Who was Jacob Price? In the May-June 1981 IMA we showed a
picture of an engine which had been made for him by the J I Case
Threshing Machine Co., and we asked for information on him.
He was really a pioneer in farm machinery production, and we now
know more about him because of a letter from Paul Reno, of Oakland,
Calif., plus study of the Encyclopedia of American Steam Traction
Reno wrote us:
‘I have always wondered and wanted to know more about Jacob
Price, as I have been around machinery all my life and heard of
Daniel Best, Ben Holt and Jake Price.
‘Probably what Jacob Price was best noted for was his
invention, The Petaluma Hay Press. There is still one here in the
Oakland City Museum and a much larger one at the Mendicino County
Fair Grounds in Boonville, Calif. They are all wood and blacksmith
forged iron . . .
‘I live about 5 miles of where his shop was, which is still
today doing business as the Caterpillar Tractor Co., San
Leandro.
‘I am a retired truck and tractor mechanic by trade. Now my
main hobby is working at the Oakland City Museum. I have helped
with the restoration of their Daniel Best #185 steam
tractor.’
Reno sent some literature which shows that Price came to San
Leandro by 1870. He had been born in 1838, in Michigan. He was a
member of the town board of trustees in 1874. He was at one time an
owner or part owner of the San Leandro Plow Works, which Best
bought.
Price patented his ‘field Locomotive’ on Jan. 14, 1890,
Norbeck says in his Encyclopedia. By this time, he had moved to
Racine, Wis., and was having Case make the engines he called
‘locomotives.’ So that brings us around the circle to
Price’s connection with Case. Any further information will be
welcomed.
