Agricultural Industries.

Gail Borden, Jr. patented the process for condensing milk in a vacuum in 1856. The success of his invention allowed him to found schools for freed blacks, support poorly paid teachers, and help establish what is now Baylor University.

Gustavus Franklin Swift began his meat packing and shipping business by purchasing a heifer for $19, butchering and selling it, and then using his $10 profit to repeat the process.

John Deere demonstrated the world's first steel plow in 1837, and was producing 1,000 of them annually within 10 years. He was also responsible for the first plow steel ever manufactured in the United States.

Cyrus Hall McCormick patented his mechanical reaper in 1834. Although his was not the first, it became the most successful because of his innovative marketing method, which included a payment plan and an unprecedented written guarantee.