Gravely, of Brillion, Wisconsin

Brillion, Wisconsin

Brillion is a city in Calumet County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 2,937 at the 2000 census. The city is located within the Town of Brillion, though it is politically independent.-Notable residents:...

 is a manufacturer of powered lawn and garden implements which it describes as "walk-behind, zero turn

Zero-turn mower

A zero-turn riding lawn mower is operationally to a standard riding lawn mower. The term zero-turn refers to the turning radius being essentially zero inches. Different brands and models achieve this in different ways. Most current models have four wheels, two swiveling front tires and two larger...

 and outfront mowers".
Benjamin Franklin Gravely (29 November 1876 – January 1953) of Dunbar, West Virginia

Dunbar, West Virginia

Dunbar is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. The population was 7,907 at the 2010 census estimate. Dunbar was incorporated on April 19, 1921, by an Act of the West Virginia Legislature, and named for Dunbar Baines, a prominent area banker.-History:Located at Dunbar is...

 manufactured in 1916 a hand-pushed plow fitted with an auxiliary Indian motorcycle

Indian (motorcycle)

Indian is an American brand of motorcycles. Indian motorcycles were manufactured from 1901 to 1953 by a company in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, initially known as the Hendee Manufacturing Company but which was renamed the Indian Manufacturing Company in 1928. The Indian factory team took the...

 engine and driven by belts. His goal was to build a tractor which would revolutionize gardening and lawn maintenance for the homeowner.

A friend who owned a machine shop allowed Gravely to build more tractors at his shop.