Gro-Mor Cultivator
Home GroMor HistoryPhoto GalleryGroMor AdsGroMor ModelsClassifieds & Links

The Frank Held Tractor Company        Columbus, Ohio        Est. 1921
Frank Held's Life & Family

Frank Held's Timeline

March 24, 1885- Born to Mathias and Barbara Held
July 26, 1906- Married Anna Barbara Pestel
1907- Son Mathias Held Born
1908-Daughter Ida Held Born
1909-Son Clarence Held Born
1912-Daughter Alberta Held Born
1914- Son Oliver Held Born
1916- Daughter Selma Held Born
1918-Son George Held Born
Summer 1919- Had the idea to built a cultivator with a motor.
Fall 1919- Traveled to Milwaukee, WI to purchase Briggs & Statton Motor
Winter 1919- Built the first GroMor Cultivator
1920- First Gromor used and 10 more were built
1921- The Frank Held Tractor Company was incorportated
1923- Daughter Alma Held Born
1924-The Frank Held Tractor Company had a setback due to fire.
1927- Daughter Dorothy Held Born
1928-Frank Held Tractor Company sold to Conner Hoe & Tool 
1929- Frank Held Company dissolved.
1930- Became a distributor for Cletrac Tractors
1930- Served as Secretary for The National Vegetable Grower Association December 1931- Purchased 106 Acre farm in S. Bloomfield. In front of the farm  on State Rt. 23,  there used to be 2 large elm trees in the center of the highway, instead of cutting the elm trees down, the road jogged around the trees.  Frank Held named his farm Twin Elms Fruit & Vegetable Gardens. 
August 3, 1933- Frank Held passed away at age 48 



Frank Held
Frank Held with his bride, Anna Barbara Pestel on their wedding day,  Jul 26, 1906.
Frank Held tending to his bees.
Frank Held
Frank Held's son operating their Cletrac tractor on their 106 acre farm in South Bloomfield, Ohio. After the Frank Held Tractor Company was sold, he became a Cletrac distributor.
Frank Held's son operating their Cletrac tractor on their 106 acre farm in South Bloomfield, Ohio. After the Frank Held Tractor Company was sold, he became a Cletrac distributor.
Frank Held's sons, Clarence and Oliver, operating their Cletrac tractor on their 106 acre farm in South Bloomfield, Ohio. After the Frank Held Tractor Company was sold, he became a Cletrac distributor.
Frank Held's wife Anna with her children,  Ida, Clarence, Alma, Selma, Alberta, Oliver and Dorothy.
Frank Held's photo in 1930 as the Secretary of the National Vegetable Growers Accociation.
The 1930 Annual Report of the Vegetable Grower's Association of America where Frank Held served as Secretary.
That’s Dorothy and Alma on top.  Looks like Clarence in the passenger seat. Picture courtesy of Ray Kollar from St. Louis, Missouri.
Pictured above in front row from left: Barbara Held, Fred Long, Mathias Held, Grossmom Pestel and in her arms Melvin Corder. Back Row from left: Ida Lond, Frank Held, Anna Barbara Held (Schleppi) and Alberta Corder. Picture was taken Circa July 1931
Click on a picture to enter the gallery.