Happy Birthday Cecil Pond

[953 nut 55,098]

                                   6-4-1924

             Cecil Elwood Pond was born

Cecil Pond was an American businessman, inventor, and entrepreneur. He was the founder of Wheel Horse Products Co. Inc., and was the primary inventor of the modern American Garden Tractor and riding mower.

Pond was born in South Bend, Indiana, to Elmer and Ann Marie Pond. He graduated from South Bend's former Washington-Clay High School, and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. In 1946, Pond returned to South Bend and in June of that year, married Betty Alber Pond. Mr. & Ms. Pond were the parents of three children: son Gary Pond, and two daughters, Linda and Constance.

1946 saw the beginnings of Pond's manufacturing future. Pond joined his father Elmer, who at the time was building two-wheel lawn tractors (which the operator would walk behind) from angle iron, surplus motorcycle and automotive parts in his garage. At first, the Ponds' company was simply called Pond Tractor Company; however, they discovered another family member owned a similarly-named company. "Wheel Horse" was then chosen, and the name stayed with the company even after its acquisition by Toro.

In the late forties, military veterans returning from World War II began moving to the vast new suburbs then transforming the American landscape. Their suburban homes had larger lots that demanded more attention—and the Ponds' riding mower found many ready buyers as a result.

In 1954, Pond introduced his first 4-wheel lawn tractor, an event which altered substantially the lawn care manufacturing business. By 1957, his Wheel Horse Products Company recorded sales over $1 million (US$8,976,763 in 2018 dollars.) for the first time. Just two years later, the company's sales more than doubled, to $4.5 million (US$36,529,110 in 2016 dollars).

In 1975, Pond sold Wheel Horse Products to American Motors Corporation. At the time of the sale, Pond oversaw over 500 workers at his plant and over 3,000 dealers were selling the brand.

Cecil Pond passed away December 30, 2011.

[Retired Wrencher 5,442]

Happy Birthday Cecil. Rest in peace. 

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,312]

 Thanks for posting this. I was shocked that its been almost 7 years since he left us.

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

[rjg854 11,351]

I'm sure we are all glad you were born Cecil, your life will live on through us for as long as these tractors do.