4777 Upper Valley Pike, Dayton, Ohio 45424
The 14th Annual Reunion was held by the Mid-America Threshing
and Antique, Inc. of Tipton, Ind., August 12, 13, and 14. This
year’s president, Terry Ploughe, was greatly interested in
having a successful show featuring the Minneapolis-Moline line of
equipment. The Prairie Gold Rush Show was on with over 120 tractors
and many other types of machinery of the same color. The details
were in the capable hands of Mark Henderson and his wife.
Mark’s father, Don, made a sizable contribution to the success
of the show before his untimely passing.
It was evident by the rows of Prairie Gold that this equipment
had been sold by many dealers in the area. Visible over all the
others the A4T-1600 was the doyen of the clan. Even though there
were scores of tractors, there were few duplicates. Guy Alspaugh,
the Uniking, brought four of his fourteen, including a rare manure
spreader. Don Kingen was up front with his very nice un-restored
RCAB and UDLX. Nearby was the famous 1938 UDLX belonging to Francis
Sutherland of Harrisville, Pa., who brought his display the
greatest distance. In the window of the Sutherland tractor, was a
sign that said 150 UDLX tractors were made and 77 are known to
exist.
Across from the hospitality tent was Ernest Weissert’s NXT,
1944 Navy Jeep. This beautiful rare piece was the result of an
accidental find in Florida and months of meticulous restoration.
The people in the crowd surrounding the Jeep focused their
attention on the modified Z engine installation and the auxiliary
transmission between the engine and normal transmission. The Jeep
performed as it did when new in 1944. It was a true resurrection,
verified by the before pictures Ernest had.
Also in the limelight was Rex Mercer’s ZASI tractor, an Air
Force contract tractor which was beautifully restored and painted
Prairie Gold to the same perfection as Rex’s Minneapolis-Moline
Super Four.
In the afternoon parade we saw a UTS Propane, which we all had
seen at Ed Welter’s. It has since been purchased by an Indiana
couple. I’m sure Ed and Sally saw other M M tractors there that
they had once owned. The parade not only included most of the M M
tractors, but scores of other makes that filled the
showgrounds.
The many steam engines with their smoke and whistles kept
informing us it was an early day farming celebration. The horses
and mules were busy working ground and hauling passengers. Those
who didn’t mind dirt on their prize tractors were also working
ground.
The big crowd of attendees periodically made it to the
hospitality tent for a cool drink and to see old friends. Wendel
Kingsley and his wife left their collection of nearly forty M M in
Miller, Missouri, to see everyone and sell some literature. Roger
Baumgartner was looking good after his siege of illness. Merv Simon
of Ross-burg, Ohio, was there inviting all to see his collection
when the M M collectors have a winter meeting at Sidney, Ohio, for
the last week in February. Rosie Baumgartner. was busy selling
tickets for the banquet. Virgil and Betty Harland spent time
telling about the successful M M collectors show in Nebraska.
Saturday passed too quickly and the evening found over 200
Prairie Gold collectors following Mark Henderson to the school
across the street where the banquet was held. It was a wonderful
dinner prepared by the Methodist ladies of Tipton. It was a fun
time to talk to other enthusiastic collectors. Don Sutherland came
all the way from Paris, Ontario, to tell about his 37 Minnies and
invited all to attend Springfest 89 at Coryn Farm Supplies,
Canandaigua, New York.
During the program Rosie called the names of the lucky gift
winners.
Marvin Henderson, a dealer from Clayton, Ind., gave an
interesting talk. Dave Stangle of Kewanna told about his
experiences pulling tractors. Miss Christina Gerhart of Tip-ton
spoke as ‘Miss Minnie Mo PGR Queen’. And everyone laughed
when Dave Chittick was given a Canadian chain saw-a carpenter saw
handle with chain attached. Many then left, like Mike and Suzanne
Wheeley from Woodburn, Ky., who wanted to get on toward home
Saturday night. Dave Chittick and Murray Perkins with others played
music while others talked on into the night.
