R. R. 4, Huntington, Indiana 46750
Continuing the history of the Hart Parr Company:
1900 – First oil-cooled gas engine produced.
1901 – First successful tractor produced in mass
production.
1902 – Developed value in head engine.
1903 – 22-45 Standard tractor made.
1904 – Developed method of burning kerosene. (Method was
never patented.)
1904 – First magneto ignition for tractor.
1905 – First force feed lubrication on tractor.
1907 – Developed the famous 40-60 Old Reliable tractor.
1907 – Coined the name ‘tractor’ for the
industry.
1908 – Developed the first foreign tractor business.
1910 – to 1914 developed early types of smaller tractors.
1912 – World’s largest tractor (100 HP).
1914 – Standardized on four-wheel design.
1914 – to 1917 Factory turned over to government for war
use.
1917 – Made first 15-30 or ’30’ as commonly
called.
1918 – Counter weights on engine.
1918 – Kerosene Fluelizer designed.
1919 – Power record on the ’30.’
1920 – Ale mite greasing on tractors.
1925 – Set world’s non-stop drawbar record in Australia.
1927 – 1930 22-40 became 28-50 4 cyl.., 534 times 612 at 850
RPM. $2085.00
1910 – When they developed the kerosene burner it was never
patented but was given to the public.
In the latter part of 1929, Hart Parr, Nichols & Shepard,
and the American Seeding Company and the Oliver Plow Company
consolidated and it became known as Oliver. This gave them a full
line of farming machinery. A few two cylinder tractors were sold
after that were already made or were in warehouses. This ended the
grand old Hart Parr Company.
In 1917 C. W. Hart sold out to the original backers, bankers
Ellis and Ellis. Mr. Parr remained with the company. Mr. Hart
bought a wheat farm in Montana, and later got in the oil business.
He passed away in 1937 and Mr. Parr in 1946.
I deem it a privilege to have lived through the years of the
Hart Parr. We will always have improvement, but never like the ones
from 1900 to 1946. I have read advertisements claiming the Hart
Parr and Oil Pulls would burn anything that poured. This may be a
little exaggerated, but still not too far from the truth. During
the Great Depression I burned a tractor fuel that cost 6? a
gallon.
As near as I can tell, there are still 35 big 30-60s and 22-45s
around, and 10 or more big 1 and 2 cylinder tractors. Goodness
knows how many smaller Hart Parrs are still around and running.
Before closing on Hart Parr, I will give you a few references in
case you want to go into the subject more thoroughly:
Ohio tractor tests E & E – May 1964.
Specifications on the 30, 40, 60 and 80 HP – E & E – April
1962.
Hart Parr History – E & E -April 1971, also November and
December 1971.
The White Motor Company took over Oliver in 1962.