3203 Norton Road Radnor, Ohio 43066
The old familiar one note ‘farm song’ of the Johnny
Poppers rang out across the Marion County Fair-ground over
Father’s Day weekend in 1993 as the Ohio Two-Cylinder Clubs
held a meet in conjunction with the Marion County Steam and Gas
Engine Show.
As some readers may know, Earl Scott, president of the Marion
County Steam and Gas Engine Society, has had some serious health
problems but is recovering his health nicely now. He and Don
Willson, acting president, worked together to set up a beautiful
and orderly display of antique John Deere tractors (made up of
around 300 units) complete right down to yellow flowers in planters
marking the entry to the tent.
Set up inside the tent was ‘Old 79,’ the John Deere
tractor owned by Frank and Irene Hansen of Rolling stone,
Minnesota. Old 79 was the 79th John Deere tractor manufactured
(1916-1919) but the only known ‘original’ John Deere four
cylinder tractor to survive intact. Mr. Hansen presented, in
carefully authenticated documentation, the history of this tractor
and was on hand to tell how he accidentally found this relic while
on a fishing trip. Once sold for the junk price of $5.00 it has
been currently appraised at more than $1,000,000.
Another highly unusual exhibit was the experimental prototype
‘101,’ currently valued at over $30,000. Production of the
‘101’ was scuttled when the United States became involved
in World War II. It is a two-cylinder tractor intended to cultivate
one row crops and to pull a single 14 inch plow. While it never
made it into production, many of its mechanical innovations were
used in later models.
Two unique John Deere 8020s were on hand. Consecutively
numbered, serial number 1000 is owned by Mike and Rick Hoffman of
Richwood, Ohio, and number 1001 is owned by Dale Walton, who also
owns Wyandot Tractor and Implement of Upper Sandusky, Ohio. The
1001 was the first 8010 to come to Ohio and was displayed at
Richwood at the Farm O’Rama which grew into Ohio’s present
day Farm Science Review. It came with an eight bottom mounted plow
which, when lifted hydraulically, rose to the height of a telephone
pole. Problems developed with this model and all the 8010s were
recalled and reissued as the 8020s after modifications had been
made.
J. D. Beiloples exhibited a nice assortment of John Deere pedal
tractors and corn shelters. Ron and Shirley Jungmeyer of Missouri
displayed a 1962 LI industrial tractor. Robert Dufel of Waterloo,
Iowa, brought an early John Deere BR, and Tom Scherry brought his
model MI tractor.
‘Old ’79’ was the 79th John Deere tractor built
(1916-1919) with a huge 4-cylinder engine. It is owned by Frank and
Irene Hansen of Rollingstone, Minnesota, and is currently valued at
$1,000,000.
Kenny Smith, once a partner in Smith and Kramer Implement, a
John Deere dealership in Marion, is an avid John Deere collector.
He displayed 22 tractors at the show. Kramer Implement, as it is
now known, displayed a 1993 model 8770 John Deere tractor which
…nicely the old to the new tractors. Miller Implement of
Delaware, Ohio, and Parrot Implement of Richwood, Ohio, both John
Deere dealerships, kindly supplied John Deere shuttle tractors for
our use.
A John Deere ’39 B on display was up and running while
sitting atop three Coca Cola bottles and attracted lots of
attention. A John Deere 840 two-cylinder Earth Mover with a
self-loading Hancock Pan mounted in the rear, and John Deere MC and
BO bulldozers on tracks were exhibited. Also displayed was an
unstyled John Deere L model 62 industrial with a sickle bar mower,
a John Deere two disc plow, subsoilers in two sizes and moldboard
plows. ‘Big John’ and ‘Little John’ garden tractors
and John Deere garden tractors in five colors white, red, orange,
blue, and traditional green were on hand. These were available in
the late 1970s.
Earl Scott displayed his 1940 HN, one of only 1007 manufactured,
as well as his 1950 BN high clearance tractor and his GN with a 104
inch rear axle.
Silver King tractors will be the 1994 show feature. We welcome
all Silver King collectors to come and display their tractors at
this show. Also featured will be International gas engines. Contact
Howard Hinnamon if you would like to take part at (614)
382-4781.
In line with the family atmosphere of our show, Jeff Willson,
Don and Marilyn’s son, presided over a pork- chop roast for two
hundred plus John Deere exhibitors, instead of a formal banquet. It
was held on the infield before the groups held their meetings on
Saturday. The Scotts, the Willsons and the Society provided this
dinner. Several vendors who supply only John Deere para-phernalia
were set up on the infield convenient to the collectors’
displays.
Many other fine examples of antiques commonly found around the
farmsteads in earlier times were evident everywhere. Some displays
were located in the restored log cabin with its own special
hand-lettered history prominently hung on a rough hewn wall. Eddie
Gulliford cooked open kettle style, and his food was very popular.
A large display of Huber equipment was arrayed across the
‘green,’ and a display inside the cabin pointed out that
the Edward Huber Memorial Association is raising funds for the
Huber Museum which we hope to dedicate at the Society’s 1995
Steam and Gas Engine Show. Contact Anna May Schwaderer, president
of the Huber Association, at 649 Columbus-Sandusky Road South,
Marion, Ohio 43302, or call (614) 389-1098 for more
information.
A National Kiddie Tractor Pull was held for the little ones. We
had one of our best ever Fiddler’s Contests on Friday night,
and Saturday’s entertainment was fantastic as the Buckeye
Harmonica Band and the Down Towners performed to record crowds.
This year our food vendors and our flea market offered great
variety.
As in past years, the Society offered a limited edition feature
toy truck bank to commemorate the Two-Cylinder Club’s
participation. If interested contact Emma Winck, 580 Cleveland
Avenue, Marion, Ohio 43302, (614) 383-4781.
Our Society welcomes groups who come by bus. Tours including our
show and some or all of the attractions Marion has to offer,
including President Harding’s home; the Popcorn Museum and
Charlie Sens’ new Antique Automobile Museum, can be arranged
through the Marion Area Chamber of Commerce, 206 South Prospect
Street, Marion, Ohio 43302, (614) 382-2181. Marion City Airport is
three miles from the fairgrounds; for a courtesy ride call 382-6863
during show office hours 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Enjoy good shopping
and many fine restaurants, ‘Bed and Breakfast’ homes and
many excellent motels. We’d sure be pleased if you would spend
Father’s Day weekend with us in 1994- Come by the office to say
hello!
