Happy with horsepower Back when "horsepower" was literal, horse-drawn buggies and wagons were the primary forms of transportation for early settlers on the prairie.
While John Deere was in the buggy business for just 25 years and only built wooden wagons for about 40 years, both products played an important role in the development of Deere & Company from the 1899 to 1947. For one thing, they represent some of the earliest engineering marketed by Deere. Branches got the buggy business rolling The John Deere Plow Company opened its first sales branch in 1869 with the Deere, Mansur & Company of Kansas City. By 1890, Deere added four more — Mansur & Tebbetts Implement Company in St. Louis, Missouri; Deere & Webber Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Deere, Wells & Company of Omaha, Nebraska; and Marcus C. Hawley & Company of San Francisco, California. These individual branches actually sold buggies before Deere officially did. As early as 1874, Mansur & Tebbetts in St. Louis bought "white" or unfinished buggies, painted and finished them for sale to customers. By 1890, sales grew to the point that a buggy factory was born, the Mansur & Tebbetts Carriage Manufacturing Company. A decade later, the Omaha branch of Deere, Wells & Company chose to represent two vehicle lines: the one from Mansur & Tebbetts in St. Louis plus the one made by the Velie Carriage Company in Moline. Founded by John Deere’s grandson, Willard Velie, the company manufactured a full line of "Wrought Iron Vehicles," which included buggies, carriages, surreys, driving wagons and spring wagons. Read the previous two-part series on the Velie’s for full details.
White elephant precedes leaping deer Around the turn of the century, Deere bought both Mansur & Tebbetts companies and changed the name to the John Deere Plow Company of St. Louis. Still, the plant was better known as the "White Elephant Buggy Factory" for its line of "White Elephant Vehicles." Just as Deere used a leaping deer as its icon, the Mansur & Tebbetts company used a white elephant in their logo. On December 15, 1903, production moved into to a place known as the "Sunlight Factory" for its tall windows on all four sides. Located on the corner of Broadway and Clinton streets in St. Louis, the 150,000-square-foot factory could manufacture 30,000 vehicles a year. In 1913, the buggy business was separated from the Plow Company and incorporated as the Reliance Buggy Company. Ads in The Furrow touted the unequaled style, finish, workmanship, and durability of Deere Vehicles. What's a phaeton, anyway? According to Ralph Hughes, author of John Deere Buggies and Wagons, "phaeton" was just a fancy name for a deluxe, stylish buggy. Such amenities might include carpeting, fenders, a padded dash, and oil lamps. "Cabriolet" was another popular name for a deluxe 4-person surrey — not the car from Volkswagon!
Many types of buggies were made, including a fully enclosed Rural Mail Wagon with writing desk and pigeon holes for sorting mail. Apparently, dairies also used this vehicle to deliver milk. Buggies were built for strength with sturdy axles, reinforced reach braces, and a special wheel hub. Wider wheels worked best on muddy country roads, while narrower wheels offered a more stylish look for in town transportation. Still a rough ride, buggy wheels were not made of rubber until 1920 when Deere offered it as an "extra" option. Bye, bye, buggies--hello, autos and tractors! Toward the end of production, buggy designs offered similar features as were available on automobiles, like tops and seats. It was inevitable — the end was nearing for buggies as the automobile grew in popularity. Finally, in the 1923 annual report, CEO William Butterworth announced the news that Deere had discontinued the Reliance Buggy business in St. Louis. Bear in mind, this timing also coincided with the introduction of the Model D! It was clear that Deere was dedicating itself to farm tractors and implements. Next week, The Green Girl continues the Related Companies series with a look into the popularity of farm wagons during the late 1880s and early 1900s. Find out how other companies were connected to Deere!
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