R.M. Wade & Co.

R.M. Wade & Co. is an Oregon agricultural-equipment company founded in 1865 by Robert Morris Wade. Based in Beaverton, the company developed from a nineteenth-century supplier of farm machinery and buggies into a family-owned agricultural distribution and manufacturing business. It is described as the oldest family-owned company in Oregon and has maintained a strong connection with farming, irrigation, and related industrial equipment. Robert Morris Wade reached the American West as a teenager, traveling across the Oregon Trail in the period before the company’s establishment. During the California Gold Rush in 1855, he operated a supply store in a mining camp before moving to Salem, Oregon, where he founded R.M. Wade & Co. The company initially supplied agricultural dealers across Oregon. By 1888, it had expanded through branches in Tillamook, McMinnville, Salem, Corvallis, Independence, and Portland, giving it a broad regional distribution network. The business remained closely associated with the Wade family. Robert Wade’s son-in-law, Edward J. Newbegin, became president in 1915. Under Newbegin’s leadership, the company produced the Wade Drag Saw, a mechanized saw introduced in the early 1930s and regarded as a predecessor of the modern chainsaw. The saw was sold internationally for several decades and became one of the company’s most notable products. In 1927, R.M. Wade & Co. acquired Multnomah Iron Works. That business later became Wade Rain, a subsidiary and an important part of the company’s irrigation operations. After Edward J. Newbegin’s death in 1929, his son Wade Newbegin became president. He led the company until 1991, a period in which R.M. Wade & Co. distributed several important agricultural and industrial product lines in the Pacific Northwest, including the Ford-Ferguson tractor, New Holland farm equipment, Howard Rotavators, and Goulds pumps. The company also established its Wade Rain Division in 1937. Wade Rain is described as one of the earliest irrigation companies in the United States and later developed an international market for farming and irrigation products. During the Second World War, R.M. Wade & Co. shifted much of its production toward ship components. Its wartime work included parts for Kaiser shipyard vessels and tugboats in Vancouver, Washington, as well as components associated with the Kaiser BB-3 airplane carrier. The company received the Maritime M award in 1945 for production excellence, recognizing its wartime manufacturing performance. The Wade family’s involvement also extended to industry organizations and education. Wade Newbegin received the Irrigation Association’s Industry Achievement Award in 1979. In 1999, Edward Newbegin, identified as a great-grandson of Robert Wade, was elected president of the Irrigation Association. The R.M. Wade Foundation supports agricultural education through an annual scholarship for excellence in teaching at Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences, along with scholarships for agricultural students in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain region. In 2004, the business was divided into two corporations. R.M. Wade continued as an agricultural-equipment distributor and real-estate holding company, while Wade Rain, based in Tualatin, Oregon, continued as the operating company for irrigation and mining products. Wade Rain has remained associated with the Newbegin family and has sold farming and irrigation products internationally. The company’s identity therefore combines regional agricultural distribution, legacy farm machinery, irrigation manufacturing, and long-term family ownership.

R.M. Wade & Co. was established in Oregon in 1865 by Robert Morris Wade. Wade had arrived in the American West as a teenager after crossing the Oregon Trail and had operated a supply store in a California mining camp during the 1855 Gold Rush period. After moving to Salem, Oregon, he founded a business supplying agricultural dealers with farm equipment and buggies. The company expanded across Oregon during the late nineteenth century. By 1888, it maintained branches in Tillamook, McMinnville, Salem, Corvallis, Independence, and Portland. This network made R.M. Wade & Co. an important regional distributor at a time when Oregon’s agricultural economy was developing and mechanized farm equipment was becoming increasingly important. Family succession shaped the company’s long-term development. Robert Wade’s son-in-law, Edward J. Newbegin, became president in 1915. During his tenure, the company developed the Wade Drag Saw, a mechanized cutting machine introduced in the early 1930s. The product became an international seller and is commonly described as a predecessor to the modern chainsaw. In 1927, R.M. Wade & Co. purchased Multnomah Iron Works, which subsequently developed into the subsidiary known as Wade Rain. Edward J. Newbegin died in 1929, and his son Wade Newbegin succeeded him as president. Wade Newbegin remained in that role until 1991. During his leadership, R.M. Wade & Co. distributed the Ford-Ferguson tractor throughout the Northwest, as well as New Holland farm equipment, Howard Rotavators, and Goulds pumps. These relationships broadened the company’s role from a local equipment seller into a regional distributor of nationally recognized agricultural machinery and water-management products. The Second World War brought a major temporary change in production. The company concentrated on ship-component manufacturing, supplying parts for Kaiser ships and tugboats built at the Kaiser shipyard in Vancouver, Washington. Its work also included components associated with the Kaiser BB-3 airplane carrier. In 1945, the company received the Maritime M award for production excellence. Irrigation became a central part of the company’s identity. R.M. Wade & Co. created the Wade Rain Division in 1937, making it one of the early irrigation companies in the United States. Wade Rain eventually operated as the company’s irrigation-focused business and developed international sales of farming and irrigation products. The company’s industry role was reinforced by Wade Newbegin’s receipt of the Irrigation Association Industry Achievement Award in 1979. In 1999, Edward Newbegin, a later-generation family member, was elected president of the Irrigation Association. The family also established a philanthropic role through the R.M. Wade Foundation. The foundation provides an annual scholarship recognizing excellence in teaching at Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences and supports agricultural students in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain region. In 2004, R.M. Wade & Co. was divided into two separate corporations. R.M. Wade retained agricultural-equipment distribution and real-estate holding activities. Wade Rain, based in Tualatin, Oregon, continued as the operating company selling irrigation and mining products. The business remains associated with the Newbegin family and represents a combination of historic Oregon agricultural distribution, irrigation manufacturing, and family enterprise.

