Willard Lamb Velie (1866 – October 24, 1928) was a businessman based in Moline, Illinois.

His uncle was architect Merton Yale Cady, husband of Alice Deere.

Stephen Velie had moved to Rock Island, Illinois to work for the C. C. Webber & Company.

In 1863, he entered into a partnership with his father-in-law, and when the company was incorporated, he was elected to the offices of secretary and treasurer.

In 1890, Velie returned to Moline and began working at Deere & Company as a clerk.

When his cousin William Butterworth became president of Deere & Company in 1908, Velie was elected vice-president.

[5] While this appeared to be a conflict of interest Velie was a strong supporter of Deere & Company’s acquisition or development of a tractor.

Estimates of how many motor vehicles Velie produced in the two decades the factory was in operation range between 75,000[8] to 300,000.

[8] The U.S. Navy chose the Velie engine along with seven others as the best automobile motors for adaptation to military use.

Other winners included the Brewster, Duesenberg, Fiat, Hispano-Suiza, Isotta Fraschini, Marmon and Packard.

[9] The United States Department of Commerce awarded the Velie Monocoupe its highest rating, and plans were developed to build a four seat monocoach.

A month later Willard Jr. stopped the production of automobiles and sold the company's interests to an Indianapolis firm.

Four months later, Willard Jr. died and the airplane interests were sold to a St. Louis, Missouri firm.

The slopes toward the river were planted with 21 grape varieties from southern France, and the family produced their own private label wine.

[6] The grounds also featured a conservatory that housed banana trees, a putting green, sculptured gardens and a ski run that extended to the river.