713 Brookman Hall, Vermillion, S. Dak. 57069.
(A story of the Collection of My Father’s Antiques. Owned by
James W. Beukelman, Corsica, S. D.)
I believe that my father would be the first one to admit that
antiques are like alcohol: They really get into your system.
My father, James W. Beukelman of Corsica, S. D., began his
collection about four years ago. He was driving along a South
Dakota highway when he spotted a 14 x 28 Rumely ‘Oil Pull’.
He knew the owner of the tractor, so he stopped at the farm and
bought the tractor. Last winter, my father finished restoring the
tractor. The ‘Oil Pull’ took parts from many states and
most of them came from Kansas. The 14 x 28 was just the
beginning.
That same year, my father acquired a ten horse power Otto
engine. The engine has a round connecting rod, a side cam shaft,
and no carburetor. The engine was hauled home from Lake Andes, and
was restored to running order. The Otto has no real carburetion
system; a valve controls the intake of gas into the engine.
Later, he picked up a ten horse power Mogul Engine along the
Missouri River, straight south of Platte. The Mogul was complete
except for the magneto. After a few weeks, the owner of the Mogul
gas engine found the magneto and wrote my father telling him that
the magneto was good and could be used.
The Mogul engine has a side cam shaft, the original trailer, and
the original cast iron seat.
Next came a six horse power Economy engine near Delmont. My
father also purchased a Galloway at the same place. The six horse
power Galloway has been restored to a running condition.
A few small John Deere and International engines were added to
the collection. They seem to be quite prevalent in the Corsica
area. My father also picked up Fairbanks-Morse and Cushman Engines.
The Cushman engines are probably rarer in our area than the
Fairbanks-Morse engines.
On a trip to the Black Hills, my father purchased three Novo
vertical engines. He sold two of these to friends. My father still
has a six horse power Novo to be restored.
Two of the rarer engines are the Emerson engine of about one and
a half horse power and a Knowlton engine manufactured at Canton. My
father also bought an Associates engine of about two horse power.
Associates engines are getting very rare in the area.
My father also owns a 1923 spoke flywheel D John Deere. The D
John Deere was the first true John Deere out of the factory. He
purchased this tractor near Stickney.
My father bought an early model Rumely ‘Oil Pull ‘at
Lincoln, Nebraska. This tractor is not restored and is a newer
model like the 25 x 50.
One unusual tractor is the 1924 Huber. The four cylinder
standard model was purchased near Vermillion. The engine was not
stuck. All that was needed to start the tractor was gasoline.
An early model Hart-Parr was purchased near Delmont and soon
will be restored.
An old eight bottom plow of John Deere origin was recently
purchased from a man near Delmont. The plow is the old wooden
platform type.
In order to have a tractor to pull the plow, my lather purchased
a 1911 Rumely ‘Oil Pull’ 30 x 60. Serial number of the
tractor is two hundred seventy-live. This tractor had been
purchased new at Corsica and was used there for years. The tractor
sat idle in Corsica for quite a few years, but the owner would not
sell it. The tractor was later sold to Warren Prescott of Lynch,
Nebraska. The tractor was sold lo Mr. Holland V under Pol and my
lather. The tractor was hauled home on an Army lank low boy The
‘Oil Pull’ runs just like a new tractor.
My father bought a 1928 Massey-Harris four wheel drive tractor
at Albert Lea, Minnesota. This tractor is also in excellent
condition.
8 H.P. United engine, about 1920 vintage. Owned by Mr.
Payne.
1895 Otto 10 HP engine. This engine was formerly used on a well
rig. The engine has no carburetion system–just a valve to control
the intake of fuel.
10 HP Mogul gas engine, the grandfather of the Titan and
International engines. The Mogul purrs like a torn cat in a
creamery.
1927 Studebaker restored in 1970. The car runs like a
‘new’ Studebaker-which admittedly is pretty rare.
1911 Rumely 30 x 60 in background, with a 20 x 40 Huber tractor
and 1917 32′ separator of Buffalo-Pitts origin in the
foreground.
View of 30 x 60 Rumely while it is running. The engine runs
beautifully and is owned by Rolland Vander Pol and James W.
Beukelman.
In August, 1970, my father bought a 1917 Buffalo-Pitts threshing
machine1 near Mitchell. This machine is sturdy and the wood on the
machine is in excellent condition. The thresher was hauled home on
my father’s stack mover.
My father also owns a lot of cars. He owns a 1935 Chevy, Ford,
and Plymouth. He also owns a 1941 Dodge, 1958 Edsel, and a 1951
& 1927 Studebaker. I own a 1926 Dodge that is un restored.
At the present time, most of the antiques are housed in various
buildings on my father’s farm.