1. 2004The company is divided into two corporations

   R.M. Wade retains distribution and real-estate activities, while Wade Rain continues as the irrigation and mining-products operating company.

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2. 1999Edward Newbegin leads the Irrigation Association

   Edward Newbegin is elected president of the Irrigation Association.

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3. 1991Wade Newbegin’s presidency ends

   Wade Newbegin’s tenure as president concludes after more than six decades of leadership.

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4. 1979Wade Newbegin receives industry award

   Wade Newbegin receives the Irrigation Association’s Industry Achievement Award.

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5. 1945Maritime M award is received

   The company is recognized for production excellence during its wartime ship-component manufacturing work.

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6. 1937Wade Rain Division is established

   The company establishes its irrigation division, later recognized as one of the early irrigation companies in the United States.

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7. 1929Wade Newbegin becomes president

   Following Edward J. Newbegin’s death, Wade Newbegin assumes the presidency and eventually leads the company until 1991.

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8. 1927Multnomah Iron Works is acquired

   R.M. Wade & Co. purchases Multnomah Iron Works, which later becomes the Wade Rain subsidiary.

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9. 1915Edward J. Newbegin becomes president

   Robert Wade’s son-in-law succeeds to the presidency and leads the company’s next period of product development and expansion.

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10. 1888Oregon branch network expands

    The company has branches in Tillamook, McMinnville, Salem, Corvallis, Independence, and Portland.

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11. 1865R.M. Wade & Co. is founded

    Robert Morris Wade establishes the company in Salem, Oregon, initially supplying farm equipment and buggies to agricultural dealers.

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A heritage Oregon agricultural-equipment company positioned around family ownership, regional farm-equipment distribution, irrigation expertise, and practical equipment for agricultural and industrial users.

• Wade Drag SawForestry and agricultural machinery

  The Wade Drag Saw was a mechanized saw developed by R.M. Wade & Co. under Edward J. Newbegin’s leadership. Introduced in the early 1930s, it is notable as a predecessor of the common chainsaw. The product was sold internationally for several decades and became the company’s best-known historical equipment innovation.

• Wade Rain irrigation equipmentIrrigation equipment1937

  Wade Rain is the irrigation business created within R.M. Wade & Co. in 1937 and later developed from the Multnomah Iron Works acquisition. It sells farming, irrigation, and mining-related products and has served customers beyond the United States.

• Ford-Ferguson tractorsAgricultural machinery

  R.M. Wade & Co. distributed Ford-Ferguson tractors throughout the Northwest during Wade Newbegin’s presidency, making the company a regional channel for an important tractor line.

• New Holland farm equipmentAgricultural equipment

  The company distributed New Holland farm equipment in the Pacific Northwest as part of its broader agricultural machinery portfolio.

• Howard RotavatorsSoil-cultivation equipment

  Howard Rotavators were among the farm implements distributed by R.M. Wade & Co. during Wade Newbegin’s long presidency.

• Goulds pumpsAgricultural and water-management equipment

  Goulds pumps formed part of the company’s historical distribution portfolio, complementing its agricultural and irrigation-equipment activities.

• 2004Separation of R.M. Wade and Wade RainStrategy

  The family business had developed distinct distribution, real-estate, and irrigation operations.

  What changed. The company was reorganized into two corporations. R.M. Wade remained an agricultural-equipment distributor and real-estate holding company, while Wade Rain continued as the operating irrigation and mining-products business.

  Aftermath. The restructuring clarified the roles of the two businesses while preserving the company’s agricultural and irrigation focus.

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• 1937Creation of the Wade Rain DivisionStrategy

  The company identified irrigation as a distinct and strategically important agricultural-equipment market.

  What changed. R.M. Wade & Co. established the Wade Rain Division as a dedicated irrigation business.

  Aftermath. Wade Rain became one of the company’s principal operating businesses and developed international sales.

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• 1927Acquisition of Multnomah Iron WorksM&A

  R.M. Wade & Co. expanded its industrial and irrigation capabilities by purchasing Multnomah Iron Works.

  What changed. The acquired business was incorporated into the company and later became the Wade Rain subsidiary.

  Aftermath. The acquisition provided the foundation for the company’s long-term irrigation business.

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• 2004R.M. Wade & Co. separates its distribution and operating businesses

  The company was divided into two corporations: R.M. Wade continued as an agricultural-equipment distributor and real-estate holding company, while Wade Rain continued as the irrigation and mining-products operating business.

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• 1979Wade Newbegin receives Irrigation Association Industry Achievement Award

  Wade Newbegin was recognized by the Irrigation Association for his contribution to the irrigation industry.

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• 1945R.M. Wade & Co. receives Maritime M award for wartime production

  The company received the Maritime M award for production excellence associated with its Second World War manufacturing work.

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1. R.M. Wade & Co.