953 nut 55,175 #1 Posted February 26 The Jaques-Frazer Model T / Jaques Mighty Mite / Ottawa Mule Team Tractor Joseph Frazer had been a partner in the Kaiser-Frazer Automobile Company but sold his interest in the company to partner Henry Kaiser to peruse his interest in building a small tractor. The Frazer Model T chassis was built by the Jaques Power Saw Company which accounts for the name Jaques-Frazer. The completed chassis were shipped to Frazer Farm Equipment where the Swiss made Simar two cycle engines were installed. The stylish round aluminum hoods were war surplus airplane fuel tanks. The tractor came to market in 1948 with individual, foot-operated turning brakes, a recoil- pull-starter, a hand clutch, and a three-speed transmission with a high and low range. It weighed 1020 pounds, sold for $695. The engine started on gasoline, while kerosene could be used as fuel after the engine warmed up. Implements available were a 10-inch plow, 5-ft mower, disc-harrow, bulldozer blade, and a rotary scraper. Not many Jaques-Frazer Model T tractors were built in 1948 and the company lost more than three million dollars. Half interest in Frazer Farm Equipment was sold to D.E. Winslow of Detroit in 1949, he went on to buy the remaining half. in 1950 and move the company to Auburn, Indiana. The Jaques Power Saw Company continued to sell the tractor for a few years as the Jaques Mighty Mite after making modifications including use of a 3-speed transmission, and substituting a 4-cycle Briggs & Stratton engine in place of the Simar engine, along with changing the sheet metal hood. Ottawa Manufacturing Company’s beginnings go back to the 1880’s when it was known as Warner Fence Company that manufactured woven wire fence. In 1949 they decided to get into the lawn and garden tractor business and purchased the rights to the Mighty Mite tractor, along with the parts inventory and tooling from the Jaques Power Saw Co. The Ottawa Mule Team Tractor was born and is a direct descendant of the Mighty Mite and Jaques-Frazer Model T. Ottawa manufactured at least four versions of this tractor ranging in horse power from 8 to 13. Total production numbers are unknown but estimates range from 250 to 1,000. Two catastrophic events brought an end to the Ottawa Mule Team tractor in 1951. The owner, E.L. Warner died from a heart attack and the Marais des Cygnes River that runs through Ottawa, Kansas flooded in July, completely destroying the factory. The company never recovered from these two disasters. The flood is probably also responsible for destroying any company records that might have otherwise survived. 3 8 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
