Theo Brown Diaries

Theophilus (Theo) Brown was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1879 as the oldest of three children. As a child, he began to record observations and thoughts in a series of diaries that would document his life and work as a mechanical engineer, principally with John Deere. His first diary is dated 1893 and contains his reflections on life, the weather, and anything else that captured his imagination. His love of engineering is evident from his first entry where he records his fascination with the North End electric cars while also lamenting his bout with chicken pox.

He attended Classical High School in Worcester, graduating in 1897. That fall he enrolled at “the Tech” where he documented his interest in shop practice and drawing. Brown graduated from Worcester Tech (WPI) in 1901 and began working at the Richardson Manufacturing Company in Worcester. In 1911, he once more began to keep a diary, where he often noted the weather and monitored his sleep patterns. After a trip to Chicago to meet with representatives from John Deere, Brown accepted a job offer and relocated to Illinois to serve as superintendent of the Marseilles Manufacturing Company plant, a division of John Deere, in East Moline.

In 1916, Brown was reassigned as head of the experimental department of Deere & Co. plow shop, where he continued his work designing and improving machinery and hardware. Many of his designs first appeared in his diaries as sketches featuring the distinctive John Deere colors of green and yellow. From 1918-1923, he corresponded with automobile mogul Henry Ford after the latter’s purchase of plows and other farm equipment. During World War II, Brown recreated sketches of newspaper headlines and maps depicting the frontlines in color as he followed the progress in Europe and the Pacific.

He retired from John Deere in 1952 having been awarded more than 150 patents for his designs. By 1970, the effects of Parkinson’s disease were evident in Brown’s handwriting. He eventually converted to typed entries as his health continued to deteriorate. In 1971, on the occasion of his 92nd birthday, Brown was honored at a luncheon hosted by John Deere employees. His last entry is dated May 22, 1971 and is followed by a clipping of Elise’s obituary. Theo Brown passed away in July 1971 at the age of ninety-two in Princeton, Worcester County, Massachusetts.