John Deere was an American blacksmith and inventor who founded the John Deere company, a leader in agricultural machinery. Born in 1804 in Vermont, Deere moved to Illinois in 1837 and experimented with new methods to improve farming equipment.
His breakthrough invention was the steel plow which proved much more efficient than previous cast-iron models. Nowadays, John Deere produces various farm machines such as tractors, harvesters, sprayers, and seeding machines – just to name a few! This article will examine John Deere’s early years, innovations, and impact on the agriculture industry today.
John Deere History
when was john deere born
On February 7, 1804, in Rutland, Vermont, John Deere was born on the east coast of America. As the third son of William and Sarah (Yates) Deere, John spent his formative years surrounded by nature and learning about agriculture. While attending school in Rutland, John earned an average education for that era.
At 17 years old, he began his apprenticeship in the blacksmith trade with Captain Benjamin Lawrence of Middlebury, Vermont. He quickly rose to become an accomplished blacksmith and continued practicing it until age 33.
who was john deere married to
Deere married Damaris Lamb of Granville, Connecticut in 1827. Unfortunately, she passed away two years later and two years after that he wed Lucinda Lamb, her younger sister.
what did john deere invent
In 1837, blacksmith John Deere invented the first self-scouring steel plow and went on to found the company that bears his name today.
Deere was raised by his mother in Rutland, Vermont after his father drowned at sea. When the New England economy collapsed in 1836, Deere decided to build Grand Detour – a blacksmith shop – in Illinois as an escape for himself and his young family.
Deere quickly learned from his farmer customers that cast-iron plows weren’t effective in the sticky Midwest prairie soil. Farmers had to scrape soil off plows every few feet.
John Deere crafted his famous plow with a broken saw blade, making it highly polished and even-surfaced. Legend has it that hundreds of people witnessed Lewis Crandall testing his invention at his farm near Grand Detour; eventually, Deere’s plows became his trademark and primary business.
Deere invented the first commercial cast-steel plow in 1827. This polished steel shared its space with an iron plow, making it ideal for Midwest soil and superior to other models. Deere sold his initial steel plow to local farmer Lewis Crandall in early 1838; soon thereafter two neighbors ordered from him too! By 1841, Deere was producing 75-100 plows per year.
Who founded john deere?
Deere and Leonard Andrus struggled to produce enough plows in 1843 due to their stubbornness, as Wells opposed a railroad through Grand Detour and Deere distrusted Andrus’ accounting techniques.
In 1848, Deere left Andrus behind and relocated to Moline, Illinois – a Mississippi River transportation hub – where they sold nearly 10,000 such plows by 1855; one of these plows is commemorated today as “The Plow that Broke the Plains”,
John Deere set high standards for his equipment, declaring: “I will never endorse a product that does not reflect the best that lies within me.” As business recovered after the Panic of 1857, Deere gave his son Charles daily operations; Deere & Company was formed in 1868.
In 1848, Deere moved his growing operation to Moline, Illinois on the Mississippi River. There he could harness water power for industrial operations and use riverboats to transport raw materials and plows.
Deere’s company soon produced 1,000 plows annually. His innovations and principles, which still guide Deere & Company today, proved a boon to their business operations.
Deere & Company was formed in 1868 to unify Deere’s businesses.
Deere quickly got involved in Moline’s municipal affairs and was eventually elected the second mayor.
Later life
Deere’s later years were spent focusing on civil and political causes. He held various positions like as trustee for the First Congregational Church, president of the National Bank of Moline, and director of the Moline Free Public Library;
additionally, he served two terms as mayor of Moline but declined to seek reelection due to dysentery and chest difficulties.
when did john deere die
John Deere passed away in 1886, leaving his heirs to run the company for one hundred years.
Read more about Who owns john deere
Who was john deere’s parents
John Deere’s parents were William Rinold Deere and Sarah Yates Deere. John Deere was born on February 7, 1804, in Rutland, Vermont, and was the third of five children.
His parents were both of English descent and had a farm in Vermont, where John Deere grew up and learned the trade of blacksmithing. John Deere’s father died when he was four years old, and his mother later remarried.
Despite facing challenges early in life, John Deere went on to become a successful entrepreneur and innovator in the agricultural equipment industry, founding one of the most well-known and respected companies in the world.
John Deere History Timeline
Here is a timeline of the key events in the history of John Deere:
- 1837: John Deere, a blacksmith from Vermont, moves to Grand Detour, Illinois and begins building steel plows.
- 1842: John Deere moves his company to Moline, Illinois, which becomes the headquarters of John Deere & Company.
- 1858: John Deere’s son, Charles Deere, becomes a partner in the company.
