ALL ABOUT TRACTORS

By PAUL WALLEM 

 Cockshutt has been a curiosity for the younger ag generation because fewer of them were produced. The company has an interesting history.

Started by James G. Cockshutt in 1877, it began as Brantford Plow Works, located in Brantford, Ontario. It was incorporated in 1882, and the name was changed to Cockshutt Plow Company. By the 1920s, the company had become well-known for its quality tillage tools. By 1929, they didn’t have a tractor designed, which their dealers needed, so they arranged to distribute Allis Chalmers model 20-35 tractors.

In 1935, Cockshutt took on the Oliver line of tractors for their dealers to sell.

During World War II, the Cockshutt Brantford factory became the Cockshutt Aircraft Division. They built British bomber undercarriages, fuselages, wings for training aircraft, and the De Havilland Mosquito bomber. Their Munitions Division produced artillery trailers and shells.

While the war was still on, Cockshutt designed their first tractor, the Model 30, which was produced until 1946. By 1947, 6263 had been built. Their model 30 was the first modern tractor built in Canada. It was painted vermillion red with cream-white wheels.

Cockshutt had no sales network in the United States but wanted to enter that market. In 1945, agreements were made with a co-op to sell the model 30 as an F-3, painted orange with black lettering. Cockshutt later came out with the model 40 (45HP) and, in 1949, released the model 20 (25HP) in 1952. 1953 brought the model 50 (60HP) off the assembly line. By 1958, the company had a full lineup of tractors on the market.

English Transcontinental, a British Mercantile Bank, took ownership of Cockshutt in 1958. That organization changed its name to Cockshutt Farm Equipment Limited. In 1962, White Motor Company became owner.

During 1964-69 the 50 series 1450-2150 models were identical to Oliver, which had become a part of White (who had also acquired Minneapolis Moline.)

White established White Farm Equipment in 1969 when they consolidated all three. From 1971 to 1975, four brands were offered: White painted silver, Cockshutt in red, Oliver green, and Minneapolis yellow. All were the same tractor, and all were manufactured by Fiat.

By 1975, White had discontinued all three previous brand names and offered only White equipment. The Cockshutt name was no longer in use after the mid-70s.

Paul Wallem was raised on an Illinois dairy farm. He spent 13 years with corporate IH in domestic and foreign assignments. He resigned to own and operate two IH dealerships. He is the author of THE BREAKUP of IH & SUCCESSES & INDUSTRY FIRSTS of IH. See all his books on www.PaulWallem.com and email your comments to pwalleml@aol.com