Old Time Steam Threshers & Sawmill Operators

Jim Whitbey Farm on Carroll Road

The Old Time Steam Threshers and Sawmill Operators Reunion was one of the early steam shows and took place on the Jim Whitbey farm on Carroll Road, north of Fort Wayne. It was the predecessor of today's Maumee Valley Antique Steam and Gas Engine show held at Jefferson Township park, east of New Haven, Indiana. The Whitbey Show was my first exposure to working steam engines; our great uncle, John Merkey, took my brother David and me to this show around 1954 or 1955, and got us started in the hobby with a 1hp International Harvester Mogul gas engine that lay half-buried in the dirt in his hog house, where it had been used to hold a door open.

When I took these photos 1962 I was home on a weekend pass from a USAF detachment at Indiana University at Bloomington. I have earlier ones taken in the late 1950's as well as a few later ones that I'll add when I find time to scan them.

Bruce Maxwell's 1928 25-45 Model T crossmotor Case

1922 Hart-Parr 15-30 owned by T.E. Werling

Jay Gould (wearing hat, near right end of stage) was farm program director of Radio Station WOWO and host of The Little Red Barn, a morning farm program heard over a wide portion of the US

1910 Case 10 horsepower steam traction engine

Crankcase of 28-50 Hart-Parr tractor

I'm not sure who this was, but it might have been Harry Woodmansee. He had a reputation for driving his engine to the top of the climbing hill, actually just a pile of dirt, and turning it around there. This was an extremely dangerous stunt that could have killed a lot of people if anything had gone wrong, and it should not have been allowed. Now, I don't know of any show where an operator could get away with it. Nobody would insure a show that permitted this kind of insanity, and that would put an end to the show.

30-60 Horsepower Aultman Taylor tractor. On the platform is Rob Rhodes, from Garden Grove, California, one of two USAF buddies who accompanied me home from Bloomington that weekend.

Return-flue Huber steam traction engine converted to burn heating oil. The owner said it burned 10 gallons/hour just to keep enough steam to idle around the show grounds. That was expensive then, and it would be unthinkable at today's prices.

Jones Port Huron double compound road locomotive

Sawmill

Harold Gay's Banting Greyhound steam traction engine providing power for the sawmill

John Narhwold's scale-model Port Huron engine powering a very old hand-fed wood threshing machine. I think the threshing machine belonged to Rolland Maxwell.

Threshing. Look at the size of that crowd!

David Pence's 28-50 Hart-Parr tractor. In the right background you can see the back end of my 1956 Ford, and in the left background you can see David's 25-horsepower IHC Famous engine, now owned by Mark Schuller. The 25-hp Famous originally was on a tractor, and ended up in a small sawmill owned by Mr. Fred Parker outside Ypsilanti, Michigan. The fellow sitting on the fender of the Hart Parr with his back to the camera is John Caffas, another USAF buddy from Renovo, Pennsylvania.

Rolland Maxwell's Robert L George engine and Fordson Tractor

The gentleman in the bib overalls, blue shirt and cap, approaching in the right background is Rolland

Irvin Bandelier getting ready to plow with his 21-75 Baker engine

Advance Rumely engine belted to a Baker Fan for some exercise

Dust mitigation

1931 Chevrolet

1928 Ford Model T

1933 Pierce Arrow awaiting restoration

Under the hood on a 1933 Auburn V-12

Sawing shingles with Rumely Oil Pull tractor for power

Harold Gay's gas engines