BF Avery

Benjamin Franklin Avery began manufacturing plows in Clarksville, Virginia, in 1825. The business moved to Louisville, Kentucky in 1847. In 1863, Avery re-formed the company with his children, renaming it BF Avery and Sons. During this time, the company released cast iron and steel plows, as well as released a semi-monthly magazine, called Home and Farm.^[1] In 1865, following Avery's death, the business was passed to his three sons.^[2] Production shifted to tractors in the 1930s. In 1951, the BF Avery company was purchased by Minneapolis-Moline tractor company.^[3] In 1955, Minneapolis-Moline shut down the Louisville plant, discontinuing the Avery line of tractors.^[1]

In 1930, Avery designed a tractor and contracted with Cletrac to produce it. In February 1942, Avery moved production of the tractor to its own facilities.^[4] The tractor was relaunched as the BF Avery Model A in 1943, being sold simultaneously as the Cletrac GG and the Montgomery Ward Twin-Row. It featured a singular front wheel. Avery later released the smaller Model V in 1946, and the larger Model R in 1950.^[4]

Under Minneapolis-Moline, the Model A was discontinued and the Model R was renamed to the BF.^[5] The Model V was the only tractor to be released under both companies' names.