Meeting Old Abe the Eagle

If you haven’t heard the story of Old Abe, you are certainly in for a treat. Old Abe wasn’t just a highly respected veteran that fought in 38 battles during the 1860’s, nor was he just a trademark of the J.I. Case Company. He was also a symbol of strength, freedom, and bravery. The most surprising aspect, however, is that Old Abe wasn’t a person at all, he was a hand-tamed bald eagle.

His story began when he was just a fledgling and was taken out of his nest by an Indigenous tribe known as the Chippewas. Original capture by the tribe as a pet, he was traded shortly after and found himself with a settler named Daniel McCann. Little did McCann know, young eagles can be quite a handful and he soon found himself unable to handle the young raptor. After searching for a buyer, the eagle ended up being sold to the captain of the Company C of the Eighth Wisconsin Regiment as a mascot.

Captain Perkins dubbed the bird of prey Old Abe after President Abraham Lincoln and soon, the young eagle became a sensation amongst the troops. Not only did he become one of the soldiers, he received his own specialized perch, which he stood upon in parades and on the front lines alongside the country’s flag. He was greatly loved by the outfit but seen as a threat by many others and there were many attempts made by enemies to capture and kill him, none of which were successful. 

Old Abe continued being a vital soldier until he was presented to Governor James Lewis in 1864, who readily accepted him. From then on, he could be found in parades and celebrations with his last known appearance taking place in 1880 at a reunion of veterans.

Tragedy struck in 1881 when a fire took place near Old Abe’s aviary in the Capitol. The great eagle suffered from smoke inhalation and heat exposure and a month later, he passed away at the age of 20-years old.

Old Abe and Case

Jerome Increase (J.I.) Case first came across Old Abe in 1861 during a parade in which the Company C was participating. After hearing the tale of Old Abe told by a young boy, J.I. Case decided to make Old Abe the symbol of the J.I. Case Company.

Designing a logo consisting of the likeness of the eagle sitting on a branch with the words, “J.I. Case Threshing Machine Co.,” and, “Racine, Wisconsin,” printed on the branch itself, the logo first appeared on the Case Eclipse Thresher in 1865. Not only was Old Abe famous amongst veterans, he became famous within the agricultural industry as a trademark of the J.I. Case Company.

After some time, his ‘branch’ on the logo turned into a globe, which appeared in advertisements, as hood ornaments, and on the tractors themselves. The trademark was so successful, cast iron statues were created and found at Case branches all over the world. This carried on for over 100 years until the Case Old Abe was retired and replaced by the new Casemark.

There are very few of the old Case statues remaining due to many being destroyed throughout the decades. Those that do remain, however, are considered precious antiques and worth seeing in person.  The next time you are at the Rocky Mountain Equipment corporate office in Calgary, you may even see one in person.

Original source: Wisconsin Veterans Museum

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