Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Biography
The American West
James Oliver
1823–1908
WHY HE MADE HISTORY James Oliver
As you read the biography below, think about
the effects of James Oliver’s invention. How
did his work contribute to the settlement of the
Great Plains?
In the 1860s the American government encouraged
people to move west to farm the Great Plains. This new
land brought new challenges to farmers. The climate was harsh and water
was scarce. New kinds of farming equipment, such as the plow developed
by James Oliver, helped farmers work the soil of the Great Plains.
James Oliver was born in 1823 in Scotland. At age 13 he moved with his
family to the United States and lived near South Bend, Indiana. As a young
man he worked in factories where metal was melted and molded. Believing
that the world would always have a need for plows to till the soil, Oliver
set out to use his knowledge about melting and working iron to produce a
better plow.
The plows used by farmers at the beginning of the 1800s consisted of
metal blades tied to the ends of crooked sticks with rawhide. Improved
plows used hewn chunks of wood with a cast iron point attached. If the soil
was rocky or the vegetation especially heavy, these plows merely skimmed
the surface. Breaking the soil required the work of the animals that pulled
the plow and the farmer who guided it. The wooden parts of the plow and
the metal tips often broke. Farming was indeed a challenge for settlers in
the Great Plains.
By the 1870s, after many failed attempts, Oliver developed a plow that
could help farmers break up the sod of the Plains. To make the plow, liquid
metal was poured into a chill, or metal mold. Previously, iron had been cast
in molds made of sand. But a chill allowed Oliver to cool the iron more
quickly by pouring water on it. The process made the metal stronger and
smoother. Chilled iron made a smooth, strong plow tip that broke the
surface of the grassy plains. Windmills drew water from sources deep in
the earth, and hardy strains of wheat thrived.
At the height of production, Oliver’s chilled plow factory made
thousands of plows every year and provided hundreds of jobs. His
invention helped tame the Great Plains. Oliver himself became a
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
8
The American West
Indiana Historical Society
developed a plow that made it easier for
farmers to turn the soil of the Great Plains.
Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Biography
The American West
millionaire. Like so many rich men of his time, he built a mansion and held
lavish parties.
Gradually, the John Deere Company and others developed similar
plows. A number of manufacturers of farm machinery banded together to
form what would become International Harvester. Oliver chose not to take
part, remaining independent to the end.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
1. Recall What was special about Oliver’s plow?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
2. Evaluate How did James Oliver’s plow help to tame the Great Plains?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
ACTIVITY
What is the life of a farmer like today? What advances in farming have
occurred since the development of the chilled plow? Do some research on
modern farming methods. Then write two paragraphs—one describing a
day in the life of a farmer in the Great Plains in the 1800s, and the other
describing a day in the life of a farmer today.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
9
The American West