2002 Fairfield Entrepreneur Hall of Fame Inductee
Joel Turney
Founder of the Joel Turney and Co., known as the Wagon Works (1888-1932)
Joel Turney was born near Columbus, Ohio in 1827 and migrated to Iowa in 1844. He started his business with $50 in capital in Trenton, Iowa with a temporary smithy. Business was so good with a flood of travelers heading to California for the gold rush that he stayed. He overcame personal tragedy many times, his first wife died in 1849. He also lost three of his five children over the years
By 1887 he was producing 500 wagons a year and outgrew his facilities. He was lured to Fairfield in 1888 by economic incentives from Fairfield community leaders and railroad access. The new factory in Fairfield became, at the time, Fairfield’s largest industrial employer. A disastrous fire wiped it out in 1897 and was replaced by a modern brick building that later served as the Philco plant offices.
“Charter Oak”, the deluxe model with the spring seat, and the “Fairfield Wagon”, economy style, were very popular with Midwestern farmers and came in eight models ranging from 2,500 to 6,000 pounds. The peak years were between 1910 and 1920 when they produced between 5,000 and 6,000 wagons per year. The best wagon sold for $83.50. They also were famous for their bobsleds.
"Joel Turney was as strong and vigorous in his mental powers as he was physically — a free and independent thinker and quick to express his thoughts. He was philanthropic. He was wholly broad-minded in affairs affecting the welfare of the community." Fairfield Ledger Obituary, July 5, 1905.
William Louden
Founder, Louden Machinery Company 1881
William Louden was born in Belfast, Ireland and immigrated to America as a young boy with his family. They finally settled on a farm about 8 miles southeast of Fairfield.
William had to overcome adversity at an early age — he wasn’t physically strong and suffered a series of illnesses and almost died of inflammatory rheumatism when he was 23. He couldn’t help with the farm work and it inspired him to think of innovative ways to apply technology to farm work. He applied for his first Patent in 1867 on a hay carrier.
He was determined and persistent — in spite of bankruptcy in 1877 (due to the Panic of the 1870’s); he started working with farmers, designing barns that made use of his equipment. His other patents include the first flexible door hanger and the manure spreader. In 1906 Louden offered a free barn-planning service.
By 1939, it had planned more than 30,000 barns around the world.
They designed and built barn litter — carriers, dairy stanchions and automatic cow-watering bowls.
In 1909 they started construction on the present factory on West Broadway.
In 1919 they designed the first Monorail conveyor system.
Louden overhead conveyor systems and crane equipment have been installed in factories throughout the world.
14 historic homes and hundreds of local barns preserve the history and legacy of Louden.
The actual Louden Machinery Works has been recycled and has been a business incubator spawning dozens of Fairfield companies a century later.
William Louden remained active in the business until he died in 1931 at the age of 90.
Louden Machinery Company was considered the “Cadillac of Industrial World.” William Louden was to dairy barns that John Deere was to tractors.
The Fairfield Ledger described William Louden as one of Fairfield’s most enthusiastic salesman. He had this to say the Rotary club meeting on June 7, 1929:
“Fairfield is regarded by all who knows it as one of the best small cities in the country. It is as free from factional strife as any city in America. Nearly all the countries in the world buy goods which are manufactured in Fairfield, even Africa and Asia. All that Fairfield has to do is follow the example set by her citizens of the past and her future is assured.”