Clemmons, North Carolina 27012
The story began almost sixty years ago in Winston Salem, North
Carolina. Mr. L. R. Davis, now deceased, mail ordered this engine
for use in his small furniture shop. Up until now, his shop had
been powered by a large hand wheel. He would hire a man to turn the
hand wheel which powered his shop equipment. Mr. Davis hired his
help for ten cents per day. Whenever larger items, such as bed
posts, needed to be made, he would pay twenty-five cents per day.
He also fed his employee three meals a day.
The machinery in his shop consisted of lathe, drill, press,
table saw and bench saws. The Galloway, of course, replaced his
hired helper. The engine was capable of powering the shop
equipment-all at one time if need be. He built a line shaft through
his shop to power the individual machinery.
Mr. Davis passed away in 1935 at the age of 68. He willed the
Galloway to his daughter, Annie Davis Merritt. Mrs. Merritt’s
husband, Paul, continued to make furniture in another shop powered
by the Galloway. A friend, Frank Weaver, told me about the engine.
I called the Merritts to see if they would sell the engine. Neither
of them was interested in selling. A couple of months went by and I
decided to try to purchase it again. This time I visited their home
and after seeing the engine, wanted it even more! They finally
agreed to sell it for a fair price.
I settled the deal on Saturday and told them I’d move the
engine Monday. The Galloway was bolted to a cement slab twenty-one
inches thick and four feet by six feet. The exhaust was extended
through the shop wall. I knew it was not going to be an easy matter
to move it out of the shop.
My two brothers-in-law, Ronald and Paul, promised their help for
the move. Once we had unbolted the base and cut the exhaust, the
moving began. Mr. Merritt insisted we use his tractor for the
occasion. I borrowed a broom pole and again we were ready for the
move. The engine weight, we soon found out, was too heavy for his
tractor. We had to borrow a larger tractor before the Galloway was
freed of its base. Once the engine was in the air, we simply backed
a utility trailer under it and the task was complete. The ride home
was, of course, filled with talk of getting it running again.
Since this was my first encounter with a flywheel engine, I
wasn’t familiar with its operation. We cleaned the fuel system
and filled the tank with fresh fuel. I set the magneto and adjusted
the oilers. There was nothing left to do but give the flywheels a
spin.
The engine fired but just wouldn’t run. After a couple of
busted knuckles, I figured out the problem: I had been spinning the
flywheels the wrong way! I reversed my procedures and, of course,
the engine cranked and pounded away. I guess if anyone had to learn
the hard way, I surely did! I spent four months disassembling the
engine and restoring it to its present state.
There is no better sight or sound than one of these engines
restored to life. I entered my Galloway in many shows in North
Carolina and received many comments on its appearance.
The Galloway is a 5 HP, 1919 model with a 47649 serial number. A
trip Webster magneto furnishes the engine’s fire. Attached to
the base is the original operator’s manual.
