John Deere & Co
John Deere & Co.
John Deere, of Vermont, built the first steel plow in 1837 using steel from an old sawmill blade. By 1842 he built more than 100 plows. By 1852 John Deere & Co., then of Moline IL, was producing 4000 plows a year. Upon his death at the age of 46 in 1886, his son took over and in 1918 they acquired Waterloo Gasoline Engine Co. and Was instantly in the tractor business. Deere’s Model A, which began production in 1934, spawned a popular line of two-cylinder tractors including their B, G, L, LA, H & M. Until today, John Deere is the leading manufacturer of tractors in the world.
1939 John Deere L with Sickle Mower | S/N 628049
Purchased from Ed Gonce, Mills River, NC
12,500 were built
1950 John Deere A | S/N 662534
Purchased from Max Grant, Mills River, NC
300,000 were built 1934-1952
1952 price $2,400
1950 John Deere M | S/N 36716
Purchased from Dean Blanton, Old Fort , NC
45,799 built 1947-1952
Price 1952 $1,075
1952 John Deere MT | 20 hp 2-cyl gasoline engine | S/N 36167
A tricycle version of the Model M and first John Deere to feature dual-control Touch-O-Matic hydraulics.
Purchased from Larry Gilliland, Edneyville, NC
30,472 built 1949-1952
Price 1952 $1,200
1939 John Deere L | S/N
Purchased from the son-in-law of the original owner from Ohio