Who Was John Deere: The Man Behind the Iconic Green Tractor?

Who Was John Deere: The Man Behind the Iconic Green Tractor?

who was john deere

Who Was John Deere: Most likely, if you’ve ever driven by a farm or seen one on television, you’ve seen the recognizable green tractors that have come to represent agriculture.

It’s simple to take these tractors for granted because they are now such a commonplace aspect of American society. Have you ever stopped to think about who created such an innovative invention?

How did John Deere forever alter the way that farming was done? We’ll explore John Deere’s remarkable life story and illustrious contributions to agriculture in this essay.

Who Was John Deere?

John Deere was born in 1804 in Rutland, Vermont, and founder of Deere & Company in 1837, was a blacksmith by trade. John Deere was started began his blacksmith apprenticeship at 17 years old in 1821, and eventually entered the trade a year later in 1826. In 1827, he married Demarius Lamb, with whom he had nine children.

Because of the economic depression in Vermont, John Deere relocated to Illinois in 1836, where he discovered a greater need for blacksmithing.

At Grand Detour, Illinois, John Deere’s first blacksmith shop was only 1,378 square feet. The shop produced a range of popular tools created by blacksmiths at the time, such as shovels, pitchforks, and (of course) John Deere’s groundbreaking self-scouring steel plough.

who was john deere
Source: Deere & Company, Wikipedia

Since it was revolutionary and allowed farmers to work their fields more effectively, demand for John Deere’s self-scouring steel plough surged quickly. Other modern ploughs were built of cast iron or wood and fared badly in the frequently damp Midwestern fields.

John Deere noticed that utilizing smooth steel from Scottish steel saw blades was considerably more efficient and did not get as readily caught in the mud.

John Deere moved his shop to Moline, Illinois, on the east bank of the Mississippi River to meet the rising demand for his plough. Because there were no vehicles or motorways, river transportation was the cheapest and most effective means to move commodities and raw materials in the 19th century. John Deere could buy raw materials and components faster and cheaply and send finished items to distant consumers from the riverbank site.

John Deere’s plough enabled 1800s western migration. The plough helped farmers produce more with less. Deere’s “Plow that Broke the Plains” sold over 10,000 ploughs by 1855.

John Deere was smart, driven, and moral. He made high-quality equipment and always took the high road in business. “Never will I endorse a product that doesn’t reflect the best of who I am,” he declared.

John Deere, like Henry Ford, knew that strategic inventory would boost sales. Blacksmiths often manufactured items “made-to-order” during John Deere’s time. Slow and inefficient. John Deere increased production and stocked crucial supplies so consumers could get their purchases.

In 1858 Deere took his son Charles into partnership and in 1863 his son-in-law, Stephen H. Velie. In 1868 the firm was incorporated as Deere & Company. Deere remained president of the company for the rest of his life. Gradually, Deere & Company began manufacturing cultivators and other agricultural implements.

John Deere formed Deere & Company in 1868 and registered the first trademark in 1876. John Deere and their buddy Melvin Gould created the initial logo with a deer leaping over a log. The logo has varied slightly but has always featured the John Deere deer and its name.

John Deere afterward concentrated on community leadership. He was Moline’s second mayor in 1873. He served as president of the National Bank of Moline, director of the Moline Free Public Library, and trustee for First Congregational Church.

82-year-old John Deere died at home in 1886. Moline’s Riverside Cemetery has his remains. Lot 838-840, Grave #11 marks his grave. “Our Father” is on his gravestone.

Also, search the John Tractors price list for 2024

FAQs:

Q. What was John Deere’s first invention?

A. John Deere’s first invention was the steel plow, which he invented in 1837.

Q. What is the John Deere legacy?

A. John Deere’s legacy includes his inventions, contributions to agriculture and farming practices, and the continued success of Deere & Company.

Q. Is John Deere still a family-owned company?

A. No, John Deere & Company is now a publicly traded company and is not family-owned.

Q. What are some of the other products made by John Deere & Company?

A. In addition to tractors and agricultural machinery, John Deere & Company produces construction equipment, lawn and garden equipment, and forestry equipment.

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[…] Deere is a well-known, nearly 180-year-old American firm. In 1837, the firm was founded by John Deere, a blacksmith, and inventor who created the first self-scouring steel plow. John Deere is a worldwide corporation […]

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