This Roadster was made by the Velie Motors Corporation in Moline, Illinois. The company was first incorporated by Willard Lamb Velie, Sr., a grandson of John Deere, in 1908 as the Velie Motor Vehicle Company. Up until 1915, Velie advertised his factory’s cars in the John Deere Plow Company catalog and through Deere implement dealers. During World War I, Velie prospered from government contracts and reorganized his firm as the Velie Motors Corporation.
In 1924, Willard took ill, and Edwin McEwen essentially ran the company. By 1927, Willard, Sr. returned to running the company and appointed his son, Willard Lamb Velie, Jr. as vice-president and general manager. Unfortunately, Willard, Sr. died on October 24, 1928 of an embolism, and Willard, Jr. died on March 20, 1929 of heart disease. With the death of the two Velies, the Moline factory became part of Deere and Company, and the Velie automobile ceased to be produced.
Notes
You can access the Official Velie Motor Cars Register, a great website dedicated to Velie which has several images of Velie automobiles, here.
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