History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

132 HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
stead from his father and he has since operated this property,
carrying forward its management along progressive and modern
lines. In addition to the work of the fields he makes a sjoecialty of
raising and feeding hogs and his stock-raising interests are im-
portant and profitable.
In 1911 Mr. Schafer married Miss Neva Vogel, a daughter of
Jacob and Lillian Vogel, the former now deceased and the latter
a resident of Ashton township. Mi', and Mrs. Schafer have become
the parents of a daughter, Minnetta. The parents are members
of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Schafer gives his
political allegiance to the republican party. He is an ambitious,
enei'getic and enterprising young man and his future success is
assured.
GRAND DETOUR PLOW COMPANY.
This well known establishment was founded in 1837, at Grand
Detour, Illinois, a little town situated in a horse-shoe bend in the
beautiful Rock river, six miles above Dixon, by Major Andrus and
Jolui Deere, late of Moline, Illinois, both now deceased. They
started what was styled a plow factory in a little blacksmith shop
(such as may be seen at a country cross-road), and two forges were
sufli'.'ient to meet their wants for some two years, when they became
able to run an ordinary horse-power, for the purpose of turning
the grindstone and fanning the furnace. The building in which
those laljor saving arrangements were located stood some forty
rods from the "factory" proper and every plow ground and east-
ing molded had to be carried one way or the other in the hand or
on the shoulder, and the sight of the two proprietors lugging their
worlv back and forth is recalled with interest, in view of the great
prosperity which each of them, by means of the same hard work
and close management ultimately attained. In this manner and
under these disadA^antagos the business went on for about six
years, when such success attended the enterprise that they were
ena])led to put in steam. From this time forward they continued,
adding machinery and improvements and their progress Avas uninterrupted.
However, there were no means of sending their plows
through the comitrv except by wagons and few markets except the
farm house in even the best agricultural sections. Teams were
loaded and sent over the coimtrv and substantial farmers were