AGCO
AGCO was born when the US management of the Deutz-Allis corporation bought out the North American side of the company and renamed it AGCO (Allis-Gleaner Company).
The AGCO line of lawn equipment was manufactured by Simplicity (now Briggs & Stratton), using the AGCO name under license.
This line replaced Simplicity's previous AGCO-Allis line of lawn equipment.
2009: AGCO began phasing out the AGCO name.
This lead Briggs to phase out the AGCO name and revive the Allis Chalmers name for lawn equipment.
Allis Chalmers
1901: The Allis-Chalmers Company was formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by the merger of the Edward P. Allis Company, Fraser and Chalmers Company, Gates Iron Works, and Dickson Manufacturing Company.
Allis-Chalmers was an industrial conglomerate, manufacturing farm, mining, and industrial equipment.
1984: Financial difficulties led to a dissolution.
The farm equipment operations were sold to Klockner-Humboldt-Deutz of Germany.
1989: Tractor production continued under the Deutz-Allis name, when management purchased the company to form AGCO (Allis-gleaner Co.)
Amigo Lawn and Garden Tractors
Dowagiac, Michigan, Amigo lawn and garden tractors were built by DEMCO.
DEMCO was then sold to American Machine & Foundry (AMF)
AMF discontinued production soon after the purchase.
1960-1976: US industrial conglomerate American Machine & Foundry (AMF) starting building lawn and garden tractors.
1963: AMF purchased Iowa outdoor equipment manufacturer Western Tool.
...Western Tool built machinery under contract and under their own Homko brand.
1976: AMF discontinued selling tractors under their own name.
1982: AMF sold the division to local management as Western International.
1986: Western was sold again.
1988: The Des Moines factory closed.
Deutz-Allis
1984: Allis-Chalmers was purchased by Deutz.
Deutz rebranded the Allis tractors as Deutz-Allis and began importing Deutz-Fahr tractors under the Deutz-Allis name. "The switch to green, from the traditional Allis orange, was a disappointment for loyal Allis-Chalmers farmers."
1991: The Deutz-Allis company was sold to AGCO.
"AGCO-Allis returned to the orange paint scheme."
2001: The AGCO Allis name was dropped by AGCO.
Ariens Lawn Tractors
Brillion, Wisconsin, Ariens was founded by Henry Ariens when he began building motorized tillers.
1973: Ariens entered the garden tractor market when it purchased Sperry's New Holland line.
1982.: ...and the Gravely Company
Big Bud
1961: Havre, Montana, Big Bud Tractors Inc. was born out of the Wagner tractor dealership.
Big Bud manufactured heavy-duty high horsepower tractors with industrial engines fitted to custom-built frames.
The company developed a number of innovations for heavy duty tractors, including tilt cabins and a skid system for engine removal.
1985: The company was purchased by Messner Brothers.
1992: Production slowed and the last Big Bud rolled off the line.
Bobcat Mowers
Bobcat was originally the trade name for a line of loaders built by the Melroe company.
Melroe-Bobcat became part of Clark Equipment.
1995: Bobcat was pu
rchased by Ingersoll Rand.
2007: Bobcat announced a deal to sell Bobcat tractors built by Daedong (which builds the Kioti brand).
2007: Bobcat was purchased by Doosan Infracore (formerly Daewoo).
2013: Bobcat discontinued the compact tractor line in 2013.
Bolens Tractors
1956: Port Washington, Wisconsin, Bolens was started by Gilson and Bolens.
1998: Bolens was consolidated with Troy-Bilt under Garden Way.
2001: Garden Way was then purchased by MTD.
2001: MTD discontinued to use the Bolens name on lawn tractors.
Bush Hog Tractors
1962: Galesburg, KS , Bush Hog corp' bought out Shaw manufacturing for the purpose of building a heavy duty riding/garden tractor.
1962: The first Bush Hog Tractor was produced.Case Tractors
1847: The Case Corporation was founded by Jerome Increase Case.
Case started out by selling threshing machines.
1869: Case began manufacturing steam engines.
1878: Case introduced its first steam traction engine.
