3203 Norton Road, Radnor, Ohio 43066
Once again Father’s Day weekend came to Marion, Ohio,
bringing with it the Marion County Steam and Gas Engine
Society’s annual show. It was their 18th show, and was held on
the Marion County Fairgrounds. Early on set-up day, Thursday, June
16, exhibits rolled onto the grounds. The Huber equipment line was
the 1995 feature, and there were fifty Huber exhibits. Richard and
Dorothy Buckwoldt of Dixion, Iowa, Barney Dusseau and his wife of
Grayton, Ohio, and Don and Marty Huber (no relation to the great
inventor and innovator Edward Huber) from Moline, Illinois, brought
several semi-truck loads of Huber tractors. One of them was Don
Huber’s 1928 25-50, which appears on the April page of the
Dupont Antique Tractor Calendar. Another was Marty Huber’s 1943
Huber HK tractor, which was a twin to Mose Miller and Gerald
Brenley’s HK. They hail from Baltic, Ohio.
Burdell Huber from Bluffton, Ohio, brought his 1925 15-30 Huber
tractor. Dan Ehler dings brought his 1916 15-30 Huber tractor
which, when he bought it, was in pieces with some pretty important
parts missing. Some of these were pistons, valves, guides, a cam
gear and many other parts which were present and badly damaged.
Restoration began in 1991 and went on for four years, picking up
speed at the end because Dan wanted to have it put together for the
Marion Show. At show time it was not in running condition, but it
was easy to see that when all the kinks are worked out Dan will
have a great Huber collectible to his credit. Dan has stated that
at some future date he may donate this machine to the Huber Museum
where many more people can see and appreciate its original design.
I’m sure all will marvel at Dan’s restoration work. One of
the rare Hubers on exhibit was Dan Ehlerding’s 1916 15-30 which
was featured in an article in Antique Power magazine (Nov-Dec
1995).
One of the most interesting Huber tractors at the show was never
un loaded. It was a quarter-scale Huber steam engine which was
crafted by Paul Jacobs of Toledo, Ohio. It is fully functioning and
was demonstrated using compressed air, but could easily run on the
traditional coal/wood and water. Another unusual display was of
Huber road equipment, manufactured in the Fifties, owned by Marion
County and still in use by the county, after forty years of
service. Ed Axhelm, Parker Garwich and Gary Bader were in charge of
the tractor displays while Howard Hinnamon set up the gas engine
displays.
Edward Huber was one of Marion’s first philanthropists. He
had a hand in nearly every good thing in Marion’s early
history, including manufacturing as well as institutions for the
public good, like the first library, and the Young Men’s
Christian Association (YMCA). He founded a bank so money would be
available to his workers to build homes of their own. His first in
vention was a reversible wooden hay rake, and when he found the
necessary woods in plenty in the Marion area, he settled here and
set up a business which, over the years, expanded to foreign
markets and was responsible for the manufacture of the large earth
moving equipment which made the building of the Panama Canal
possible. The machinery Huber manufactured was popular for its
utility and now it has become popular among antique collectors. To
honor Huber’s memory, a museum is being built in Marion,
Ohio.
During the show, the Edward Huber Memorial Association dedicated
the new Huber Museum which is being constructed on the Marion
County Fairgrounds. Anna May Schwaderer, a member of the Society
and also president of the Edward Huber Memorial Association, was in
charge of the drive to raise funds for the museum, and this need
for funds continues until the interior of the display and meeting
area are complete in the final stages of the effort. The shell had
been completed by show time. On hand for the ceremonies were Mayor
of Marion, Jack Kellogg; Kirk Moreland and John Watkins, county
commissioners; WMRN radio reporter Terry Cole; and Charlie Evers,
who heads up the Marion Area Office of Travel and Tourism. Show
patrons, Society members and officers attended. Stanley Winck,
Society president, presided.
Surprisingly, though the Huber name has been a dead issue in the
machinery manufacturing business for some time, like a Phoenix
rising, the Huber name once more appears on a piece of road grading
equipment. Don Braden of Galion, Ohio, has acquired the patents and
rights to produce a maintainer, bearing the Huber name, and has
already sold fifty or more across the country. The first and
‘youngest Huber,’ a 1995 Huber maintainer was on exhibition
at the show.
We were delighted to welcome back ‘Old ’79,’ the
oldest intact John Deere tractor, owned by Frank and Irene Hansen.
Their documentation proves this tractor’s claim to fame, and
enchants us when we learn it was once sold as scrap for five
dollars, and after restoration and documentation, has been
appraised for a million dollars. It is a one of a kind exhibit.
Often Stanley Winck powers the stationary saw mill owned by the
Society with his steam engine, but this year a breakdown rendered
it out of commission, so Bill Kennedy, of Grafton, Ohio, put his
1914 Gaar Scott and Company steam engine to the job. It is a 20 HP
machine built in Richmond, Indiana. Bernard Theil was at the saw
mill controls.
Winck’s 1921 28-48 Superior Huber thresher, serial #16134,
was used during an active demonstration. At first it wouldn’t
cooperate, but with a little tender love and coaxing it hummed
along. Helpers were Bob Judson, David Baxter, Tom Myers and Stanley
Winck. This is really ‘Hot’ work.
The show is noisy, busy and loaded with fun, like looking over
the Henry Hardin Motorcycle Show, which is a show within the steam
show; or checking out Stanley Winck’s washing machine display
trailer; or the kid’s tractor pull; or the antique tractor
pulls for the ‘big boys’ on two separate nights; or the
growing antique car and truck display and the parades.
Many explore the Flea Market or check out the Craft Show for
unexpected finds. Good food, interesting displays are satisfying,
and there is always something new to see and new to learn. We’d
love to welcome you at next year’s show.
For the 1996 information brochure listing chairmen and their
phone numbers, send a self-addressed stamped business envelope to
1996 Information, 585 Cleveland Ave., Marion, OH 43320.
