John Deats was born in 1769 to William Deats (also spelled Deitz), a German immigrant, and wife Mary at their home about four miles northwest of Flemington. He married Ursula Barton (1767–1853) and they had four children: Elisha Deats (1800–1862), Rhoda Deats Thurston (1803–1880), Gilbert Deats (1808–1870), and Hiram Deats (1810–1887).[1][2]
He was a wheelwright, like his father, and worked in that trade. After designing a plow and unable to find a manufacturer locally, he moved west.[1] He died in Newark, Ohio in 1841.[2][3]
After experimenting in building plows, Deats was issued a patent for an improved plow in 1828.[1][4] He was issued another patent in 1831, which detailed improvements in the moldboard, main landside, bottom landside, cutter, share, plate of iron under the share, and clevis.[5] After his death, his son, Hiram Deats, as administrator, was granted a reissue of this 1831 patent on May 16, 1845.[6][7] The plow was successfully manufactured and sold by Hiram for many years.[8] The improved moldboard was said to scour better than others.[9] Hiram's nephew, Hiram Deats Jr. (1853–1928), son of Gilbert Deats (1808–1870), later ran the company at Pittstown until 1904.[4][10][11]
^Deats, Hiram Jr. (September 1889). "Advertisement". The Jerseyman. A Quarterly Magazine of Local History. 1 (2). Flemington, N. J.: H. E. Deats: 22. We make the Original Deats Plow which has been extensively used for the past 60 years.
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