The company was quite successful with its steam tractor operations.
Case Lawn and Garden Tractors
1964: The Case Co. purchased Colt Manufacturing.
The tractors were manufactured in Winneconne, Wisconsin.
Case manufactured their lawn equipment in Winneconne, Wisconsin.
1983: Case's Outdoor Power Equipment Division was Sold to Ingersoll Equipment.Colt Tractors
1962: Colt Manufacturing was started by brothers Warren and Wally Johnson.
1963: production was moved from Milwaukee to Winneconne, Wisconsin.
1964: Case purchased Colt and the tractors were sold through Colt distributors under both the Case and Colt brands.
1966: The Colt name was dropped and Case-branded lawn tractors were sold through Case dealers.
Caterpillar Tractor Co.
1925: The Caterpillar Tractor Company was formed with the merger of the Holt and Best companies.
Both had been independently developing and manufacturing tracked machinery, Holt having acquired the patents of the Hornsby company of England, which had also developed early tracked steam engines.
Caterpillar focused on it's construction equipment.
1987: Caterpillar re-entered the agricultural market.
2002: Caterpillar sold the line to AGCO, who manufactured the tractors under the AGCO brand and sells through Caterpillar dealers.
Cletrac Tractors
The Cleveland Tractor Company was founded by Clarence and Rollin White.
The company's focus was on small and medium farm crawlers.
1944: Cletrac was purchased by Oliver.
Oliver was later acquired by White, descended from the White family that founded Cletrac.
(IH) Cub Cadet International
1961: International Harvester entered the small tractor market with the Cub Cadet, which was built at the factory in Louisville along side the larger Farm tractors.
1981: International's Lawn Products Group was sold to MTD, as the subsidiary Cub Cadet Corporation (CCC) production moved to a new factory in Brownsville, Tennessee.
While initially independent... Cub Cadets began to gain more common components with the other MTD brands and are now a fully integrated part of the MTD line.
2009: The Brownsville factory was closed.
Economy Power King
1946: Wisconsin, Economy tractors were built by Engineering Products Company (EPCO).
"Economy Tractors were produced using the name Jim Dandy for smaller models and Power King for the larger." 1977: Originally the name for certain EPCO tractors, Power King became the brand for the entire line.
1990: Power King was sold to Support Services International and production moved from Waukesha to Beaver Dam. 1990s: Production continued..when Power King was sold again
...to Yazoo-Kees and production ended
"Mission Manufacturing now owns the rights to Power King and supports the tractors."
Ferris
unknown
FIAT (Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino)
1899: FIAT was founded as an automobile manufacturing company.
1910: Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino (FIAT) began developing tractors, but was delayed by World War I.
1919: The first FIAT farm tractor, the 702, had begun production.
1990: With the acquisition of Ford-New Holland, FIAT dropped the FIAT and Fiatagri brands.
Fordson
1917 : Fordson was a trade name for tractors built by Henery Ford in the first half of the twentieth century and soon dominated the market due to low production costs.
1928-1964 : Production moved to the UK and the Fordson name was used in that market until Ford merged the North American and European lines under the Ford name.
Ford Tractors
1939: The Ford brand was first used on tractors with the introduction of the 9N.
"...although the Fordson brand had already been in use for 20 years."
1985: Ford purchased New Holland, creating the Ford-New Holland line.
1990: Ford's farm equipment group was sold to Fiat.
Ford Lawn and Garden Tractors
Ford provided a range of lawn and garden tractors, although Ford did not manufacture them.
Jacobsen, Gilson, and Toro were all suppliers of Ford lawn tractors.
1985: The Ford lawn tractor brand was replaced by New Holland.
1990: Ford sold their farm machinery group to Fiat.General Electric Tractors
1970-1974: General Electric produced the Elec-Trak electric lawn tractors.
1974: Disappointing sales led GE to sell the Elec-Trak division to Wheel Horse.
1975-1983: Wheel Horse continued production of electric tractors.
Gibsons Tractors
Seattle, Washington, Gibson was created out of the Gibson corporation.
