Corydon, Iowa 50060
The Ia-Mo, a newly formed Iowa and Missouri Gas Engine and Old
Tractor Club went into action for the first time as a Club, July 1,
2, 3, 4, at the Lemons, Missouri Centennial Celebration.
Practically all club members were present at sometime or other for
this event. I missed this show and had to rely on several of the
members for news of this celebration.
There were 32 gas engines on display. Dano Davis and Eso
Williamson had their Case steam engine going all the days of this
event. Dano, who held down many jobs at this celebration was too
busy to operate the engine, so Pearl Binau of Allerton, Iowa came
to the rescue. Pearl grew up around steam engines and now though he
is retired, is in his second or third childhood (he isn’t sure
which) going around and operating steam engines at various
shows.
The Lemons Parade was over two miles long. Kenny Lupton, the
Ia-Mo vice-president was on Channel 3 TV station helping them show
the parade. Dano Davis received first prize for his beard. He said
he nearly tore it out before the celebration was over.
This celebration was helped out in the gas engine section by
several members from the Central Hawkeye Club. The Ries boys from
Murray, Iowa were there with nice exhibits. Richard Gladlock from
Mendon, Missouri came with a trailer load of engines and Leroy and
Shirley Fry from Mendon, Mo. came with a trailer load of old
machinery (more about this later). I also heard there were around
160 head of horses in the parade. The Barrackman Brothers from
Centerville, Iowa bought a nice cross motor Case tractor to the
show which ‘konked’ out as the parade started.
Howard Ferris of Centerville, Iowa came to the rescue with a GP
John Deere and towed it through the parade. After the parade, as
you would guess, the cross motor Case started and ran fine. Eso
Williamson of Corydon, Iowa took a trailer load of old items to
this show. I was able to get a picture of Eso’s display here in
Corydon. It consisted of an old wooden two-row corn planter, a
wheelbarrow seeder, an upright Witte pump engine, pump and water
trough and an old hand powered washing machine. I was sorry to miss
the show as I know these Missouri people treat you so many
different ways. You are sure to be pleased with some of them.
The Ia-Mo club members had only time to catch their breath when
it was time to go into action again. This time it was the Elm Grove
threshing show July 16 and 17. This show was held at the Bernard
Moore Farm, a few miles East of Centerville, Iowa. This show was
held on top of a hill in a newly cut hay field. A green corn field
on one wide with a touch of golden oat stubble on one end-truely a
midwest farm sight at its best. A nice machine shed on this
location was used for indoor exhibits. A model steam engine display
was shown by Tom Bear of Centerville, Iowa. Ray Ewing of
Unionville, Mo. had a large barbed wire collection. Hank Strickler
of Centerville displayed his collection of Indian relics. Other
exhibits were some exotic poultry by the Darioh Exotic Poultry
Farm. I neglected to get their address.
Also old guns and tools were on display. A new hay shed was
lined with planks set on concrete blocks, so people could rest for
awhile in the shade. An excellent food stand was on hand, going
strong with sandwiches and cold pop.
I counted the old tractors in the line-up and totaled 34, but
this wasn’t ail, as other tractors were running all over the
place. In this line-up there were many John Deere and McCormick
Deerings, two nice Fordsons, a cross motor Case, a Model T Ford
with Smith tractor attachment and a Doodlebug tractor made from a
1916 Buick Car. Thirty years ago, a lot of farmers in this area
made these for plowing.
In the old machinery line I counted forty old farm implements.
Soon I met the Frys of Mendon, of whom I mentioned before and they
had a trailer load of nicely restored farm machinery such as 1
horse cornstalk grain drill and an item that in Kansas we called a
sled weeder. Mr. Fry said that down in their country they called
them ‘Go Devils.’ They had many tools etc. all nicely
restored. I understand they have one of the finest and largest
collections of old horse machinery in the Midwest.
This part of the country used to be dotted with many coal mines
and an exhibit I really enjoyed was a section of mine rails with an
old mine car on them and the last coal mine pony alive, ‘Old
Bill’, age 32 years.
Going over into the gas engine section, I met the Ries boys from
Murry. This kept my record straight, as I have been to a show I
didn’t see at least one of the Ries. George Archer from Des
Moines, Iowa was on hand as was Rich and Pat Parsons from
Indianola. Rich displayed some unusual old electric toy engines and
Pat, who is the new secretary of Central Hawkeye Club, was handing
out membership books for members of the club, and selling the new
Hawkeye Club hats and watch fobs. Pat is a great gal and we are
sure glad to have her on the team.
Riley Perkins from Unionville brought a Stover 2 HP engine to
show. Riley is new to the gas engine game and I think this was his
first show.
A number of years ago, I met Don Ellison from Unionville (he is
the Ia-Mo club secretary) at a show at the Living History Farms
Show at the edge of Des Moines, Iowa. At this time, Don showed an
itty-bitty Stover engine. I had an idea then, Don would grow and he
did. He showed up at this show with a big Associated 6 HP engine
that he had liberated from a blacksmith shop at West-Grove.
I met Max Hammond of Ottumo, Iowa. Max brought a Galloway 3 HP,
an International Famous 2 HP and an F-M 2 HP. Max is building a
model Rumely Oil Pull.
One of the most unrestored engines I ever saw was a Fuller and
Johnson upright pump Jack engine displayed by a Mr. Wilson of
Moravia. This old engine looked like it had been used for a boat
anchor for the past fifty years, yet it ran beautifully! I hope to
meet Mr. Wilson again and learn more about this engine and yes, it
was pumping water and the water was rusty too.
Howard Ferris of Centerville brought his 35 HP Reid engine. This
came from the oil fields of Oklahoma and at home, Howard runs it on
propane. He also brought a Fairbanks Morse 10 HP engine.
The Barrackman Bros, were all over the place doing something. I
think the show was held on one of the boys farms last year.
Threshing was done with a Case separator owned by Bernard Moore.
The separator man was Wendell Innman of Sewol, Iowa. This was like
old times to Wendell, as the separator was originally owned by his
father.
At times I was there, power was furnished by a 1939 F-20 owned
by Jerry Barrackman. There were other engines, that I did not get
to meet the owners. There was an Ottaway drag saw working.
Eso Williamson brought his exhibit to this show, but was not on
hand Sunday. Eso was stricken with enginitis and antique pox at the
same time. He came to the show Saturday for treatment, then went to
an antique sale Sunday for further treatment. The way Eso keeps
bringing interesting items into our area, we all hope he never gets
cured.
I brought my No. 3 grandson, Troy Nickel to this show. This
little almost five year old wrangled a ride on Earl Elliot’s
pony wagon and before I knew what was happening, he was in the
parade.
This is the kind of a show you feel at loss to write up. You
feel you need a movie camera complete with sound to do the job
right. An instamatic camera and a ball point pen doesn’t do it
justice. This show needs more advertising and I have already gotten
out my tom-tom and am sending messages to all of my tribe telling
them to get ready for next year.