John Deere (Blacksmith & Inventor)

Who he is: 

John Deere was a 19th-century blacksmith who noticed Midwestern prairie soil stuck to cast-iron plows and set out to fix it. In 1837 he forged and polished a steel plow that sliced through “gumbo” soil and changed farming overnight. He later built a small workshop into what became Deere & Company, a global maker of agricultural equipment. 

 

Why he matters: 

Deere shows how close-up observation and hands-on craft can spark industry-shaping innovation. His story connects shop skills to agricultural science, engineering, and entrepreneurship. It reminds kids that a well-made tool can transform how whole communities live and work.