Wilbur Gibson, opened a tractor manufacturing facility in Longmont, Colorado.
1952: Several tractor models were built before the company was sold to Helene Curtis Industries.
1953 to 1958: Western American Industries resumed production in the Gibson factory before closing.
Gilson Tractors
1911: John P. Gilson and his brother Michael Gilson started Gilson Brothers Co.
"At that time, the Gilson Brothers' main products were limestone grinders, feed cutters, and concrete mixers."
1964: Gilson buys the Burns Tractor and tiller line.
1988: Gilson Brothers Co. was acquired by Lawn-Boy.
1989: Lawn-Boy was acquired by the Toro company, the production of Gilson-branded lawn and snow equipment ceased.
2010: The Gilson line of concrete mixers was sold to the Cleform company of Missouri.
2011: Marshalltown, Iowa, Marshalltown Co. purchases the Gilson line of concrete mixers and still sells concrete mixers under the Gilson name.
Grasshopper
unknown
Gravely Garden Tractor
1916: Dunbar, West Virginia, The Gravely Motor Plow Company was founded and had a successful line of two-wheel walking tractors.
1982: Ariens purchased Gravely.
2000: Gravely-based designs were discontinued.
2002: The name dropped entirely.
"It is still used on a line of commercial lawn equipment."
Hiller
1940s-1960s: Stanley Hiller Jr. was an aviation pioneer in the development of helicopters
1950s: Hiller developed and sold a small yard tractor named the Hiller Yard Hand.
"The Yard Hand was also sold by Sears as a Craftsman model yard tractor."
1960" Hiller Stopped Production.
Homelite Yard Tractor
1921: Homelite was founded.
1949: Homelite began manufacturing chainsaws and expanded to a full line out power equipment.
1964: Homelite began selling re-branded lawn mowers.
1978: Allis-Chalmers (later, Simplicity) supplied the majority of Homelite lawn tractors until Homelite was merged with Jacobsen.
1994: John Deere purchased Homelite-Jacobsen, which ended the Homelite brand on lawn tractors.
2001: Homelite was sold to Chinese conglomerate Techtronic
Huffy Lawn Mowers
1949: Huffy began building lawn mowers to diversify their product line.
"Huffy manufactured mowers for a variety of brands, including AMC and Turfmaster."
1970's: Decreasing sales, lead Huffy to sell its outdoor power equipment division.
Jacobsen
- Racine, Wisconsin, Jacobsen was founded by Knud and Oscar Jacobsen.
1978: Jacobsen was acquired by Textron and its residential lawn and garden product line was merged with Homelite.
1994: Deere purchased Homelite-Jacobsen.
2001: Homelite-Jacobsen, was sold to TTI.
"Jacobsen's commercial golf and turf products continue to be part of Textron."
2001: The Racine operations were closed by Textron.
Massey-Harris Tractors
- Massey-Harris was formed with the merger of the Massey and Harris companies, both major manufacturers of harvesting machinery in Canada.
- Massey-Harris merged with Ferguson, after Harry Ferguson had split from Ford, to form Massey Ferguson.
1994: AGCO purchased Massey-Ferguson and continues to use the name.
John Deere / Deere & Co.
1837: John Deere, a black smith, had achieved great success when he built a plow from highly polished steel.
1868: Deere & Company was founded by John Deere.
1918: Deere sold a small number of tractors designed by Joseph Dain. Deere would purchase the Waterloo Gasoline Traction Engine Company, that built the Waterloo Boy tractor.
1923: John Deere introduced the Model D, which remained in production for the next 30 years.
1963: Deere became a dominant force in tractor production with the 4020.
1963: Horicon, Wisconsin. The John Deere Model 110 was the company's first lawn tractor.
"Wisconsin. Horicon remains the home of Deere's lawn and garden line, although the products are now built in a number of locations. Deere sells its premium range of lawn and garden tractors through the John Deere dealer network while an economy line is also sold at home-improvement stores"
Lawn-Boy
unknown
Mayrath Machinery
1949-1952: Dodge City, Kansas, Mayrath Machinery, founded by Martin Mayrath who built a line of garden tractors.
