Chelsea, Iowa
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.
