Fitch Four Drive
Encyclopedia
The Four Drive Tractor Company - also known as Fitch Four Drive Tractor Company - was an agricultural equipment manufacturer which was based in Big Rapids, Michigan
. The company was formed in 1915 in Ludington, Michigan
and produced tractors until 1930.
in 1914. Mr. Fitch had been a millwright in the lumber industry in West Michigan and then turned his attention to the manufacture of mechanical inventions and to fruit farming. He saw the new horseless vehicles getting stuck along the roads bordering his farm and began to think about a machine that would use all four wheels as drivers instead of just two while the others were helpless. Although there had been a few four-wheel drive tractors invented prior to his, "The Fitch" as he named the tractor, was the first to use gears instead of chains to transfer the power from the engine to the axles and wheels.
The Four Drive Tractor Company was formed in November 1915 in Ludington, Michigan. John H. Fitch was the President of the company. In December 1915, the Big Rapids, Michigan board of trade made an offer to move the company to that city. The board financed construction of a 45'x200' brick building Big Rapids on Maple Street east of the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad tracks. Mr. Fitch moved to Big Rapids to tend to the company and perfect the tractor. World War I caused a delay of materials needed and progress was being made on marketing, demonstrating and selling the tractors. Mr. Fitch suddenly passed away in November 1916. Elbert Jenkins of Big Rapids - who was the Vice President of the Company during the first year - was elected as the new President after Mr. Fitch's passing.
The company struggled during its entire existence to make a profit as the tractors were selling for just a few hundred dollars above the cost of manufacture. This led to the demise of the company after the Stock Market Crash
of 1929.
In 1929, the company produced a shorter, sturdier tractor for heavy work that they referred to "The Cat" Model E 15-30 Model. Later, the name "The Cat" was removed and became the Model F.
Estimates of the production numbers of the Fitch Models were around 2,000 tractors while the Model E/F was less than 70.
Aberdeen, Washington; Fielding, New Zealand; Marlborough Vintage Farm Machinery Museum in Blenheim
, New Zealand and Gunnedah Rural Museum, Gunnedah, Australia.
There are 3 known unrestored Model 20-35 tractors: Angels Camp Museum, Angels Camp, California
; and private owners around the Modesto, California area and in the Fingers Lakes area of Western New York state.
There are 3 known fully restored and operational Model E/F 15-30 tractors:
2 under private ownership Michigan and another at Museo de Tractores in Villa Carlos Paz
, Argentina. There is an unrestored Model F in Ontario, Canada.
Big Rapids, Michigan
Big Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,849. It is the county seat of Mecosta County. The city is located within Big Rapids Township, but is politically independent.-Geography:...
. The company was formed in 1915 in Ludington, Michigan
Ludington, Michigan
Ludington is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,357. It is the county seat of Mason County.Ludington is a harbor town located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Pere Marquette River...
and produced tractors until 1930.
History
The Fitch tractor was invented by John H. Fitch of Mason County, MichiganMason County, Michigan
Mason County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,705. The county seat is Ludington.-History:...
in 1914. Mr. Fitch had been a millwright in the lumber industry in West Michigan and then turned his attention to the manufacture of mechanical inventions and to fruit farming. He saw the new horseless vehicles getting stuck along the roads bordering his farm and began to think about a machine that would use all four wheels as drivers instead of just two while the others were helpless. Although there had been a few four-wheel drive tractors invented prior to his, "The Fitch" as he named the tractor, was the first to use gears instead of chains to transfer the power from the engine to the axles and wheels.
The Four Drive Tractor Company was formed in November 1915 in Ludington, Michigan. John H. Fitch was the President of the company. In December 1915, the Big Rapids, Michigan board of trade made an offer to move the company to that city. The board financed construction of a 45'x200' brick building Big Rapids on Maple Street east of the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad tracks. Mr. Fitch moved to Big Rapids to tend to the company and perfect the tractor. World War I caused a delay of materials needed and progress was being made on marketing, demonstrating and selling the tractors. Mr. Fitch suddenly passed away in November 1916. Elbert Jenkins of Big Rapids - who was the Vice President of the Company during the first year - was elected as the new President after Mr. Fitch's passing.
The company struggled during its entire existence to make a profit as the tractors were selling for just a few hundred dollars above the cost of manufacture. This led to the demise of the company after the Stock Market Crash
Stock market crash
A stock market crash is a sudden dramatic decline of stock prices across a significant cross-section of a stock market, resulting in a significant loss of paper wealth. Crashes are driven by panic as much as by underlying economic factors...
of 1929.
Models
The company produced various models of Four Drive tractors during its first few years with a draw bar and belt ratings of 15-26 to 15-30 featuring Beaver and Waukesha 4-cylinder motors and weighing 4,400 to 6,000 pounds. The best selling Fitch tractor was the Model D 20-35 which featured a Climax 4-cylinder motor and can be identified by an oval-shaped fuel tank behind the hood.In 1929, the company produced a shorter, sturdier tractor for heavy work that they referred to "The Cat" Model E 15-30 Model. Later, the name "The Cat" was removed and became the Model F.
Estimates of the production numbers of the Fitch Models were around 2,000 tractors while the Model E/F was less than 70.
Existing Tractors
There are 4 known fully restored and operational Model D 20-35 Fitch tractors:Aberdeen, Washington; Fielding, New Zealand; Marlborough Vintage Farm Machinery Museum in Blenheim
Blenheim
Blenheim may refer to:*Battle of Blenheim, a battle fought between a Grand Alliance and a French-Bavarian army during the War of the Spanish Succession...
, New Zealand and Gunnedah Rural Museum, Gunnedah, Australia.
There are 3 known unrestored Model 20-35 tractors: Angels Camp Museum, Angels Camp, California
Angels Camp, California
Angels Camp, also known as City of Angels and formerly Angel's Camp, Angels, Angels City, Carson's Creek, and Clearlake, is the only incorporated city in Calaveras County, California, United States. The population was 3,835 at the 2010 census, up from 3,004 at the 2000 census...
; and private owners around the Modesto, California area and in the Fingers Lakes area of Western New York state.
There are 3 known fully restored and operational Model E/F 15-30 tractors:
2 under private ownership Michigan and another at Museo de Tractores in Villa Carlos Paz
Villa Carlos Paz
Villa Carlos Paz is a city in the center-north of the province of Córdoba, Argentina, in the south of the Punilla Valley, lying on the western slope of the Sierras Chicas. It has a population of about 56,000 as per the...
, Argentina. There is an unrestored Model F in Ontario, Canada.