Thresher Builder and Inventor Mr. Franz J. Wood Passes at 92

July/August 1956
Mr. Wm. P. Kupka 
Mr. F. J. Wood
Image Gallery
Mr. F. J. Wood addressing: several thousand people in the Grandstand at the Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Reunion. See the article of Mr. Woods passing, elsewhere. Courtesy of Wm. P. Kupka, Chelsea, Iowa
Wm. P. Kupka
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

Chelsea, Iowa

RELATED CONTENT

we have this article on the passing of Mr. Wood. We are sorry we do not have the date of his death. The picture of Mr. Wood in this issue was taken by Mr. Kupka at the Mt. Pleasant Reunion last Fall.

Franz John Wood, 92, pioneer Des Moines (Iowa) threshing machine manufacturer and inventor, died at his home here early Saturday.

He had been ill about nine weeks and the cause of death was believed to have been complications of pneumonia.

Wood leaves a daughter, Helen of Des Moines, a son, Robert of 1826 3rd Avenue, SE, Cedar Rapids, and three grandchildren.

Wood and his brother, the late R. L. Wood, started making harvesting machinery in 1893 and later founded the nationally known Des Moines firm of Wood Brothers, Inc.

The factory was later sold to Dearborn Motors of Detroit.

Last year the Wood plant became the Des Moines implement plant of the Ford Motor Company.

Wood was born March 7, 1864, in southeastern Minnesota. He and his brother began manufacturing harvesting equipment in 1893 in Rushford, Minnesota.

During his career, Wood designed a full line of threshing machinery and steam engines and has taken out a total of 26 patents.

His latest patent, applied for in July 1949, was for a self-feeding chicken feeder, a modification of the first invention he made as a boy.

The Wood Brothers moved their factory to Des Moines in 1899 and built the present plant in 1926. Wood war, president until 1945, when he retired.

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Farm Collector readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Steam Traction?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


SUBSCRIBE TO FARM COLLECTOR TODAY!

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

FARM COLLECTOR is a monthly magazine focusing on antique tractors and all kinds of antique farm equipment. if it's old and from the farm, we're interested in it!

Every month Farm Collector brings you:

  • Windmills to cream separators
  • Hog oilers to horse-drawn equipment
  • Implements to engines to farm toys

If it's old and from the farm, we're interested in it!

Be sure to take advantage of the

Square Deal Subscription Program.

No Missed Issues. No Renewal Notices. No Additional Cost

The Square Deal Subscription Program is designed as a paperless transaction with automatic renewals at a preferred low rate. With advanced electronic notification, 100% satisfaction guaranteed and an easy opt-out plan, the Square Deal Subscription Program is the best value, risk free, eco-friendliest way to subscribe. Click here to read our Frequently Asked Questions.