Willard Lamb Velie
Encyclopedia
Willard Lamb Velie was a businessman based in Moline, Illinois
. He was an executive at Deere & Company
before starting his own companies, which grew to become Velie Motor Company
. He developed advanced engines for automobiles and airplanes.
. He was the third of five children born to Stephen H. Velie and Emma Deere, the daughter of John Deere. Stephen Velie had moved to Rock Island, Illinois
to work for the C. C. Webber & Company. In 1863 he entered into a partnership with his father-in-law, and when the company was incorporated he was elected to the offices of secretary and treasurer. W. L. Velie had two older brothers, a younger brother who died as an infant and a sister. He graduated from Phillips Academy
in Andover, Massachusetts
in 1885 and Yale University
in 1888. After graduation he set out for Montana
.
became president of Deere & Company in 1908, Velie was elected vice-president. Three years later he became the first chairman of the executive committee when it was formed. At the same time he founded the Velie Engineering Company, which produced gas, steam and electric motors and engines, plus automobile accessories and motor trucks. In 1916 he merged his two companies and began making tractors. Their first was the Velie Biltwel 12-24, a four-cylinder tractor powered by a Velie-built engine. While this appeared to be a conflict of interest Velie was a strong supporter of Deere & Company’s acquisition or development of a tractor. For the most part, Velie’s product lines and Deere’s lines remained separate. He and Butterworth were in disagreement, however, about the company’s operation and so Velie resigned his executive committee positions in 1918 and severed all ties with the company in 1921.
, who was building automobiles. At one point in the early 20th century there were ten different makes being produced in the area. Velie was the most successful. The U.S. Navy chose the Velie engine along with seven others as the best automobile motors for adaptation to military use. Other winners included the Brewster, Duesenberg
, Fiat
, Hispania Suiza, Issota Franchina, Marmon
and Packard
. Between 1916 and 1920 the company also produced the Biltwel 12-25" tractor, which was powered by a Velie engine.
Willard Velie, Jr. was named the company’s vice-president in 1927. He was the one who introduced the production of airplanes into the family business. They developed the first six-cylinder valve-in-head airplane motor in 1919. They also developed a five-cylinder radial aircraft that powered their Velie Monocoupe. In 1926 Don Luscombe of Davenport, Iowa
and Frank Wallace of Bettendorf, Iowa
formed the Central States Aero Company and began building monocoupe airplanes. The Velie’s started working with the company and then bought it in 1928. The result was Mono Aircraft, Inc., a subsidiary of Velie Motor Corporation.
The United States Department of Commerce
awarded the Velie Monocoupe its highest rating, and plans were developed to build a four seat monocoach. The plane would never be built. W.L. Velie, Sr. died in October 1928. A month later Willard Jr. stopped the production of automobiles and sold the company's interests to an Indianapolis
firm. Four month later Willard, Jr. died and the airplane interests were sold to a St. Louis, Missouri
firm. The Velie Motor Corporation came to an end.
on May 21, 1890. She was the daughter of Daniel Augustus Greene Flowerree, who was a millionaire cattle rancher. She was also a sister to his college roommate William Flowerree. The Velie’s raised two children Willard Jr. and Marjorie.
Velie built a palatial home, named Villa Velie, for his family on a 500 acres (2 km²) site on the south side of Moline, overlooking the Rock River Valley. He and his wife were inspired by the many Italian Villas they saw while traveling through Europe. The house was built from 1912-1913 in the Italian Villa style by artisans from Italy
and Greece
. It contained 46 rooms, of which 14 were bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. The floors on the ground floor and the first floor were covered in marble. Built-in bookcases lined the library walls, which were also frescoed. The slopes toward the river were planted with 21 grape varieties from southern France
, and the family produced their own private label wine. The grounds also featured a conservatory that housed banana trees, a putting green, sculptured gardens and a ski run that extended to the river. The family moved to a more modest dwelling during the Great Depression
. For a time the house sat empty. In 1941 the home was bought by Stan Weidner and it became the Plantation Restaurant. It was succeeded by a restaurant called W.L. Velie’s in 1982. Today the home is the home of QCR Holdings
and a branch location of Quad City Bank and Trust.
