author

John T. Schlebecker

A lively historian of American agriculture, he brought farms, tools, and rural life into sharp focus for readers, students, and museum visitors. His work helped turn everyday agricultural history into something vivid and memorable.

1 Audiobook

Agricultural Implements and Machines in the Collection of the National Museum of History and Technology Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology, No. 17

Agricultural Implements and Machines in the Collection of the National Museum of History and Technology Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology, No. 17

by John T. Schlebecker

About the author

Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on February 8, 1923, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II before building an academic career in history. He earned degrees from Hiram College, Harvard University, and the University of Wisconsin, then taught at Montana State University and Iowa State University.

His specialty was agricultural history, especially early American farming. In 1965 he joined the Smithsonian Institution as curator of agriculture and forest production, where he worked until retiring in 1985, while also teaching as a visiting professor in the Washington, D.C., area.

He wrote widely on the history of farming and rural life, with books including Cattle Raising on the Plains, 1900-1961, A History of American Dairying, Whereby We Thrive: A History of American Farming, 1607-1972, and The Many Names of Country People. Colleagues remembered him as an energetic lecturer whose enthusiasm made history feel immediate and alive.