with Holt to found the Caterpillar Tractor Company.
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