Dain Mfg Co.

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Joseph Dain Sr. started his professional life as a furniture dealer in Meadville, Missouri. In 1881 he decided to sell his furniture business in order to pursue his ideas for improving the hay making process.

In 1882, Dain patented his hay-making equipment. A few years later, in 1890, Dain incorporated the Dain Manufacturing Company. Its first headquarters were in Carolltown, Missouri.

In 1895, Dain began a relationship with Deere and Company. Deere became the exclusive distributor for some of their equipment.

In 1900 ( or was it 1910?) Dain moved their plant to Ottumwa, Iowa.

A subsidiary called Dain Manufacturing Company, Limited, was established in Ontario, Canada. This was created to serve the Canadian market. There is still a town in Ontario called Dain City. It was originally established as a housing complex for Dain employees in 1909.

In 1911, Dain became a John Deere property. The purchase price was approximately one million dollars of Deere and Company stock.

Joseph Dain became a VP and board member at Deere. At John Deere in 1914, Dain was given the assignment of developing the first John Deere tractor. At the time, Deere was still focused on its core business of plow manufacturing.

Dain Manufacturing in Iowa maintained its separate identity even though it was owned by Deere.

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Frank E. McClellan was a foreman at Dain Manufacturing in Ottumwa in the 1940s.

The Model 350R Trenching Plow was built by Dain for the US Army during World War 2.

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Makin' hay while the sun shines: Dain's dog joins the leaping deer by Brenda Kruse for The Green Girl, March 26, 2001.