Route 1, Box 332 Adena, Ohio 43901
The 1988 Stumptown Steam Threshers Reunion was blessed with
beautiful weather this year. The show got off to a flying start
with prayer by member Lester Nabb and the raising of ‘Old
Glory’ by the Cadiz Boy Scouts while the Star Spangled Banner
was played on an antique music box. After the opening ceremonies,
the usual sawing, threshing, baling, shingle making, cornmeal
grinding, power-eater generator. Baker fan and the operations of
gas engines, tractors, etc., began and continued until the noon
whistles.
At 12:45, the Ladies Auxiliary announced the 1988 Thresherman of
the Year and the Thresherman Queen. Mr. and Mrs. John Graham (John
&. Doris) were crowned by last year’s winners, Henry
Niemiec and Carolyn Fraley. One o’clock featured the slow
engine race and the block race. The slow engine race was won by
Jared Crowe of Navarre, Ohio on his 20 HP Minneapolis in the
antique class and Bill Reese of Canton, Ohio won on his ? scale
Case in that class. In the block race, John McDowell of Plainfield,
Ohio was the winner in the antique class and there were no
contestants in the ? scale class.
The usual sawing, threshing and grinding continued until 3:30
when the Young Farmers and Wives Pedal Tractor Pulling Club held
the pedal tractor pull with 83 contestants entering. Winners in
Class I (30 to 45 pounds) were Jamie Jendrura of Bethesda, Ohio and
Jared Crowe of Navarre, Ohio. Class II winners (46 to 60 lbs.) were
Lynn Bosio of Uhrichsville, Ohio and Matt Modra of Shadyside, Ohio.
Class III winners (61 to 75 lbs.) were Mike Mercer of St.
Clairsville, Ohio and John Schultz of Rayland, Ohio. Class IV
winners (76 to 90 lbs.) were Chad Hughes of Tempernsville, Ohio and
Mandy Williams of St. Clairsville, Ohio. Class V (91 to 105 lbs.)
winners Rusty Duncan, of Cadiz, Ohio and Chris Compher of Jewett,
Ohio.
At 6:00, the Ohio Valley Promenaders put on a square dancing and
clogging demonstration. The square dancers had people from the
audience participate later on. At 7:30, the old-time fiddling
contest got underway with 11 contestants. Winners in the under 60
class were: 1st, Gina Fair of Shadyside, Ohio; 2nd, Carrie Dillon
of Woodsfield, Ohio and 3rd, Clarence Miller of Brilliant, Ohio.
Winners in the 60 and over were: 1st, Don Wilson of St.
Clairsville, Ohio; 2nd, Dan Laslo of Martins Ferry, Ohio and 3rd,
Jim Ady of Woods-field, Ohio. After the contest, a ’round
robin’ fiddle playing continued with several singers
participating. Between the two classes, 88 year old Carl Porter of
Cadiz, Ohio played four tunes on his mouth organ. Prior to the
contest, Ed Cole played several songs on his homemade Dulcimer.
Sunday’s show started off with church services led by Marion
Rogers from Freeport, Ohio and singing by Mindy Roush of Flushing,
Ohio.
After church services, the usual activities continued until the
noon whistles. At 1:00, the wagon backing contest featuring gas
tractors without power steering was held. In the open class, Bob
Murphy was the winner with a Farmall M and Norb Wilhelm was the
second winner with a Farmall Super C. In the previous years’
winners’ class, Bob Murphy was again the winner on the Farmall
M and Dave Murphy was the second winner with a Super C Farmall.
At 2:30, the Ladies Auxiliary held their quilt drawing and Mary
Grant of Jacobsburg, Ohio was the winner. After the quilt drawing,
the last threshing and baling was completed just in time for the
parade. Prior to the parade, a drawing was held for a clock made on
an engine plate, a miniature wooden steam engine and two membership
drawings. The clock was won by Richard Diehl of Deerfield, Ohio who
had predicted earlier that he would be winning the clock. The steam
engine was won by Mary Ann Smith of Shady side, Ohio and Marty
Litten of Flushing, Ohio and Andy McDonald of New Cumberland, West
Virginia won the membership drawings.
There were approximately 2000 paid admissions for Saturday’s
show and about 1500 paid admissions for Sunday. Equipment at the
show was as follows: 3 threshers, 2 balers, 1 model baler, 8 full
size traction steam engines, 2 full size portable steam engines,
one ? scale portable steam engine, two ? scale steam traction
engines, three ? scale steam traction engines, 87 tractors, 338 gas
engines, 8 models and stationary steam engines, several model gas
engines, an implement seat display, and a working blacksmith, 2
large toy tractor displays, a shingle mill, corn meal grinder,
power eater generator and fan, a full size sawmill and ? scale
sawmill. The teeter-totter was a real success with several fellows
being able to balance and some failing. Cornmeal was ground on a
stone burr mill and 395 bags of cornmeal were sold. Darel Murphy
had made several canes with Stumptown written on them which were a
hot selling item. Souvenir cups and plates were also sold. The cups
featured a 1935 R.C. Case owned by the Flowers family and the plate
featured the 6 HP portable Russell engine owned by the Francis
Young family of East Sparta.
The Stumptown Ladies Auxiliary were successful with their crafts
and rummage sale. Both eating stands were busy along with the
lemonade stand, ice cream stand and the pop corn stand. The New
Athens Fire Department specialized in cornbread and bean soup.
There were also several flea markets.
The Stumptown Show tries to have something interesting for all
ages and gender. The officers and directors wish to thank all who
came to the show whether they be exhibitors or spectators. Without
the spectators we couldn’t have a show and without the
exhibitors, the spectators would have nothing to see. We thank the
Bannock Coal and the Ohio Rivers Colliers for the coal, the Carson
Company for the oil and the Consol Coal Company for the use of the
grounds and emergency supplies.
Next year’s show is the weekend after Labor Day, September 9
&. 10, 1989.