"The Co. was a pioneer in the development of portable grain augers."
"Mayrath continues to manufacture grain-handling equipment today as a divsion of Global Industries."
Minneapolis Moline Lawn Tractors
1962: Minneapolis Moline entered into the lawn and garden tractor business with their Town and Country series.
...the first year of production was built by Jacobsen...
1963: Minneapolis Moline was purchased by White.
1970: The Minneapolis Moline line was switched to the White Brand.Montgomery Ward Lawn tractors
...Custom manufacturing produced tractors under the Montgonery Wards, Lehr Big Boy, and, in Canada, the Rockol and Regal brands.
1950: Indiana, The Harry A Lawther Co. was the manufacturer of Custom tractors.
1952: The Harry A Lawther Co. was sold and moved to Hustisford, Wisconsin.
1954: Company assets were sold to a firm in Mexico.
Minneapolis Moline Tractors
1929: Minneapolis Moline was formed by the merger of Minneapolis Steel and Machinery, the Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company, and the Moline Plow Company.
1962: Minneapolis-Moline entered the lawn and garden tractor business with their Town & Country lawn tractor series.
1963: Minneapolis-Moline was purchased by White Motors.
1964<: Minneapolis-Moline sold a full line of lawn tractors, until it was switched to the White brand.
1974: White dropped the Minneapolis-Moline name.
Oliver Farm Tractors
1929: Oliver was formed from a merger of:
Oliver Chilled Plow, Hart-Parr, American Seeding Machine, and, Nichols & Shepard.
1930: The first Oliver Tractor tractor was built, the 18-28.
1960: Oliver was purchased by White Motor.
>1973: the Oliver name was dropped as White consolidated tractor lines into the White brand.
New Holland
1970s: New Holland began manufacturing lawn and garden tractors.
1973: New Holland sold the product line to Ariens.
1985: The New Holland brand replaced Ford-branded Tractors.
1990: When Ford sold a majority interest in its Ford-New Holland farm machinery line to FIAT.
2009: New Holland dropped the lawn and garden tractor line
"although continuing subcompact tractor and commercial front-mount mower lines"
Oliver Lawn Tractors
1972: Jacobsen built the Oliver branded line of lawn tractors for only one year.
1973: White Motors consolidated it's tractor lines under the White brand.
Panzer
1953: Jim Clark creates a prototype tractor, for use at his home, that would later became the Panzer tractor.
1954-1960: College Park, Maryland, The Copar Co. was formed to build the Panzer garden tractors, later moved to Laurel Maryland.
1960: Virgina Metalcrafters, buys the Copar Co.
1970: Panzer becomes part of Jackson Manufacturing.
1971: Jackson Manufacturing Closes as part of a bankruptcy.
...later Dandy sales purcheses the remaining parts and patterns...
Page
unknown
Roper
1966: Roper begins building outdoor power equipment When the George D Roper Co. Purchased the former David Bradley Manufacturing works from sears. Roper supplied lawn equipment to Sears for the next 30 years.
1989: Roper was Purchased by General Electric (GE).
1989: the Roper outdoor unit, was sold to AB Electrolux.
...Roper became part of AYP (American Yard Products) which included the Husqvarna name.
Rumely / Advance-Rumely
1853: La Porte, Indiana, Rumely Manufactured Threshers and later steam engines.
1910: The first Internal Combustion tractor at the company was built w/an oil cooled engine.
1911: Rumely and the Advance thresher Co. merged to become Advance-Rumely.
1920<: Advance-Rumely attempted to enter the small tractor market with the Do-all and 6A.
1931: Allis-Chalmers Purchases Advance-Rumely and stopped all production.
Red E
unknown
Sears / David Bradley / Craftsman
>1959: Sears Distributes the David Bradley Line of tractors
1959: Sears buys the David Bradley Suburban Line of tractors.
1964: The David Bradley name is dropped. Sears produces a series of Tractors under the name Sears Suburban.
1970>: Sears is uses the Craftsman and Craftsman Pro name on it lawn mower equipment.
