Rt. 1, Box 193 Washington, West Virginia 26181
The second annual Wood County Flywheelers plowing contest took
place April 1995, at the H. D. Cox farm in Belleville, West
Virginia. The plowing took place on a Saturday which was cloudy and
cold, along the great Ohio River which is rich in history. In years
gone by, the great steamboats plied the river with regal majesty,
with their towering smokestacks belching smoke while the big paddle
wheels propelled them with ease. Today the river is still quite
busy with the modern diesel engines propelling great loads up and
down the river.
The site of the plowing was within a hundred yards of where old
Fort Belleville once stood. The fort was built in 1785, one of the
first built in this area. Constructed to protect the settlers from
Indian attack, the fort served its purpose well.
As the participants and spectators began to arrive early in the
morning, they were treated to some beautiful scenes of nature, such
as the white-tailed deer scurrying from the tall grass in which
they had spent the night; the Canadian geese lifting off the river
and forming the very familiar V wedge as they flew up river and the
cottontail rabbits scurrying out before the tractors.
The sections were staked off and the plowing began around
9:00 a.m., with the winner of the horse-drawn class being Mark
Watkins of Washington, West Virginia, and Hop Somerville of Mineral
Wells, West Virginia. The drag plow class was next with Dave
Francis from Parkersburg, West Virginia, taking first place and
Earnest Francis from Washington, West Virginia, taking second. In
the mounted plow class, first place went to Tom Rinehart from
Walker, West Virginia, and second to Jerry Fleak of Washington,
West Virginia. The trophy given to the oldest person plowing went
to Earnest Francis.
We congratulate H those who won the contest, and also all those
who participated, along with the spectators who came to watch. We
hope everyone had a good time; everyone is invited to come spend
the day next year. Whether you plow or watch, everyone is welcome.
The date for 1996 is April 20. For information call Jim Atkinson at
(304) 863-6342 or write him at Rt. 3, Box 165, Washington, WV
26181.
