Moline Wagon Company

The business of the Moline Wagon Company was originally started by James First as a blacksmith operating a wagon and repair shop sometime in the early 1850s. The company was incorporated February 1, 1872, with a capital of $100,000, with Maurice Rosenfield President, and Charles Benser Secretary. This corporation succeeded a co-partnership under the name of First, Rosenfield & Company.

In 1893, the company joined Deere & Company in the establishment of a branch house in Omaha, under the name of Deere, Wells & Company. In 1886, a business arrangement was entered into Moline Wagon Company Advertisement with Deere & Mansur Company in the "Farm Implement News," 1899 of St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri. Other and closer relations with the Deere interests were entered into rapidly thereafter. Mr. Rosenfield, the actual founder of the company, retired in 1896.

In January 1910, Walter Rosenfield stated to Deere & Company that he had an offer from the Moline Plow Company to buy the Moline Wagon Company, but desired first to offer the plant to Deere & Company. The organization of the Greater Deere & Company had at that time been tentatively agreed to, and by reason of the long association of Moline wagons with the John Deere line and the abnormal value of the real estate to Deere & Company, the acquisition of the Moline Wagon Company was thought wise. The purchase price was $1,530,487.46, and on July 16, 1912, the John Deere Wagon Company was incorporated.

At the time of the purchase, the line built by the Moline Wagon Company included the two main types known as the Moline and the Iron Clad, and almost immediately a special type for Deere & Webber Co. was added. Later products, after a product redesign which introduced interchangeable parts to many of the wagons, included the Iron Clad line, the Moline, Farm Gears, California wagons and Teaming Gears.