John deere first tractor

John Deere (inventor)

American blacksmith and manufacturer (–)

John Deere

Born()February 7,

Rutland, Vermont, United States

DiedMay 17, () (aged&#;82)

Moline, Illinois, United States

EducationMiddlebury College
Occupation(s)Blacksmith, businessman, inventor, politician
Known&#;forDeere & Company, steel plow
SpouseDemarius Lamb (–)
Children9[1]

John Deere (February 7, [2]&#;– May 17, ) was an American blacksmith, businessman, inventor and politician.

He founded Deere & Company, one of the largest and leading agricultural and construction-equipment manufacturers in the world. Born in Rutland, Vermont, Deere moved to Illinois and invented the first commercially successful steel plow in [3]

Early life

John Deere was born on February 7, , in Rutland, Vermont,[4] the third son of William Rinold Deere,[5] a merchant tailor, and Sarah Yeats.[6] After a brief educational period at Middlebury College, at age 17 in , he began an apprenticeship with Captain Benjamin Lawrence, a successful Middlebury blacksmith, and entered the trade for himself in [7][8] He married Demarius Lamb in and fathered nine children.[8][9]

Their daughter Alice Maria married Merton Yale Cady, grandson of Linus Yale Sr.

of the Yale Lock Company, and was the proprietor of Alderney Hill Farm, formerly Mr. John Deere's blooded-stock farm.[10] They were the grandparents of Jane Mabel Skinner, wife of Warren Crandall Giles, president of the National League and Cincinnati Reds, and parents of William Yale Giles, co-proprietor of the Philadelphia Phillies.[11]

Deere worked in Burlington before opening his own shops, first in Vergennes, and then in Leicester.[12] In , Deere left Vermont due to hard times and followed Leonard Andrus, a business associate, to Illinois.[13]

Steel plow

John Deere settled in Grand Detour, Illinois.

At the time, Deere had no difficulty finding work due to a lack of blacksmiths working in the area.[14] Deere found that cast-iron plows were not working very well in the tough prairie soil of Illinois and remembered the needles he had previously polished by running them through sand as he grew up in his father's tailor shop in Rutland.[14] Deere came to the conclusion that a plow made out of highly polished steel and a correctly shaped moldboard (the self-scouring steel plow) would be better able to handle the soil conditions of the prairie, especially its sticky clay.[15]

Varying versions serve as the inspiration for Deere's famous steel plow.

John deere biography blacksmith series William Dockwra. February 20, For four years, he worked as an apprentice under Benjamin Lawrence, a prosperous blacksmith in Magdeburg. Lewis Howard Latimer.

In one version, he recalled the way the polished steel pitchfork tines moved through hay and soil and thought that same effect could be obtained for a plow. Another version is that he used an old sawblade that had been polished from years of use.

In , Deere developed and manufactured the first commercially successful cast-steel plow.

The wrought-iron framed plow had a polished steel share. This made it ideal for the tough soil of the Midwest and worked better than other plows. By early , Deere completed his first steel plow and sold it to a local farmer, Lewis Crandall, who quickly spread word of his success with Deere's plow.

John deere biography blacksmith wife: He once said, "I will never put my name on a product that does not have in it the best that is in me. Further reading [ edit ]. John Deere Hans W. John Deere inventor facts for kids Kids Encyclopedia Facts.

Subsequently, two neighbors soon placed orders with Deere. By , Deere was manufacturing 75– plows per year.[8]

In , Deere partnered with Leonard Andrus to produce more plows to keep up with demand, but the partnership became strained due to the two men's stubbornness. While Deere wished to sell to customers outside Grand Detour, Andrus opposed a proposed railroad through Grand Detour.

Also, there was Deere's distrust of Andrus' accounting practices.[16] In , Deere dissolved the partnership with Andrus and moved to Moline, Illinois, because the city was a transportation hub on the Mississippi River.[17] By , Deere's factory sold more than 10, such plows. It became known as "The Plow that Broke the Plains" and is commemorated as such in a historic place marker in Vermont.[18]

Deere insisted on making high-quality equipment.

