Haggert Bros. Manufacturing Co.
Brampton Ontario

John Haggert was born in Paisly Scotland. He served his engineer’s apprenticeship in the United States and the later moved to Canada. He was without doubt an inventor and designer. In 1849 he opened a business in Brampton Ontario. Downtown Brampton was situated on the banks of the Etobicoke Creek and was a source of fresh water however it was prone to damaging flooding on a regular basis as history would prove. A problem that would continue for many years and not rectified until a diversion was built after Hurricane Hazel hit in the 1950’s.

John Haggert was soon joined by his two brothers who operated the foundry and began to manufacture agricultural equipment. It was located at the corners of what are now Hurontario Street and Nelson Street on the south west corner. The three story building would become one of the largest industries in Brampton giving employment to a 100 men. It was the first true industry in Brampton and for 40 years remained the largest employer.
Manufacturing included farm machinery such as steam engines, seeders & reapers. Their threshing machine won medals in Canada and United States and in 1852 a Haggert Threshing machine won second place at the Provincial Exhibition. The company helped drive Brampton’s growth in the late 1800’s and is accredited by some for putting the village on the map. John Haggert was also the first Mayor of Brampton from 1874 to 1877.

In 1870 Roderick Cochrane (a Brother-in law) joined the firm and a branch plant was set up in St Thomas Ontario, known as “Haggert Cochrane Agricultural Works”. In 1871 the company shipped their first thresher to Manitoba. Their advertisements boasted flowery words of the time to describe the machines they made. The Patented “Dustless grain saving Separator” was described as the “Acme of Perfection”. The Standard of excellence, the fastest thresher extant and the most perfect grain cleaner!

The steam engine designs were secured by letters Patent to Haggert Bros. from the inventor Prof. JE Sweet of Cornell University in Ithica NY. Their steam engines were all of the locomotive type boiler. The governor was placed on the pipe leading from the top of the boiler to the engine. Again Haggert boasted their “Cornell Portable steam engine to be the “Best, Strongest, Lightest, Simplest and most easily managed in the world”.

Haggert continued to manufacture equipment until 1891 when operations were ceased. The company was later acquired by Mr. J.M. Ross and his two sons F.J. Ross and A.H. Ross and operated as JM Ross & Co. The two sons held positions of Secretary and Treasure. The firm continued to manufacture the traction engines still well known as the Cornell in both portable and traction designs in 14, 16, 18, 20 & 22 HP. For whatever reason, sometime in the early 1900’s the company was moved to St Catherines Ontario. Brampton being apparently unable to match certain concessions offered by St Catherines. Business & manufacturing of machinery continued there. In order to offer a full product line to the customers of JM Ross & co. they entered into an agreement with Garr-Scott and Company of Richmond Indiana to build a three crank, large cylinder grain separator in Canada. Regretfully manufacturing eventually ceased after some years and they faded away into the annals of forgotten agricultural companies as did many similar companies of the time.

There is a historic Plaque in Brampton recognizing the Haggert Brothers Manufacturing Company” of Brampton. In Brampton’s 150th sesquicentennial celebrations in 2003 an 1876 Haggert Bros portable steam engine owned by the City of Brampton was restored and put on display throughout the celebrations and will eventually be put on permanent display as an artifact representing part of Brampton’s history and one of its citizens John Haggert and the Haggert Bros Manufacturing Company.

By Dave Stirk