...AYP (American Yard Products) and MTD (Manufacture Tool & Dye) built Sears lawn equipment over the years. MTD providing the Majority in recent years.
Shaw
unknown
Simplicity
1937: Simplicity began manufacturing lawn equipment. Simplicity also produced lawn equipment for Allis Chalmers.
1965: Allis Chalmers, purchases Simplicity.
1983: Simplicity was sold, by Allis to management.
2004: Brigs and Stratton Purchases Simplicity.
Snapper
1894: Georgia, Snapper, started as Southern Saw works.
...as the Georgia lumber industry declined...
1951: Southern Saw works, purchases the patents to Snappin' Turtle lawn mowers and begin production.
2002: Simplicity buys Snapper.
2004: Briggs and Stratton buys Simplicity.
Springfield
1961-1966: Springfield Ohio, Quick Manufacturing Produced Springfield Tractors, tillers, and two-wheel tractors.
1966: Quick Sold their operations to Toro.
Speedex
>1935: Galesburg, Kansas, Harold & Elmer Pond worked for Shaw Manufacturing.
1935: Harold Pond, worked for Shaw Manufacturing, left Shaw Manufacturing, to form the Pond tractor company and began producing Speedex walk-behind tractors in Ravenna, Ohio.
1938: Harold Pond developed the Model B Speedex Riding tractor which would become the first four-wheel garden tractor in America.
1938 to 1948: Model B Speedex Riding tractor production years.
1949: Pond renamed his company to the Speedex Tractor Co.
1957: Pond sold the Speedex Tractor Company.
"Owners Maury Foote and Jerry Stowe would develop the S-Series line of Speedex Tractors which would become the most widely sold models of the Speedex Company"
1969: The General Combustion company (Owned by Maury Foote and Jerry Stowe), later merged with Mechtron International
1969: The Eagle Tractor Company purchased the company
1974: The S-Series models were replaced with a Four Digit model system.
1994: Production of Speedex tractors, in the Ravenna, Ohio facility ceased.
1999: The last USA Made Speedex tractor was made.Stihl Tractors
1949-1965: Germany, The Andreas Stihl Manufacturing Co., Produced light Farm Tractors.
Struck Corp'
unknown
Swisher
>1945: Missouri, Max Swisher, designed his own makeshift lawn mower.
1945: Swisher developed the first self propelled lawn mower.
1955: Swisher develops their first riding mower.
Thieman
1936-1942: Albert City, Iowa, Thieman Harvester was organized by the Thieman brothers and produced a variety of farm equipment. "Theiman offered an inexpensive kit tractor."
1942: Thieman production shut down due to wartime steel shortages.Wallis
1902: Wallis Tractor was founded by Henry Wallis, the son-in-law of Jerome Case.
"Henry Wallis was also the president of the Case Plow Works, which had been founded by J.I. Case."
1912: The company was formally organized in Racine, Wisconsin.
"The Wallis Tractor was built and sold by the Case Plow Works."
1928: Case Plow Works was sold to Massey-Harris, Massey took over production of the Wallis tractor.
1932: Massey-Harris had continued to use the Wallis brand up to this point. When the Massey-Harris name replaced it.
Toro
1914: Toro began in Minneapolis Minnesota producing engines for the Bull TC.
1914-1918 During WW1, Toro was involved in the production of Steam engines.
1920: Toro focused production on golf course and lawn maintenance.
1986: Toro Purchases The Wheel Horse Co. and it's entire line of tractors.
2000: Toro stops production of residential lawn and garden tractors, and focuses on commercial products
2007: Toro begins selling re-branded tractors built by MTD.
Wagner Tractors
1922: Portland Oregon, The Wagner Bros began building Machinery for logging and mining.
1950<: The Wagner Bros' entered the agricultural market.
1960<: John Deere and Wagner Entered into a deal, that included a 5 year Non- compete clause.
John Deere would purchase about 50 Tractors.
1971: John Deere entered the market with their own tractor.
The Non-compete clause between Wagner and John Deere, Prevented Wagner from entering the market and ended the business.