- 1868: The company begins selling farm equipment internationally, starting with Canada.
- 1876: John Deere dies at the age of 82.
- 1918: John Deere expands its product line to include tractors.
- 1937: John Deere introduces the Model A tractor, which becomes one of the company’s most successful models.
- 1947: John Deere introduces the Model M tractor, which is smaller and more affordable than previous models.
- 1956: John Deere introduces the Model 420 tractor, which is the company’s first diesel-powered tractor.
- 1963: John Deere introduces the 110 lawn and garden tractor, which becomes a popular product for residential customers.
- 1972: John Deere introduces the first articulated four-wheel drive tractor, the Model 8630.
- 1986: John Deere introduces the first green and yellow paint scheme for its equipment, which becomes the company’s signature color scheme.
- 1996: John Deere introduces its first GPS-based guidance system for farm equipment.
- 2010: John Deere acquires the Wirtgen Group, a leading manufacturer of road construction equipment.
- 2021: John Deere introduces its first fully-electric tractor, the 8R utility, as part of its commitment to sustainable agriculture.
Throughout its history, John Deere has been a leader in the development of agricultural equipment, with a commitment to innovation, quality, and customer service.
Today, the company continues to be a major player in the global agriculture industry, with a wide range of products and services designed to help farmers and other agricultural customers increase efficiency and productivity.
When was the first JOHN DEERE tractor Built?
John Deere first entered the agricultural industry in 1837 with his invention of the steel plow, yet it wasn’t until 1918 that they officially entered into tractor manufacturing.
John Deere quickly got to work upon purchasing Waterloo Gas Company, developing their first tractor model: the John Deere Waterloo Boy N (1917 – 1924).
Once Nebraska Tractor Tests were introduced as a way of guaranteeing quality and setting standards in an already overcrowded market, this tractor model made its debut appearance.
John Deere tractors were revolutionized with the Waterloo Boy, who set the standard for durability, dependability, and affordability by listening to customer feedback.
With their 1934 Model A row-crop tractor featuring adjustable wheel tread, and subsequent Model B models joining it over a century later, their legacy continues to flourish.
Evolution of John Deere Company
Deere & Company began as a basic blacksmith shop, providing basic blacksmith products and services.
As demand for John Deere’s plow increased, the company expanded into agricultural implements (fun fact: Deere & Company also manufactured non-related items such as bicycles in the late 1990s).
Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company
William Butterworth, Charles Deere’s son-in-law, spearheaded Deere & Company’s tractor design in 1912. In 1918 they acquired Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company and manufactured their Waterloo Boy tractor until 1923 when the Model D debuted.
Today the Company still manufactures several of its high horsepower 7R, 8R, and 9R Series Tractors at Waterloo facilities.
Wartime Production
Deere & Company President Charles Deere Wiman spearheaded the War Production Board’s farm machinery and equipment section during World War II, helping the US government produce essential wartime commodities.
During this time period, Deere & Company produced military tractors, M3 tank transmissions, aviation parts, ammunition, as well as mobile washing units.
Construction & Forestry Equipment
In 1956, Deere & Company formed their Industrial Equipment Division (now Construction & Forestry division) to focus on developing construction equipment separate from agriculture equipment.
Since then, this division has grown into one of the world’s largest through organic growth and acquisitions.
John Deere Logo & Branding
John Deere has proudly displayed its iconic leaping deer emblem since 1876. Over these years, little has changed about it but its iconic image remains unchanged and instantly recognizable today.
Deere & Company adopted a new logo in 2000, featuring an animated deer leaping upward instead of downward as in previous logos.
According to outgoing Deere & Company chairman Hans Becherer, this next step in logo evolution was necessary because “the dawn of the new millennium marked by unprecedented technological innovation was precisely when our logo needed refreshing,” he noted. Modern deers symbolize strength, energy, movement, and advancement.
World Best-Selling Tractor In USA
John Deere is the most popular tractor brand in America, though exact market share figures are unavailable. Estimates suggest John Deere holds around 65% of the high horsepower tractor market share.
Also, Read John Deere Tractors Price List in The USA
Deere & Company Ownership Today
The New York Stock Exchange ticker symbol for Deere & Company is “DE.” As one of the world’s leading machinery stocks as of September 2021, Deere & Company had a market capitalization of $108 billion.
As of 2023, The Vanguard Group, Inc. is the second-largest shareholder of Deere & Company with a 7.3% stake. Other significant institutional shareholders include BlackRock Inc., State Street Corporation, and Capital World Investors.
Cascade Investment, owned by Bill Gates, owns 10% of Deere & Company. Alan C. Heuberger from Cascade Investment serves on Deere & Company’s Board of Directors.