The Velie’s spent their winters in Fort Myers, Florida
. They built a home there next to Annie’s parents along the Caloosahatchee River
.
W.L. Velie died of an embolism
complicated by a heart problem on October 10, 1928. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery
in Moline.
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
. He was an executive at Deere & Company
John Deere
John Deere was an American blacksmith and manufacturer who founded Deere & Company, one of the largest and leading agricultural and construction equipment manufacturers in the world...
before starting his own companies, which grew to become Velie Motor Company
Velie
Velie was a brass era American automobile brand produced by the Velie Motors Corporation in Moline, Illinois from 1908 to 1928. The company was founded by and named for Willard Velie, a maternal grandson of John Deere....
. He developed advanced engines for automobiles and airplanes.
Early life & Education
W. L. Velie was born in Moline, IllinoisMoline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
. He was the third of five children born to Stephen H. Velie and Emma Deere, the daughter of John Deere. Stephen Velie had moved to Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
to work for the C. C. Webber & Company. In 1863 he entered into a partnership with his father-in-law, and when the company was incorporated he was elected to the offices of secretary and treasurer. W. L. Velie had two older brothers, a younger brother who died as an infant and a sister. He graduated from Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy is a selective, co-educational independent boarding high school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, along with a post-graduate year...
in Andover, Massachusetts
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
in 1885 and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1888. After graduation he set out for Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
.
Deere & Company
In 1890 Velie returned to Moline and began working at Deere & Company as a clerk. After a year he became a sales manager. When his father died in 1895 W.L. replaced him as the corporate secretary and a member of the board. In 1902 Velie founded his first company, the Velie Carriage Company of Moline. It manufactured buggies, carriages, surreys, driving wagons, and spring wagons called the "Wrought Iron Line" of vehicles. In 1907 alone the company made 21,000 buggies and surreys. When his cousin William ButterworthWilliam Butterworth (businessman)
William Butterworth served as both president and chairman of Deere & Company.-Biography:Butterworth was born in Maineville, Ohio, and graduated from Lehigh University and studied law at the National University in Washington D.C.In 1892 Butteworth married Katherine Deere, daughter of Charles Deere...
became president of Deere & Company in 1908, Velie was elected vice-president. Three years later he became the first chairman of the executive committee when it was formed. At the same time he founded the Velie Engineering Company, which produced gas, steam and electric motors and engines, plus automobile accessories and motor trucks. In 1916 he merged his two companies and began making tractors. Their first was the Velie Biltwel 12-24, a four-cylinder tractor powered by a Velie-built engine. While this appeared to be a conflict of interest Velie was a strong supporter of Deere & Company’s acquisition or development of a tractor. For the most part, Velie’s product lines and Deere’s lines remained separate. He and Butterworth were in disagreement, however, about the company’s operation and so Velie resigned his executive committee positions in 1918 and severed all ties with the company in 1921.
Velie Motor Corporation
While still at Deere & Company, W.L Velie incorporated the Velie Motor Vehicle Company in 1908. While he kept his tractor lines separate from the Deere line, his automobiles were marketed through Deere’s branch houses. When he merged his companies in 1916 he formed the Velie Motor Company. The products produced by the company came to be known for their quality at a reasonable price. By 1912 the company’s stock was valued at $1.5 million and four years later it was worth $2 million. Between 1913 and 1915 the Velie factory was turning out an average of 30 cars a day. By 1920 the buggy business was phased out and automobile production peaked at 9,000. Estimates of how many motor vehicles Velie produced in the two decades the factory was in operation range between 75,000 to 300,000. Velie was not the only person in the Tri-Cities, now known as the Quad CitiesQuad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
, who was building automobiles. At one point in the early 20th century there were ten different makes being produced in the area. Velie was the most successful. The U.S. Navy chose the Velie engine along with seven others as the best automobile motors for adaptation to military use. Other winners included the Brewster, Duesenberg
Duesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
, Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
, Hispania Suiza, Issota Franchina, Marmon
Marmon
Marmon Motor Car Company was an automobile manufacturer founded by Howard Marmon and owned by Nordyke Marmon & Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. It was established in 1902 and was merged and renamed in 1933. They produced cars under the Marmon brand. It was succeeded by Marmon-Herrington and...
and Packard
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
. Between 1916 and 1920 the company also produced the Biltwel 12-25" tractor, which was powered by a Velie engine.
