James Urie was a blacksmith who patented several plow designs during his life. He established a plow works in Evansville, Indiana in 1860 with his three sons. Lewis Ruffner joined in 1865. This company failed. Urie then secured space with Roelkner, Blount & Company. This company was dissolved in 1870. Henry F Blount built the Blount Plow Works with Urie’s three sons. This failed in 1893.
William Heilman located in Evansville in 1847 where he established the Heilman Machine Works. This company was successful in developing engines, boilers, and threshers. James Urie secured shop space in the machine shop to produce plows. This quickly became the Heilman-Urie Plow Company. Heilman’s son-in-law, Albert Rosencranz bought Urie’s share of the company in 1878 forming the Heilman Plow Company. Heilman’s daughter inherited the rest upon William’s death in 1890. Heilman Plow became the Vulcan Plow Company in 1898. Vulcan, Hayes Pump & Planter Co, Peoria Drill & Seeder, and Roderick Lean formed Farm Tools Inc. in 1930.
Return to Home Page
