A History of John Deere

For almost 200 years, one of the biggest names in the field of agricultural equipment has been John Deere, otherwise known as Deere & Company. This Midwestern manufacturer is the world’s leading producer of agricultural equipment and they are constantly creating more new products to add to their lineup. Their iconic green tractors can be seen on fields across America and their yellow leaping deer logo is instantly recognizable to many.

Desert Greens Equipment, with locations in Albuquerque and Belen, is your New Mexico John Deere® dealer. Learn more about the long history of John Deere as a company and why you might consider buying their products.

Early Years

Back in 1837, John Deere opened up his tool repair shop in Grand Detour, Illinois. Deere had moved from Vermont to Illinois to escape bankruptcy and make a new start with his family. What he discovered was that Midwestern soil made the standard iron-and-wood plows of the time much too challenging to work with. So he developed the steel plow out of a saw blade, and this invention helped to revolutionize farming throughout the Midwest during the 1800s.

Because made-to-order equipment was such a slow process, Deere started to build plows before he sold them so that customers could examine what they were buying and even purchase the display plows instead of placing an order and waiting for weeks for their equipment to be ready. This innovation further helped to spread Deere’s name and increase his profile.

Deere decided to build a factory with his business partner in 1842 along Illinois’ Rock River, where they made plows for six years before relocating to Moline, IL, which had better access to railroads in addition to the north-south shipping thoroughfare of the Mississippi River.

Charles Deere, John’s son, was brought into the company within a few years after John bought out his business partners. The Deere company began to manufacture other types of agricultural equipment, including cultivators and planters. A recession hit the United States in 1858, which resulted in Charles Deere and his brother-in-law taking over the company. John Deere remained in place as president until his death in 1886, and the company was branded as Deere & Company in 1868.

20th Century

During the 1900s, Deere & Company jumped into the burgeoning tractor market, as gasoline-powered tractors were developed. Charles Deere’s son-in-law, William Butterworth, took over the company in 1907 after Charles died. Deere & Company bought out the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company in 1918 and in 1923, the company began to build and sell its own tractors, with the acclaimed John Deere Model D landing on the market. The John Deere No. 1 harvester was another extremely popular piece of equipment.

Charles Deere Wiman, John Deere’s great-grandson and the company president during World War II, accepted the United States’ Army’s officer’s commission. Wiman developed the War Production Board’s farm machinery and equipment division, which spurred on the development of military tractors, ammunition, aircraft parts and tank transmission. This further increased the Deere & Company profile and propelled them to new heights within the farm equipment industry.

Modern Times

With over 67,000 employees around the world, Deere & Company is the largest agricultural machine manufacturer on the planet. Half of their employees are based out of the United States and Canada, so they’re a very bold presence within the North American market alone. Their green tractors and other pieces of farm equipment are instantly recognizable as the signature of a brand that has endured over 180 years of productivity and innovation.

As you can see, John Deere equipment has a long legacy of careful product development, resulting in the invention and proliferation of some of the world’s finest pieces of agricultural equipment. Buying John Deere equipment is a smart investment for your farming operation. Visit one of our dealership locations in Albuquerque or Belen, NM, today to take a look at our full stock of new and used John Deere equipment for sale. You can even discuss financing options with our friendly staff. Desert Greens Equipment proudly serves the cities of Santa Fe and Rio Ranchero, NM.