Velie comes alive at history center

NORTH ENGLISH — The Velie name is still prominent on the side of the building at 113 Main St. in North English.

Built in 1903, the two-story building was originally Mahanna’s Harness and Buggy Shop. Among its inventory were Velie buggies produced by Velie Motors Corporation in Moline, Illinois from 1908-1928.

But who was Willard Velie, the founder, of at corporation? Visitors to English Valleys History Center heard from the man himself — portrayed by Moline actor Greg Bouljon — Sunday in North English.

Born in Moline, Illinois 1866 to Stephen and Emma Deere Velie, Velie was the maternal grandson of John Deere, whose plow company was thriving in the Mississippi River town.

Velie went to college at Yale, said Bouljon in the person of Velie. “I think the family plan for me was to come back to Moline,” he said. “But I had a different idea.”

Velie hadn’t been west of the Mississippi, so he spent two years exploring the west. During his time in Wyoming, working on a millionaire’s ranch, he met and married the rancher’s daughter, Annie Flowerree.

The couple moved back to Moline, and Velie began his 24-year career with John Deere, starting as clerk and moving to sales manager during his first year.

When Stephen Velie died in 1895, John Deere gave Willard Velie his father’s position of secretary and treasurer for the company.

In 1908, Velie’s cousin, William Butterworth, who had married Katherine Deere, was elected president of Deere & Company. Velie became vice president.

  Buy Photo

Meanwhile, in 1902, Velie had started his own company. “I opened a carriage business.”

But eventually Velie came to believe that the carriage business was dying. Engines and motors were in high demand, so Velie started Velie Motor Company, which built electric, gas and steam engines.

“We had a hard time just keeping up with orders,” said Bouljon, speaking as Velie.

By 1912, John Deere had to decide what direction it wanted to go, said Velie. “For my own companies I had already made that decision.” He started putting gas engines in cars.

Velie entered one of his cars in the inaugural running of the Indianapolis 500. It finished 17th, said Velie, but the publicity was priceless.

The Velie company was building 30 cars a day and started an additional assembly line to build trucks. “The company grew at an enormous rate,” said Bouljon/Velie.

Three year later, Velie, as John Deere vice president, changed the direction of John Deere. “We started to manufacture tractors,” he said.

While that may have been a conflict of interest, Velie claimed he did a good job keeping the two companies had worked for separate. “Both companies were doing well,” he said.

By 1921, Velie Motor Company was so large and complex that Velie couldn’t be a part-time owner. He left Deere and ran his own company full time.

In 1928, Velie started another project. “I wanted to get into airplanes.” He thought the planes would interest government agencies, businesses and private individuals who wanted to fly.

Velie bought Central States Aircraft Company in Davenport and began manufacturing planes 1928.

Then an unexpected event brought an end to Velie Motor Company. “I developed a blood clot and died in October.”

Velie is buried in Riverside Park in Moline next to the Deere family plot.

Velie’s son Willard Jr. was unable to keep both the Velie automobile and airplane companies running, so the company discontinued its car line in January 1929.

In March 1929 Willard Jr. died. The Velie airplane business was sold to a St. Louis businessman and one of the backers of Charles Lindbergh, and Deere purchased the car lines.

Bouljon, who portrayed Velie to the audience at English Valleys History Center, is a former Bettendorf high school and middle school teacher and basketball coach who found himself acting with the Quad City Music Guild. Brought in to fill-in for an absent actor, Bouljon found himself enjoying the art.

“I had just a tremendous time,” Bouljon said. He has since participated in 70 or 80 productions, as actor, director and set designer, he said.

Bouljon, a Moline native, has portrayed other local residents during Rieverside Park events.