John deere biography blacksmith youtube Also, there was Deere's distrust of Andrus' accounting practices. He died at home known as Red Cliff on May 17, Sarah Boone. American blacksmith and manufacturer —

He once said, "I will never put my name on a product that does not have in it the best that is in me."[19] Following the Panic of , as business improved, Deere left the day-to-day operations to his son Charles.[20] In , Deere incorporated his business as Deere & Company.[20]

Later life

Later in life, Deere focused most of his attention on civil and political affairs.

He served as president of the National Bank of Moline, as a director of the Moline Free Public Library, and was a trustee of the First Congregational Church.[7][21] Deere also served as Moline's mayor for two years but due to chest pains and dysentery Deere refused to run for a second term.[7][22] In , he acquired, expanded and modernized the house now known as John Deere House.

He died at home, named by him Red Cliff, on May 17, , at the age of [23]

References

  1. ^About John DeereArchived May 5, , at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on July 21,
  2. ^"Founder John Deere - Past Leaders - John Deere US". . Retrieved April 15,
  3. ^"Did John Deere's Best Invention Spark a Revolution or an Environmental Disaster?".
  4. ^"On This Day: February 7".

    The New York Times.

  5. ^“William Deere” Geni.
  6. ^“Sarah Deere (Yeats)” Geni.
  7. ^ abc"John Deere: A Biography"; Archived April 10, , at the Wayback Machine, Deere & Company, official website. Retrieved May 22,
  8. ^ abcLeffingwell, Randy.

    "John Deere: A History of the Tractor," (Google Books), Motor Books/MBI Publishing Company, , p.

  9. Where did john deere live
  10. How did john deere die
  11. John deere inventor children
  12. John deere family
  13. John deere owner

    14. 10, (ISBN&#;). Retrieved May 21,

  14. ^About John Deere. Retrieved on July 21,
  15. ^Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock Island County, Illinois, Citizens Historical Association, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, , p.
  16. ^Warren Giles, Society for American Baseball Research, Mark Armour, May 24,
  17. ^"Famous Vermont Residents – John Deere".

    John deere biography He passed away at his home on May 17, He died at home known as Red Cliff on May 17, Deere soon began importing British steel, which successfully sped up manufacturing—his company made 1, plows in , and began producing other tools to complement its line of plows. This made it ideal for the tough soil of the Midwest and worked better than other plows.

    Vermont History and Genealogy. February 20,

  18. ^Pripps, Robert (). John Deere Photographic History. Osceola, WI: MBI Publishing Company LLC. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  19. ^ ab" Years of John Deere," The Toy Tractor Times, January Retrieved May 22,
  20. ^Attoun, Marti.

  21. John deere biography blacksmith wife
  22. John deere biography blacksmith and devil
  23. John deere biography blacksmith book

    24. "American Innovator, Agricultural IconArchived November 5, , at the Wayback Machine," , April 17, Retrieved May 22,

  24. ^Neil Dahlstrom, and Jeremy Dahlstrom, The John Deere Story: A Biography of Plowmakers John & Charles Deere. Northern Illinois University Press, , pg. 18
  25. ^Robert N. Pripps (). John Deere Photographic History.

    Voyageur Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  26. ^Hans Halberstadt ().

    John deere biography blacksmith In , Deere partnered with Leonard Andrus to produce more plows to keep up with demand, but the partnership became strained due to the two men's stubbornness. Article Talk. Further reading [ edit ]. Soon, two of his neighbors also placed orders for Deere's plow.

    The American Family Farm. MBI Publishing Company. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  27. ^Magee, David. The John Deere Way: Performance that Endures (Google Books), John Wiley and Sons, , p. 36, (ISBN&#;), accessed October 21,
  28. ^ abHaycraft, William R. Yellow Steel: The Story of the Earthmoving Equipment Industry, (Google Books), University of Illinois Press, , p.

    86, (ISBN&#;), accessed October 21,

  29. ^"John Deere: Founder and President –Archived June 11, , at the Wayback Machine," Deere & Company, official website. Retrieved May 22,
  30. ^Dahlstrom, Neil and Dahlstrom, Jeremy.The John Deere Story: A Biography of Plowmakers John & Charles Deere. Northern Illinois University Press, , pgs.

    –

  31. ^"John Deere Mansion Moline IlArchived February 8, , at the Wayback Machine," John Deere, official website.

Further reading