Willard Velie, Jr. was named the company’s vice-president in 1927. He was the one who introduced the production of airplanes into the family business. They developed the first six-cylinder valve-in-head airplane motor in 1919. They also developed a five-cylinder radial aircraft that powered their Velie Monocoupe. In 1926 Don Luscombe of Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
and Frank Wallace of Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Bettendorf is the fifteenth largest city in the U.S. state of Iowa and the fourth largest city in the "Quad Cities". As of the 2010 United States Census the population grew to 33,217. Bettendorf is one of the Quad Cities, along with...
formed the Central States Aero Company and began building monocoupe airplanes. The Velie’s started working with the company and then bought it in 1928. The result was Mono Aircraft, Inc., a subsidiary of Velie Motor Corporation.
The United States Department of Commerce
United States Department of Commerce
The United States Department of Commerce is the Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with promoting economic growth. It was originally created as the United States Department of Commerce and Labor on February 14, 1903...
awarded the Velie Monocoupe its highest rating, and plans were developed to build a four seat monocoach. The plane would never be built. W.L. Velie, Sr. died in October 1928. A month later Willard Jr. stopped the production of automobiles and sold the company's interests to an Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
firm. Four month later Willard, Jr. died and the airplane interests were sold to a St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
firm. The Velie Motor Corporation came to an end.
Private life
W. L. Velie married Annie Flowerree in Helena, MontanaHelena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
on May 21, 1890. She was the daughter of Daniel Augustus Greene Flowerree, who was a millionaire cattle rancher. She was also a sister to his college roommate William Flowerree. The Velie’s raised two children Willard Jr. and Marjorie.
Velie built a palatial home, named Villa Velie, for his family on a 500 acres (2 km²) site on the south side of Moline, overlooking the Rock River Valley. He and his wife were inspired by the many Italian Villas they saw while traveling through Europe. The house was built from 1912-1913 in the Italian Villa style by artisans from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It contained 46 rooms, of which 14 were bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. The floors on the ground floor and the first floor were covered in marble. Built-in bookcases lined the library walls, which were also frescoed. The slopes toward the river were planted with 21 grape varieties from southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and the family produced their own private label wine. The grounds also featured a conservatory that housed banana trees, a putting green, sculptured gardens and a ski run that extended to the river. The family moved to a more modest dwelling during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. For a time the house sat empty. In 1941 the home was bought by Stan Weidner and it became the Plantation Restaurant. It was succeeded by a restaurant called W.L. Velie’s in 1982. Today the home is the home of QCR Holdings
QCR Holdings
QCR Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides commercial and consumer banking, and trust and asset management services for the Quad City, Cedar Rapids, and Rockford communities. QCR Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Moline, Illinois.-About:QCR Holdings, Inc...
and a branch location of Quad City Bank and Trust.
The Velie’s spent their winters in Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
. They built a home there next to Annie’s parents along the Caloosahatchee River
Caloosahatchee River
The Caloosahatchee River is a river on the southwest Gulf Coast of Florida in the United States, approximately long. It drains rural areas on the northern edge of the Everglades northwest of Miami...
.
W.L. Velie died of an embolism
Embolism
In medicine, an embolism is the event of lodging of an embolus into a narrow capillary vessel of an arterial bed which causes a blockage in a distant part of the body.Embolization is...
complicated by a heart problem on October 10, 1928. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery
Riverside Cemetery (Moline, Illinois)
Riverside Cemetery is located in Moline, Illinois, United States. It can trace its beginnings to Moline Cemetery, which was established to 1851. The original of the cemetery was purchased from Samuel and Mary Bell on November 1 of that year. It is located between Fourth and Fifth Avenues at...
in Moline.