HARSHMAN TRACTOR

By Staff
Published on July 1, 1990
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5490 Ft. Amanda Road Lima, Ohio 45805

The Harshman tractors were built in Cridersville, Ohio, from
1932 to 1939 by Ernest Harshman, a master mechanic.

I’ve known the Harshman family since I was a young boy. One
of his sisters lived next door to us and was also my third grade
teacher. I worked with one of his brothers at the Ford automotive
dealership in Lima for twenty years.

At age 14, in 1936, I began part time work at a local greenhouse
and they owned a Harshman tractor. Consequently, I used it
frequently in my work there. Recently I acquired a picture of it
from a family member.

Mr. Harshman built the tractors from used Overland automobiles,
Models 91 and 92, which were built between 1919 and 1925. He used
the engine, transmission and differential, the steering gear and
lineage, front spindles and hubs (note: the Overland hub caps), as
well as rear brake drums and bands. The front axle and header, as
well as the saddle the rear axle lays in, and rear wheel hubs were
cast at a foundry in Lima, Ohio. The side frames were made from 4
inch channel iron, and the reduction gear is by roller chain
running in oil.

The draw bar raises and lowers with hand levers, spring loaded,
and a breaking plow or one-row cultivator can be mounted on it. The
first tractors that he built were mounted on steel wheels, and
later models could be purchased with rubber tires.

I acquired the tractor in 1988. It looked very sad, but had all
the original parts except the radiator. I substituted a radiator of
the right size, and built the top cover over it which bolts to the
gas tank. The gas tank is original. Then I cleaned the tractor down
to bare metal, primed and repainted it. We believe this one was
built in 1934.

I plan to show this tractor at some shows in Ohio and Indiana
this summer.

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