William Butterworth (December 18, 1864 - June 1, 1936) served as both president and chairman of

Deere & Company Deere & Company, Trade name, doing business as John Deere (), is an American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains (axles, transmissions, gearboxes) used in heavy e ...

Biography

Butterworth was born in

Maineville, Ohio Maineville is a village in Warren County, Ohio, United States. The population was 975 at the 2010 census. History Maineville was incorporated as a village on March 23, 1850. The village derives its name from Maine, the native state of a large sha ...

, and graduated from

Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU) is a private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer and was originally affiliated with the Epis ...

and studied law at the

National University School of Law National University School of Law was an American law school founded in Washington, D.C. in 1869. Originally intended as part of a larger design for a national university in the United States, the school was the principal component of National Unive ...

Washington D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...

In 1892 Butterworth married Katherine Deere, daughter of Charles Deere (and granddaughter of

John Deere Deere & Company, doing business as John Deere (), is an American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains (axles, transmissions, gearboxes) used in heavy equipment, ...

). He joined Deere & Company the same year as an assistant buyer. In 1897 he was elected treasurer, and became president after the death of Charles Deere in 1907. Deere & Company underwent many changes during Butterworth's tenure. In 1910 the board of directors reorganized the company's factories into one unified entity, giving birth to the modern Deere & Company. In 1912 Deere began manufacturing combine harvesters. In 1918 the company purchased Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company and the rights to produce their tractors. Butterworth also implemented a pension system and a benefit and disability program for Deere & Company's employees. Butterworth retired in 1928 and became the first Chairman of Deere & Company's board, a position he held until his death in 1936.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Butterworth, William 1864 births 1936 deaths American chief executives of manufacturing companies People from Warren County, Ohio People from Moline, Illinois Lehigh University alumni National University School of Law alumni