Maybe it’s not impossible to find, but it’s one we’ve tried to find for decades. Sure there’s a few around, but no one wants to part with it. Then just a couple months ago we had an opportunity. A tractor, plow guide and plow setup came up on auction, and we decided we should try to own it.
Some History
The 8-16 Mogul tractor was International Harvesters’ attempt to build a cheaper, versatile, light-weight tractor for farmers with small acreage. It has a single cylinder engine that’s hopper cooled with a planetary transmission with one speed forward and reverse.
Introduced in 1914, they built 14,064 before production ended in 1916. It was later replaced by the 10-20 Mogul in 1916. The 10-20 has a ½ inch larger bore, gear drive transmission with another forward speed. Production on the 10-20 Mogul ended in 1919 with a total of 8,985 built.
The Plow
Harvester decided that with the introduction of a new tractor, they ought to build a new plow for it. They didn’t just want some sulky plow, no they wanted something in the Harvester fashion, something unique, possibly complicated and of course expensive.
The result was a two or three bottom plow directly mounted to the back of the tractor with a single tail wheel. You used a large spring activated lever to pull the entire plow up and down.
To get the correct off-set while plowing, you move the plow left or right on a piece mounted to the back of the tractor. I’d say this plow is an early precursor to the three point hitch.
We found an original piece of literature on the plow. It’s called an Oliver No. 62 Engine Gang Plow. The piece shows the two plows available, its features, photographs and how to setup the plow.
WHY?
Some questions arise as to why International Harvester would go to the Oliver Chilled Plow Company to build it. Why not just build it in house?
I may have found the answer. While searching through Google Patents, I found inventor Edward M. Heyman, who worked for the Oliver Chilled Plow Company. Heyman designed the plow for the 8-16 Mogul, (and later used on the 10-20 Mogul), tractor. In searching through his patents, I found he shared patents with William H. Parlin.
William H Parlin was one of the owners in the P&O Plow company. A company International Harvester did extensive business with. Harvester sold P&O breaker plows with their earlier, (and larger), Titan and Mogul Tractors. In 1919 Harvester would go on to purchase the company.
So that’s probably the connection. Three ol’ boys got together over drinks and came up with this idea for a plow. Sounds plausible.
The Patents
I found four different patents relating to the plow. I think they’re interesting. You may not, if so just skips those links below.
Engine Gang Plow Patents
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1148088A/en?oq=US1148088
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1200107A/en?oq=US1200107
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1262948A/en?oq=US1262948
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1284675A/en?oq=US1284675
Why So Few?
If you haven’t figured it out, there’s good reasons so few remain.
1-It was an another cost added to the price of the tractor, I’m assuming not a cheap one. A farmer could buy a cheaper 2 or 3 bottom plow to pull it behind it or use their existing plow. International even had a line of 2 or 3 bottom chain lift plows that work excellent with the little 8-16.
2- It won’t fit anything else and there’s no wheels. You can’t pull it behind another tractor, because it doesn’t have any front wheels.
3- It’s hard to recognize. It’s not International Harvester. It’s Oliver Chilled Plow, so unless you knew exactly what you’re looking at it could be misidentified.
A New Addition
We added the 8-16 Mogul to the collection after getting the winning bid. What’s next? There are pieces removed from the top of the engine that need to be reassembled. Then there’s the usual carburetor, magneto and igniter work.
The plow itself needs a bit of work. The casting that mounts to the tractor has years of rusty corrosion. It will need some heat and a little TLC. All the pieces seem to be there and nothing broke that can’t be fixed.
One of the hardest things to find might be the two shares missing off the bottom of the plow. I’m assuming that Oliver used those on another plow, but the question is which one?
Leave a comment below if you have some more history or maybe you happen to have the parts we’re looking for.
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copyright 2025 – Dan Boomgarden – Antique Tractor Life
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