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History Of John Deere: Tractors, Logo, Company And John Deere Families

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Published: January 11, 2007

A mention of the name "John Deere" instantly manifests the famous green and yellow logo of a leaping deer in the mind of almost every American. The John Deere Company has been the nation's most successful manufacturer of agricultural machinery since its establishment in 1804. The history of John Deere involves a legacy that has left an incredible impact on the industrial world that is impossible to ignore.

The history of John Deere originates with a simple plow. Soon after leaving his Vermont home in 1836, John Deere set up shop in Illinois where he made an innovating change to the tool. By replacing the rough iron plow blade with a steel one, he made the plow work much better in the hard Midwest soil. He soon realized the new invention's potential for success and produced the first new and improved cast-steel plow in 1837.

The rapid success of Deere's new plow resulted in a hallmark event in the history of John Deere: the creation of a business. At his shop in Grand Detour he departed from the traditional production technique of made-to-order products and instead produced his plows ahead of time. This was a foreign practice to most at that time, but allowing customers to see the product they were buying seemed to contribute to the business' success.

The history of John Deere involves a brief partnership with Leonard Andrus which resulted in the company's relocation to Moline, Ill., in 1848. A factory was built, new partnerships were formed and production rates skyrocketed. However, the partnership soon came to an end. The history of John Deere contains many instances in which Deere took risks in an effort to improve his business.

The history of John Deere has withstood economic problems, agricultural lows and company reorganizing. In 1868, Deere officially incorporated Deere & Company, employing Charles Deere, his son, and Stephen Velie, his son-in-law. Currently, John Deere families or subsidiaries include AGRIS Corporation, John Deere Capital Corporation, Agreentech and John Deere Landscapes.

And when does the famous John Deere logo come into play in the history of John Deere? In 1874 the logo was designed by Melvin A. Gould due to legal battles involving problems distinguishing John Deere products from other plow companies. Gould's creative efforts forever linked the name with the famous symbol.

The personal history of John Deere ends with his death in 1886, but his legacy lives on today in ways he would never have dreamed of. John Deere products include the famous John Deere tractors as well as industrial, residential and forestry equipment.

Dedicated to upholding the constant desire for improvement evident in the history of John Deere, Deere & Company has continued to employ technological advances and quality production in their business. Having gone from a lone blacksmith to a business of almost 50,000, John Deere will always be in the heart of America.


Sources:

Dahlstrom, Neil. "His Values." John Deere Journal. 33.1 (2004): 6-7.
Dahlstrom, Neil. "His Mark." John Deere Journal. 33.1 (2004): 8-9.
John Deere. Wikipedia. 5 Jan. 2007. 9 Jan. 2007 < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Deere>.
Deere & Company. Wikipedia. 5 Jan. 2007. 9 Jan. 2007 < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deere_%26_Company> .
John Deere Homepage. 1996-2007. Deere & Company. 9 Jan 2007 < http://www.deere.com/en_US/deerecom/usa_canada.htm l>.
Hall of Fame: Inventor Profile. 2002. National Inventors Hall of Fame. 9 Jan 2007 < www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/1_1_6_detail.asp?vInve ntorID=39>.
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