Wheel Horse Garden Tractors
>1946: Elmer Pond (who had worked for Shaw) began producing two wheel tractors in his garage with surplus parts under the Pond Name.
"The company's name was changed to Wheel Horse, Due to a naming conflict with another company"
1946<: Elmer Pond became very successful with his tractors and built a full line or lawn and garden tractors.
1965: Wheel Horse was among the first to introduce tractors with a hydrostatic drive system.
1974: Wheel was acquired by American Motors Co. (AMC)
1982: Wheel Horse was spun off from AMC to Munn Investment Group.
1986: Wheel Horse, was purchased by Toro.
2007: Toro stops building Lawn Tractor with the Wheel Horse name.
​
White Farm Equipment
1960: White Motor Co' acquires Oliver and Cockshutt.
1963: White Motor Co' Acquires Minneapolis Moline.
1969: The White Farm equipment co. was formed.
1991: AGCO buys White F.E and produces Tractors with the AGCO-White name.
2001: AGCO discontinues use of the AGCO-White.
White Lawn Tractors
1963: White purchases Minneapolis Moline
1970: White discontinues the Minneapolis Moline town and country Lawn Tractor name.
1970: White continues the line of tractors as White Town and Country.
1981: White outdoor was purchased by MTD
2010: MTD stopped manufacturing White lawn tractors
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Farm-ette
unknown
eXmark
unknown
Burns
1960s: Louisville, Georgia, Burns Manufacturing (Founded by Sam Burns, Burns Tool Corp'.) built garden tractors.
1960: Burns was sold to Draper.
Draper owned Blue Jet and Penfield, and a line of Burns and Penfield Suburban tractors was built.
1964: Burns was sold off, with the tractor and tiller line being purchased by Gilson.
MTD (Modern, tool, & Die)
1958: MTD, Modern Tool & Die, of Cleveland, Ohio, began producing lawn equipment.
1975 Yard-Man was sold to MTD.
"MTD continues to produce lawn tractors under the Yard-Man name."
1981: MTD purchases the International Harvester Cub Cadet line of garden tractors.
"MTD still produces Cub Cadet's under the Cub Cadet MTD name"
1981: MTD purchases the White outdoor line of tractors.
1998: Bolens was consolidated with Troy-Bilt under Garden Way.
2001: Garden Way ( a consolidation of Bolens and Troy-Bilt) was purchased by MTD.
"MTD discontinued to use the Bolens name"
2010: MTD stopped manufacturing White lawn tractors
Yard Man
1933: The Yard-Man has its origins in Jackson, Michigan, building reel type push lawn mowers.
The Yard-Man brand was eventually purchased by the Montgomery Ward depart' store, a major retailer of the brand.
1975 Yard-Man was sold to MTD and the Jackson factory was closed.
MTD continues to produce lawn tractors under the Yard-Man name.
Fox River Tractor Company, The
The Fox River Tractor Company was founded in Appleton, Wisconsin when members of the Saiberlich family sold their interest in Eagle and founded a new tractor company.
1920-1922: Fox River Tractor only managed a small production of tractors.
After tractor production ended, Fox found success building forage harvesters and silage equipment.
John Deere
The Pioneer Plow (1837): Founder John Deere invented the self-scouring steel plow in Grand Detour, Illinois, using a broken saw blade to cut through sticky prairie soil.
John Deere
1963: Horicon, Wisconsin. The John Deere Model 110 was the company's first lawn tractor.
"Wisconsin. Horicon remains the home of Deere's lawn and garden line, although the products are now built in a number of locations. Deere sells its premium range of lawn and garden tractors through the John Deere dealer network while an economy line is also sold at home-improvement stores"
Waterloo Boy
1893: Waterloo was founded as the Waterloo Gasoline Traction Engine Company, with John Froelich as the driving force. The original intent was to sell Froelich's gasoline tractor. Only four were produced in the first three years, and all were returned by their buyers.
1913: The company re-entered the tractor market with its Waterloo Boy tractor.
1918: Deere & Company purchased Waterloo for $2.34 million.
