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John Deere was born
Deere was born in 1804 in Rutland, Vermont. After his father was lost at sea when he was four years old, Deere was raised solely by his mother -
Marries his first wife
John Deere married Demarias Lamb Deere -
Sold his first plow
Sold his first one in 1838 -
Moves his company
In 1848, Deere moved his growing operation 70 miles southwest to Moline, Illinois, on the east bank of the Mississippi River -
Making 10,000 plows a year
By 1857, his annual output of plows was 10,000 -
Wifes death
His wife dies in 1865 -
Marries his second wife
Following his wife's 1865 death, Deere married her sister, Lucinda Lamb, in June 1867 -
Deere company gets a new name
Deere’s business was incorporated under the Deere & Company name -
Mayor of Moline
In 1873 he became the second mayor of Moline. -
Death
John Deere died in 1886, with his heirs leading the company for the next century