Twin City tractor. Standing beside tractor from
left to right are Mr. James Whitmore, my brother, Timothy, and
that’s me holding the crank.
Nichols & Shepard Thresher. Same three
fellows standing beside it as in first picture.
T. C. Tractor belted to N. & S.
Thresher.
These pictures are of a Twin City tractor and a Nichols &
Shepard thresher which my Dad, Brother, and I had a share in
purchasing in 1964 while we were living in Wyoming, Delaware U.S.A.
The threshing outfit was purchased from a Mr. Harry Schneider of
Woodside, Delaware, who used it for quite a number of years in the
Woodside area for custom threshing. The last year he used it he
threshed over 100,000 bushels of wheat as well as other grains.
The tractor was built somewhere in the 1920’s. It was rated
at over 50 hp. and it ran on kerosene. It has a 16 valve engine in
it.
The thresher is a 32 in. cylinder and a 52 in. body model and it
was of wood construction.
My Dad, Brother and I had to do some work on the tractor, but
the thresher was in good shape, except for the fact that it needed
some cleaning and painting done on it. On the tractor, we built a
new canopy top on it and had some work done on the fenders. I
cleaned out the fuel tanks and carburetor and also did a valve job
on it. It started very easily.
When we decided to move to Canada in 1966, we had to sell the
outfit, much to my disliking. In the spring of 1966, we had the
tractor belted to the thresher and had it running for demonstrating
purposes. Several gentlemen were in to see it operating; some of
which were Mr. James Whitmore of Greenwood, Del., who collects
antique tractors and gas engines, Mr. Ross Rhodes of Churchill,
Maryland, who is Vice-president of the Eastern Shore Threshermen
& Collectors Assoc, Inc., and also Mr. Edwin F. Evans and his
son Olin of Cheswold, Delaware, who owns a 9? x 10 Frick Traction
Engine and has a nice collection of gas tractors and engines.
The tractor and thresher were finally sold in June, 1966 to a
fellow in Smyrna, Delaware and he drove the outfit to his place, a
distance of over twenty miles.
I really enjoyed working with the threshing outfit as I have
been interested in steam engines, gas tractors and engines, and
threshers ever since I can remember. I am 21 years old.
