Hart-Parr Tractors.

Founded at Madison, Wisconsin in 1897 by Charles W. Hart & Charles H. Parr, the company moved to Charles City Iowa U.S.A.  in 1905. W. H. Williams became the sales manager, he is credited with inventing the name ‘tractor’ in 1907 for use in company advertising, by 1912 they had started to use the term ‘farm tractor’.

Hart-Parr was the first successful manufacturer of internal combustion engine powered tractors, the first Hart-Parr model was built in 1902.  By 1905 Hart-Parr was operating the first factory in the United States devoted to tractor manufacturing as its sole enterprise.

In 1909-10 Hart -Parr implemented a highly successful school to teach farmers about proper tractor maintenance & operation.  On April 1st, 1929, Hart-Parr, the Oliver Chilled Plow Co., the Nichols & Shepard Co., and the American Seeding Co. merged to form the Oliver Farm Equipment Co.