Today, John Deere is remembered-some say mistakenly-as the inventor of the steel plow. Who was this legendary man and how did he create the internationally renowned company that still bears his name? He began as a debt-stricken blacksmith who, fleeing debt in New England in the 1830s, set up shop in a little town on the Illinois frontier. There, in response to farmers' struggles, he designed a new plow that cut through the impervious prairie sod and lay open the rich, heavy soil for planting. The demand for his polished steel plow convinced him to specialize in farm implements.
In the decades before the Civil War, John Deere envisioned a company supplying midwestern farmers with reliable, affordable equipment. He used only high quality, imported steel and resisted pressure to raise prices. At the same time, he won respectful affection from his employees by working alongside them on the shop floor. Upon taking the helm in the 1860s, John's only surviving son, Charles, expanded the Moline factories to increase production, started branch houses in major midwestern cities to speed distribution, and began to transform the company into a modern corporation. The transformation didn't come without difficulties however: Charles found himself battling the Grange, facing threats of labor unions and strikes led by his own employees, and enduring patent suits and blatant thefts of product designs and advertising.
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"A most useful addition to the literature on Deere and Company, and the environment in which the business operated."—Agricultural History Review
"Lucidly written ... an interesting picture of John and Charles in a concise and very readable book."—Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society
"[An] outstanding study in business history ... particularly illuminating on the close relations that bound industry to agriculture during the pioneering period of settlement in the Midwest. It is an enthralling story."—Indiana Magazine of History
About the Author
Jeremy Dahlstrom and Neil Dahlstrom, natives of "John Deere Country" in Moline, Illinois, tell this engaging, inspirational story of John and Charles Deere, shedding light on the two men as business partners and as a devoted father-and-son team. Historian David Vaught provides an introduction describing the role that Deere & Company played in the industrialization of American agriculture.
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My perspective on writing history is very simple: tell a story that has never been told before. That is what I have tried to do in both "Lincoln's Wrath" and "The John Deere Story". It is not always comfortable, but to do justice to an individual and their story, a historian must dig deep to reveal peripheral relationships and contextual events, both positive and negative. Then, you must write a compelling narrative to bring it all together.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you enjoy historical biographies, check this book out!,
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This review is from: The JOHN DEERE STORY: A BIOGRAPHY OF PLOWMAKERS JOHN AND CHARLES DEERE (Hardcover)
"The John Deere Story" tells a great tale. It focuses on John Deere's development of the modern plow, his successes and failures as a businessman and his business-minded son Charles' success in promoting what is now an international brand. But what also makes this story great is the insight into the 1800's modernization of agriculture and the development of a modern Midwestern city (Moline, Illinois). Because industrialization was still young, it was interesting to read about trademark rights, competition, sales, antitrust arguments and other modern business practices that were being established at the time the Deere family was beginning to make its mark.There is a lot of detail in this book, so follow the names of the cast of characters closely. It's worth a read!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gift Purchase,
This review is from: The JOHN DEERE STORY: A BIOGRAPHY OF PLOWMAKERS JOHN AND CHARLES DEERE (Hardcover)
I purchased this item as a gift for my father. I, myself was not aware of the full history of John Deere and I found it very informational.
5.0 out of 5 stars
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This review is from: The JOHN DEERE STORY: A BIOGRAPHY OF PLOWMAKERS JOHN AND CHARLES DEERE (Hardcover)
A great read on the early history of John Deere. Tells of the early success and failures of John Deere. Has a few old pictures.
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