Lester L. Roos passed away February 23, 1983 after a long
illness. Surviving are his wife; two stepdaughters, Mrs. Stanley
(Phyllis) Maxfield of Morrison, Illinois and Mrs. Richard (Ardith)
Nelson of Moline, Illinois; a stepson, Don Hillmer of Delafield,
Wisconsin; 17 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. Mr. Roos
married Grace Harper at Geneseo, Illinois on November 16, 1921. She
died in 1960. Their daughter, Constance Tippey, is also deceased.
On June 16, 1961 Lester married Belva Wild-man Hillmer in Geneseo;
she survives him.
Born on a farm in Lorraine township, Henry County, Illinois on
May 10, 1900, Lester remained fairly close to his home town during
his entire life. His parents moved to Geneseo in 1905, where his
father opened an implement business in 1907. In 1912 they bought a
sample copy of the IHC Mogul tractor and began putting on plowing
demonstrations and selling tractors. For a few months during 1915
the Roos family left the business only to resume again late that
year. At this point, Lester and his father started looking for a
new tractor line to sell, finally settling on the Heider tractor
from Rock Island Plow Company. Along with the Heider, they also
sold Plowman and Happy Farmer tractors. Eventually, the Roos family
resumed selling the IHC line. Their implement store also carried
Stover gas engines. This seemed meaningless at the time but had a
profound effect on Lester many years later.
During 1917 and 1918 they sold a great many 10-20 Titan
tractors, with the elder Roos deciding that a motor cultivator
would be a good addition. A ‘Jim Dandy’ was ordered from
somewhere in Texasit arrived, and after brief testing, they shipped
it back.
Lester’s father, Charles Roos passed away in August, 1919.
His wife, and son Lester continued the business until 1923. Lester
then went with International Harvester out of the Davenport, Iowa
branch. His job was hauling tractors around for demonstration
purposes. Lester remained with Harvester for several years. Lester
often recalled his early days in the implement business, noting
that as a youngster he often took the early morning train to Rock
Island, then a street car to the Rock Island Plow plant, where he
would get a Heider and drive it overland to Geneseo, a trip
requiring two days.
Beginning about 1940, Lester took over as plant foreman in the
municipal light plant at Bushnell, Illinois. Eventually he returned
to Geneseo, and was employed there by the water and sewer
department for 28 years. Lester also served as mayor of Geneseo
from 1970 to 1972, and was an alderman for the Third Ward.
Lester was a member of the Grace United Methodist church. His
many other activities included active service in local
organizations. These included: Henry County Historical Society,
Geneseo Historical Association, an organization which he helped to
organize; first Governor of the Geneseo Moose Lodge; co-developer
with his mother of the Roos Hill development northeast of Geneseo;
to name just a few of his activities.
Lester was active in the steam engine, gas engine and tractor
hobbies for many years, and has been a familiar face at many of the
shows. For years he had been active in the Antique Engine &
Tractor Association of Geneseo, along with serving as National
President of Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association for
several terms. Other membership included: Antique Engine &
Tractor Association of America, and Midwest Antique Gas Engine
& Tractor Association.
Lester’s inventive bent began in 1914 when as a teenager he
built an auto-buggy, using a Stover engine for power. This was
followed by a small kerosene tractor in 1918, and a gas tractor in
1919. For 1920 Lester built a prototype garden tractor and
cultivator. Things became more sophisticated when he built a
gasoline-electric car in 1929. During the next twenty years Lester
developed several other items, but his model of an Avery
undermounted steam engine went into construction in 1949this was
probably one of his best works, and it was truly a work of art.
During 1957 a small tractor using a Cushman engine was built,
followed by a small steam traction in 1958, and another small gas
tractor in 1961. His last steam traction engine model was built in
1966it used more brass than any steamer around, but Lester liked to
see lots of brass. After this time, Lester built a small gas
engine, mostly from brass, along with a scale model windmill, again
out of brass, along with many other items.
During the late 1960’s Lester acquired all remaining parts,
blueprints, and records from the long-defunct Stover Engine factory
at Freeport. At the time, tongues wagged that the poor man had
taken leave of his faculties, as Lester later recalled. This
purchase proved, however to be of great financial benefit to
Lester, even though he sold the parts at bargain basement prices.
When word got around that Stover parts were available, Lester
received a deluge of letters. Patiently he answered each and every
one, thus his retirement centered around Stover for many years. In
addition to the parts, Lester also obtained all remaining
blueprints, production records, and shipping records. Several years
ago, the production records went to Mr. C. R. Johnson, 2538
Stephenson Circle, Freeport, Illinois 61032. All remaining Stover
engine and windmill blueprints, Stover production records and other
Stover data is under the custody of C. H. Wendel, RR 1, Box 28-A,
Atkins, Iowa 52206.
The void left by Lester’s passing will probably never be
filled. His thousands of friends and acquaintances across the
United States and Canada never lost, but always gained from their
association with Lester Roos. Lester rarely had a bad word to say
against anyonehe was everyone’s friend. Few people leave their
mark on this world, but within our hobby in particular, Lester L.
Roos will be long remembered.
Submitted in memory of Lester L. Roos by C. H. Wendel, RR 1,
Box 28-A, Atkins, Iowa 52206.
