Wood, Jethro (1774-1834), a Quaker farmer, produced an improved cast-iron plow with removable pieces at points of greatest wear. His moldboard design remains almost unchanged in plows made since then. Wood found that people accepted his improvements. Despite a patent issued in 1819, infringers used Wood’s design. He exhausted his money and energy in lawsuits, but never enjoyed material benefits from his work. He was born in Dartmouth, Massachusetts.
