William Zimmerman
1849-1940. Lone Tree farmer and industrialist whose family home was just east of town shaded by the town’s namesake tree, built a stump puller sold in 23 countries, employing more than 40 in the town of 900. Born in Germany, he became a Lone Tree area farmer in 1869, eventually opening a hardware and lumber business, which began making windmills and stock watering tanks before he established Zimmerman Steel in 1895 to manufacture Monarch brand stump pullers. His five sons all worked in the business, which was moved to Bettendorf during 1918 to be nearer supplies and shipping.