These quotes are from the MDT website on their history
MTD began as The Modern Tool and Die Company in 1932 in Cleveland, Ohio. Back then, we provided stamping, dies and tooling for other manufacturers, eventually diversifying into consumer products.
1959 MTD began manufacturing lawn mowers, garden tractors, and other outdoor power equipment.
1981 MTD acquired the Cub Cadet® product line from International Harvester.
2001 MTD acquired Troy-Bilt® from GardenWay®.
It is possible that MDT acquired the Yard Smith line from Magna as Magna American Corporation discontinued product lines in the 1960's. As noted in the second quote they were in direct competition with Yuba Power Products followed by Magna American Corporation for the Yard Smith line from 1959 into the 1960's. Over the years MDT has started and acquired several product lines. As for the MDT mowers using Briggs & Straton motors I have had 2 of the 20" MDT mowers in the past and if I recall it correctly, they had 3.5 HP Briggs & Straton motors.
Like the postings here, those on the Tractor Forum are what someone knows or someone believes to be true. I try to use reliable sources but it can be difficult sometimes to sort the fiction from the facts.
