Meet Iowans in Agriculture

John Froelich
Inventor
Born in Giard, but when he grew up he farmed and operated a grain elevator in Froelich. The town, named after is father, is in Clayton County. Lived 1849-1933.

What made this person a famous Iowan?
He created the first gasoline-traction engine – the tractor – in 1892.

How is this person related to agriculture?
His invention led to the end of horses' historic role as farmers' best friend. He gave the machine its first major trial while threshing wheat in South Dakota. He and his assistant, William Mann, harvest 72,000 bushels of grain in 52 days in the fall of 1892. Froelich helped formed and became the director of the Waterloo Gasoline Traction Engine Company in 1893. The company eventually produced the Waterloo Boy tractor in 1911 and the John Deere Company of Moline, Illinois, purchased the firm in March 1918.

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