Antique Oliver Tractors
Oliver Farm Equipment began as an independent venture of James Oliver, when he obtained his first patent in April of 1868. This first patent was on the fundamental features of the chilled iron plow. A second patent, for the chilling process, was granted the next year. Oliver’s small factory was incorporated and named South Bend Iron Works. The factory produced small items for other companies until 1874 when James decided to devote his entire time to making the Oliver Chilled Plow, due to the increase in orders.
1874 was one of expansion for the company, when Oliver bought forty acres in South Bend in order to expand the factory. The Oliver product line was beginning to expand, as well. Oliver began exporting their plows to South America in 1887, and then Africa, Australia, and France. “Plowmakers for the World†was adopted as a motto for the Oliver plow. Sales continued to increase, and in 1901, South Bend Iron Works was changed to Oliver Chilled Plow Works, with one hundred percent of the company’s shares owned by the Oliver family. James Oliver passed away in 1908, and his son, J.D. Oliver became President.
Oliver Chilled Plow Works had been producing tractor plows for Fordson, but they decided to begin experimenting on making a tractor they could call their own. Their first tractor was called the Oliver Chilled Plow Tractor, and it did well in the United States. Competition was beginning to increase, and J.D. Oliver knew that they needed to offer a fuller product line. The only option he saw available was to merge. The result was a merger between Oliver Chilled Plow Works, Hart-Parr Tractor Works, Nichols & Shepard Company, and American Seeding Company. J.D. was named Chairman of the Board, and the name was Oliver Farm Equipment Company.