By Bronwyn Hastings

John Deere enthusiast Ross Johns has added a ninth implement to his collection – an early tractor, manufactured within months of the company making the shift from horse-drawn to horsepower.

Mr Johns said he had been looking for the unique tractor for about five years when he was told of one to be auctioned at Michigan, in the USA. 

“I bought it, fully restored, along with three other tractors and shipped them out,” he said.

“There was a bit of customs duty and taxes, but if you want it, you want it, and you have to pay the price.”

Mr Johns said he believed horse-drawn plough producer John Deere bought Waterloo Engine Company in 1918, and manufactured the tractor the following March. 

“What I find really interesting about it, is it’s much easier to design a tractor once a tractor has been designed – this is very, very early, and has been made from imagination and creativity only,” he said.

A twin-cylinder, open-tappet engine that starts on petrol and runs on kerosene, the tractor is 25-horsepower on the belt and 12 on the drawbar – humble beginnings for the 500-odd-horsepower diesel tractors of today. 

“My grandfather used to talk about driving horses and ploughing paddocks with horses,” Mr Johns said.  

“It would have been amazingly tough back in those days, trying to feed the horses and keep them ready for operation.”

Mr Johns’ grandfather first purchased land in the Wimmera in 1873, but after losing it during the Great Depression in the 1930s, bought another property west of Warracknabeal in 1947, where the family still farms today.

“My son is taking over the operations of the farm,” Mr Johns said.

“I’m building myself into a bit of a retirement mode.”

Mr Johns shows the tractor at various events, including at Lake Goldsmith and Warracknabeal Agricultural Museum. 

“It is quite a hit, quite a few people are very interested,” he said.

“It’s amazing the number of people who are interested in that sort of thing, but in agriculture, some people are very passionately red, and I’m more than happy to be passionately green.”

Mr Johns houses his collection ‘tucked away’ in a shed and transports the 1919 to events.

“I’ve only had it going once,” he said.

“And it runs absolutely perfectly.”

Mr Johns won machine of the day at Wheatlands Agriculture Machinery Museum Easter rally.

The entire April 30, 2025 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire April 30, 2025 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!