The earliest history of the jobbing of agricultural implements in the west is contained in the history of the Pioneer Implement Company, for as their name indicates they are the pioneers of the implement business. When the needs for farm machinery called for a distributing point, there were no railroads, and agricultural implements had to be either brought in steamboat via the Missouri River, or freighted overland to Council Bluffs, and for a number of years after this firm was established, all goods were brought in either via team or steamboat. The archives of this company reveal numerous old catalogues showing the company to have handled in those days practically all of the various lines now being handled by special houses in Council Bluffs and Omaha.

In 1875 the firm, which was then known as Shugart, Lininger and Wies, had been operating houses on both sides of the river, the Omaha house being under the management of Mr. Lininger. In the latter part of 1875 the firm was dissolved and Mr. Lininger purchased the Omaha house and business, thus founding the present firm, the Lininger Implement Company continuing the firm in Council Bluffs.

Following the establishment of these two houses came other branches of factories and independent jobbing houses, until at the present time practically every agricultural implement factory in the United States is represented by its jobber branch house in this market, every one of them being lent assistance in every possible way by the Pioneer Implement Company in full faith that added houses simply make a better market.

In sketching the history of an old house, it is a particular pleasure to say that every one of the men ever associated in any of the various partnership is still living and, although widely scattered, still take a friendly interest in the firm they assisted in founding.

In later years it has been the policy of the Pioneer Implement Company to put forth every possible energy in exploiting special goods, and they have had particular success in introducing new and up to date machinery and securing their wide adoption. It is also been their police to encourage manufacturing in Council Bluffs, and the product of several of our factories are almost wholly sold by the Pioneer Implement Company, quite reversing the usual plan of jobbers, who are constantly remitting heavily to eastern factories, while the Pioneer Implement company's purchase monies are distributed largely in Iowa and in a considerable proportion in Council Bluffs.

At the close of the rebellion the settlement of the Trans-Mississippi country, which had been held in check for five years on account of the war, began in earnest. The high price of lands in the eastern states, brought about by depreciated currency, and the special favors shown by Uncle Sam to the soldier boys in the way of free lands, started a stampede westward, which continued for twenty years, and reached almost to the Rocky Mountains. The lack of raw material on the Missouri in the early days prevented the located of factories further west, but it brought about also the necessity of the general agency or jobbing house on the Missouri. Hence we find those pioneers in the implement trade, E.L. Shugart, F. Wies and G.W. Lininger located in Council Bluffs as early as 1867, with a branch house in Omaha a few years after, and later this house became the property of Mr. Lininger. In 1892 the Pioneer Implement Co. succeeded the old organization, Mr. Shugart holding the presidency of the new concern. The Pioneer Implement building is the lagest of its kind in the city, and the company has a trade covering western Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and reaching far down into northern Missouri and Kansas. It is strictly a Council Bluffs institution, not a share of stock being held outside of the city.

Articles of Incorporation were filed August 24, 1901 by the Pioneer Implement Company. Another company under the same name will cease to exist in November 1, its period of organization expiring at that date. The capital is increased from $100,000 to $150,000. The incorportors are Fred R. Davis, J.P. Davis, T.S. Davis, J.D. Emundson and Alfred Kirscheimer.

In 1915 -- F.R. Davis, pres; T.S. Davis, Sec; J.P. Jones, Treas. & Mngr., wholesale implement

Sources:

1915 Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa City Directory,
1916 Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa City Directory
Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, August 25, 1901
Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, September 2, 1906
Trans-Mississippi Booklet,