John Froelich

John Froelich (November 24, 1849 – May 24, 1933) was an American inventor and entrepreneur, who invented the first stable gasoline-powered tractor with forward and reverse gears.Henry, whose original name was Johannes Heinrich Froelich, from Kurhessen, today part of the German state of Hesse.Froelich operated a threshing business, and travelled Iowa and South Dakota laboring the Great Plains using steam-powered threshers.[11] Here, he developed a new type of clothes-washing machine he named the Froelich Neostyle Washer, which brought him considerable financial prosperity.[13][14] John Froelich's innovations helped pave the way for modern farming, and contributed to the establishment of Waterloo as a center for internal combustion engine production in the early years of the 20th century.
Giard, IowaSaint Paul, MinnesotaInventortractorgasolinepatentsKurhessenGermanFroelich, Iowagrain elevatorthreshingSouth DakotaGreat Plainssteam-poweredthreshersone-cylinderLangford, South DakotaJ.I. Casethreshing machineWaterloo Gasoline Traction Engine CompanyWaterloo, IowaWaterloo Gasoline Engine CompanyDubuque, Iowaclothes-washing machineMarshalltownSt. Paul, MinnesotaWaterloo