The Resume

(February 15, 1809-May 13, 1883)
Born in Rockbridge County, Virginia
Inventor of the mechanical reaper (1831)
Improved the power loom for weaving cotton cloth quickly
Founder of the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company
Named Officier de la Légion d'honneur (1851)
Died in Chicago, Illinois

Why he might be annoying:

He had little formal education.
His wife was 26 years younger than him.
The mechanical reaper he invented was actually based on earlier inventions.
Moreover, it produced a sound so loud that slaves had to calm the frightened horses manning it.
The reaper was initially unable to deal with many circumstances, so he had to improve it several times before he could get it to work efficiently.
He sued the New York Central Railroad for $20,000 over a quarrel concerning his wife’s baggage.
The factories owned by his company were the scene of strikes that resulted in the Haymarket Square Riot. (1886)

Why he might not be annoying:

He succeeded where earlier attempts, including that by his father, failed.
The Panic of 1837 pushed his family to the verge of bankruptcy.
His invention has allowed farmers to save a lot of time to plant more crops, drastically reducing world hunger in the process.
He had to deal with rival inventors and patent infringers to keep his invention patented.
His reaper even won the Grand Prize during the Great Exhibition in London despite being initially mocked by The Times. (1851)
His youngest daughter Alice died in infancy. (January 25, 1871)
Two of his children suffered from schizophrenia.
His net worth at the time of his death was $11 million.

Credit: Big Lenny

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Big Lenny's Profiles [Series 03]
• Breeders [Have 5 or More Kids] (Ranked: 7)
• I Named My Kid After Myself
• I Outlived My Child
• I’m Buried at Graceland Cemetery [Chicago]
• Inventors
• Look at Me, I'm Relaxing
• My Name, My Company
• My Spouse is at Least Ten Years Younger than Me
• Profiles 33501-33750 (Ranked: 33748)

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 133 Votes: 51.88% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 285 Votes: 58.25% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 22 Votes: 18.18% Annoying