Daniel Best

Daniel Best (March 20, 1838 in Tuscarawas County, Ohio – August 22, 1923 in Oakland, CA) was an American adventurer, inventor, and entrepreneur known for pioneering agriculture machinery and heavy machinery.

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.

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.

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.

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