When pioneer blacksmith John Deere invented the self-cleaning steel plow in 1837, he was trying to ease the burden farmers faced as they toiled in the fields.  In the process, he not only transformed the face of agriculture, but laid the foundation for a company that today is recognized world­wide as a leading provider of eq­uipment for all types of agriculture, lawn and gard­en, and construction-related uses.

John Deere’s story and his family’s many ac­comp­lishments...