Our History

Here is a little of our history dating all the way back to the 1800’s! We’ve been serving our customers since 1942 and we’re proud to say so!

1899-Alexander Lauf (Founder of Lauf Equipment) is born on Mar 17 in Toas Mo to
- Henry B ‘Hy’ Lauf (1824-1930) of Taos
- Catharine (Rehagen) Lauf (1874-1901) of Westphalia
1924 Alex Lauf Married “Fronie” Hieronyma Veltrop Nov 24^th
- Gave birth to 6 kids
1926-Harry Ferguson patents the 3-point hitch
1929-Great Depression begins
1930-Massey-Harris produces the first 4-wheel drive tractor
1929 to 1935- Alex & Fronie live on their farm in Boonville
1931- Harold Lauf (2^nd generation owner) is born to Fronie & Alex Lauf on May 11
- Grace (Vanloo) Lauf-Harold’s wife is born on May 10^th.One year and one day before Harold
1936-“We had 4 little kids ..I bought some stock in Heisingers (auto)garage and worked at night for quite a while“-Alex Lauf
- Worked at the auto garage from 1935-1942
1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor Dec 7^th
1942- Lauf Equipment starts business
- “Worked in the (auto) garage about 6 years then war came along—didn’t have no cars, no tires, nothing to sell. So we decided to get into farm machinery” Alex Lauf
- Located at Mill Bottom in Jeff city
- We carried farmall, international harvestor, case
- Formerly an international dealer who wanted out of business
- Alex purchased IH dealer for 9500.00 with 3500 down and a 6000 loan
  - “Bought it for $3500-He had a couple trucks-bins-machinery-not much, everything was gone during the war. And the next year we got some machinery-“ Alex Lauf
  - Metal rationing during WWII limited tractor production so Alex often sold most of his new inventory right off the rail cars
    - “Had a tablet page full of people that wanted to buy a tractor”-Alex
  - “Stayed there for 7 years-(International Harvester Company) said they should have somebody here who would build a building- I went to tipton and took the dealership up there for a while- don’t think they were satisfied with me yet-so I came back down to jeff city and started selling Minn-Moline & Case and finally Massey Ferguson. They got some other dealers they thought was good- in Tipton- couple didn’t know a cream separater from a mower- was the blockmans brother in law…just kept if 4 or 5 years-they went out-nobody there….then same blockman that put me out up there says ‘Alex if you want to go back up to Tipton or start a store here, you can start-run it just the way you want to.’ But I had something started here (Jeff city/Cedar city) so I didn’t do it.
1951-Lauf Equipment survives the flood of 51’
- 500 year flood
- Alex watched his barn from a farm in Boonville float past bridge in Jefferson City
1953-Massey-Harris and Ferguson merge
1955-we became a Massey Ferguson dealer, which is our primary brand today
1955- We became a Gehl dealer which is one of our current brands today
1955-Harold Alexander Lauf Marries Grace Helen Vanloo on Aug 27
- 4 children: Thomas, Mary, Michael, & James Lauf
1957-Harold rescues lady from Missouri River on December 26^th
1957-Sir Edmund Hillary makes the first land crossing of Antarctica using Ferguson tractors
1958- “Harris” is Dropped from name to become “Massey Ferguson”
1959- Hawaii & Alaska are recognized as states
1960s-Lauf equipment would pick up the equipment at mill bottom off railroad cars
1962-Massey Ferguson becomes the world’s best selling tractor brand
1963-Harold bought the business from Alex Lauf—Massey Ferguson and Minneapolis Moline
1964-Massey Releases the 100 series tractors
- Massey 135 becomes the most popular tractor ever sold worldwide
1969-a teenager named Larry Swillum starts his first day at lauf equipment
- Larry later became the longest-serving non-family member employee at lauf equipment
1975-Vietnam war ends
1977- Lauf equipment is awarded top Hesston pull-type windrow dealer award
- Lauf Equipment sells more Hesston mower conditioners than any other dealer in North America
- Flat rate eight hours to assemble one, Jim could assemble two mowers in eight hours.
1979-Lauf Equipment moves into its new (and current) building at 541 West Highway 94, Jefferson City Missouri
1980-Interest rates 18% and one of the hottest summers on record
- Harold cashed in some of his life insurance policies to keep business afloat.
1981-Reagan is sworn into office
1981-Massey Ferguson introduces the “Gentle Giants” The 850-860 big capacity combines
1986- Alexander Lauf founder of Lauf Equipment passes away on March 16 in Jeff City mo
1989-Lauf equipment gets first computer system used for parts and sales
1991-AGCO corporation is formed along with Allis-Gleaner Company
1992-expand shop portion of business adding appox 6,000 square feet
1993-flood of 93’
- CNN live covers at Lauf equipment
- 10,000 sandbags
- Over 5 feet of water in the building
- The flood came while Harold was on vacation in Alaska, so his children and employees moved all the equipment to higher ground and operated the business out of Harold’s home
- made many trips to northern customers by traveling to Boonville to cross Missouri River and come back down since highways in Jeff were down
1994-AGCO acquires Massey Ferguson
1995-Tom Mary, Jim purchase Lauf Equipment from Harold
1995-Became a Kuhn dealer
1997-Massey Ferguson was the largest-selling tractor brand in the world for the 35^th straight year
2006-Massey and Hesston merge
2007- Massey Ferguson modernizes its three triangles logo representing the “Ferguson System, based on the important invention of the 3-point hitch and the partnership among Massey, Ferguson, and Harris
2007-Lauf receives contract & becomes an eXmark dealer
2007-December Harold Lauf passed away
2009-Lauf equipment purchases its new & current computer system
2012-Lauf Equipment wins Callaway county Agri-business of the year
2012-Grace Lauf passed away
2016-Larry Swillum retired from lauf equipment as the longest-serving nonfamily employee, 46 years
2015&2016-New roof, ventilation system, and interior redesign
2016-current family members employed at Lauf Equipment
- Full Time: Tom, Jim, Mary, Elizabeth, Zachary
- Part-time: Jon, Patty, Justin
2017-Lauf Equipment celebrates 75 years in business!