In 1933, Jabez Love saw a need for a different kind of tractor to make the local farmers more productive. He built a factory to make those tractors. A few years later, he saw that the future of farming was being led by Ford’s 9N tractor. He placed a Ford Tractor dealership at one end of his tractor plant while still making and selling his specialty tractors. When farmers wouldn’t buy the Ford tractor because it didn’t have a disc harrow, Love designed, built, and sold discs and other implements for the new tractor. During WWII, Love left his business and became a “consultant” to Willys-Overland. Love designed a hydraulic lift for the new civilian Jeep. His device turned the Jeep into a farm tractor. He left Willys in 1946 and returned to his business, now selling his tractors, hydraulic implement lifts for the Jeep, and farm implements at home and abroad. He continued to sell his designed products (tractors, lifts, and implements) until 1960. Long forgotten, even in his hometown, we are uncovering the story of this amazing inventor.
1909-1932
Jabez Love
Love was born in Seattle, WA in 1909. His family soon moved to Benton Harbor, MI. Read more….
1933-1938
Love creates his first tractor
Just 3 years after graduating from Northwestern University, Love uses Ford truck parts to create his “Tructor” Read more…
1939-1941
Love becomes a Ford Tractor Dealer
1939 would be a pivotal year for Jabez Love. The introduction of the Ford 9N tractor would be the beginning of a new chapter in Love’s story. Read more…
1942-1946
The War Years: Love at Willys
Jabez Love gets plucked from running his business to become a consultant at Willys-Overland. He will develop the first hydraulic lift for the new civilian Jeep. Read more….
1947-1950
Post War
Love returns to Eau Claire to build his Jeep lift and implements.
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1951-1960
Love Tractor at the end
Love continues to sell his tractors and implements. But the end of the decade would also see the end of an era.
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Note: Jabez Love has been/ is a difficult research study. In the pages that follow, we have relied on five articles (3 published and 2 unpublished) and a whole collection of newspaper clippings. Love’s surname makes for a tough searching. Love was know by a few different names: They include Jabez Arthur Love, J. B. Love, Jabez R. Love, and J. R. Love. We have also learned to enjoy the Love Tractor band. Please let us know if you discover errors or have additional information. – FJ