Scope and Contents:
Robert Nicholson Tate came to Illinois in 1839 and later formed a partnership with John Deere. After his partnership with Deere dissolved in 1852, Tate manufactured plows on his own. This collection contains a microfilm copy of Tate's typescript reminiscences and diary beginning with his school days in England, and continuing through much of his life in Illinois. The typescript was made by Florence M. Bradford, whose 76-page calendar of the Tate diary is included at the end of the reel. The typescript of the Tate autobiography (1804-1831) and diary (1835-1871) is approximately 550 pages long.
The microfilm was copied by the Illinois Historical Survey in 1963 from film owned by H. M. Railsback, Deere & Company, Moline, Ill.