Abijah McCall
Encyclopedia
Abijah McCall was a co-inventor of the Fresno Scraper
, a horse-drawn (and later, tractor-drawn) earth-moving machine upon which modern road- and canal-building equipment is based. Along with his partner Frank Dusy
, McCall devised an improvement on the Buck Scraper, invented by James Porteous
. On June 15, 1885, McCall and Dusy received U.S. Patent
320,055 for their version of the scraper. Porteous purchased the patents held by Dusy and McCall and also a patent held by William Deidrick
as he perfected the scraper, which Porteous also manufactured at his factory in Fresno, California
. The scraper was widely used in the Western United States and also put into use by U.S. engineers building the Panama Canal
. Deidrick, Dusy, and McCall were all early residents of Selma, California
, where McCall Avenue is named for McCall. McCall reputedly used a Fresno Scraper in building the road which runs between Selma and Fresno.
Fresno Scraper
The Fresno Scraper is a machine used for constructing canals and ditches in sandy soil.It was invented in 1883 by the Scottish immigrant and entrepreneur James Porteous who, having worked with farmers in Fresno, California, had recognised the dependence of the Central San Joaquin Valley on...
, a horse-drawn (and later, tractor-drawn) earth-moving machine upon which modern road- and canal-building equipment is based. Along with his partner Frank Dusy
Frank Dusy
Frank Dusy was an early business leader of Selma, California and a co-inventor of the Fresno Scraper, the basis of most modern earth-moving machinery. On June, 16, 1885, Dusy and his partner Abijah McCall were issued U.S. Patent 320,055, for their improvement on the Buck Scraper, invented by James...
, McCall devised an improvement on the Buck Scraper, invented by James Porteous
James Porteous
James Porteous was the Scottish-American inventor of the Fresno Scraper.James Porteous was born in Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland. His father, William Porteous, had been a wheelwright and blacksmith who built and repaired carriages, wagons and farm equipment...
. On June 15, 1885, McCall and Dusy received U.S. Patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
320,055 for their version of the scraper. Porteous purchased the patents held by Dusy and McCall and also a patent held by William Deidrick
William Deidrick
William Deidrick, of Selma, California was a co-inventor of the Fresno Scraper, the machine that became the basis of most modern earth-moving equipment. On April 17, 1883, Deidrick received U.S. Patent 275,893 for his horse-drawn scraper, which was a variation on the Buck Scraper, invented by James...
as he perfected the scraper, which Porteous also manufactured at his factory in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
. The scraper was widely used in the Western United States and also put into use by U.S. engineers building the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
. Deidrick, Dusy, and McCall were all early residents of Selma, California
Selma, California
Selma is a city in Fresno County, California. The population was 23,219 at the 2010 census, up from 19,240 at the 2000 census. Selma is located southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 308 feet .-Geography:...
, where McCall Avenue is named for McCall. McCall reputedly used a Fresno Scraper in building the road which runs between Selma and Fresno.