212 West Lake Street Horicon, Wisconsin 53032
Having read E. & E. Magazine and The Iron Man Album for the
past four years and the Gas Engine Magazine for the last year, I
have read many fine articles written by men much older than myself
and I might add I have learned a lot from these articles. Now I
would like to try writing one myself.
I have been collecting gas engines for the past three years and
gas engines and tractors the last year. The biggest reward I get
from collecting this equipment is to get all the information I can
concerning the history, age, what it was used for, where it was
built, etc. I like to get my equipment from farmers and people who
originally bought them, but sometimes this is not possible and then
I have to resort to other means.
My question is-what happened to all the old records of
shipments, etc. of all the old companies which are no longer in
business? And why can’t I get information from some of the
companies which are still in business? Some of the older companies
which I have contacted helped me very much and these I will talk
about later. Perhaps after reading this article some of you can
help by giving me more information that I do not have.
The first gas engine I bought came from a garage across the
street from where I live in Horicon. It was a 1? hp Lauson No.
W2136. The Lauson Company is now a division of Tecumseh Products
Company, New Holstein, Wisconsin. By writing to their parts depot
at Grafton, Wisconsin I was able to find out that my engine was
built in 1923 and there were approximately 20,000 of these engines
built. I have written to the Lauson Company many times and they
have always given me the information that I desired. On my 8 hp
Lauson I was very fortunate to get the original shipping invoice
dated February 23, 1908 so no more information was needed.
This is a picture of a John Deere 1? H.P. Hit and Miss hot head
engine. According to the John Deere Company, this engine was built
as late as 1946. It is painted green with yellow letters. The
engine was used on a water pump. Behind the John Deere is a 3 H.P.
International Famous Vertical Engine. As a footnote, I should like
to compliment the editor and staff on the fine work put forth in
the publication ‘The Gas Engine Magazine’.
I have several Fuller and Johnson engines. Mr. Verne Kindsch,
Route 1, Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, 53578, was very fortunate in
acquiring all but a few of the records of the Fuller and Johnson
Company from a man in Madison, Wisconsin who worked for the
company.
Last Spring I visited Verne and it was really quite interesting
to see these old books and find out just where my engines were
shipped and what date. This is what I am talking about when I say
‘What Happened to Them?’-surely the old records of many old
companies must be in existence somewhere. I say let’s find out
where the records are and if the owners don’t want to bother
with them we should suggest that they be given to Early Days Gas
Engine and Tractor Association, Inc.
The first tractor I bought was a 14-28 4 cylinder Avery No.
25713. The people I bought it from said they bought it as a
demonstrator in 1925 but it had been at the dealers for about four
years prior to this time. I was able to get an Operator’s
Pictured here is Severt O. Dovre, Fessenden, North Dakota 58438,
standing beside his Ingeco engine of unknown H.P. The name plate is
the only thing attached to the engine to identify it. It was made
by International Gas Engine Co., Cudahy, Wisconsin, and at one time
was in a grain elevator and was moved out to the farm and set on a
cement base, weighing 4400 lbs. It is a side shaft engine. Anyone
know the H.P. of this engine?
Manual dated 1920 and a Parts Book dated 1919 and when I put all
this together I came up with a building date of 1921. Now I wonder,
what happened to the Avery Company’s records? Who bought out
the Avery Company? Perhaps these records are lying in some
one’s basement. Or have they been burned?
Being a designer with the John Deere Horicon Works in Horicon
for the last eight years, I wanted to get an old spoked flywheel
John Deere ‘D’. This Fall I bought one from a man who lived
near Richfield, Wisconsin. He told me that they bought it in the
Fall of 1925 but I wanted more information than that so I asked Mr.
Wayne McClellan, our Service Manager at John Deere Horicon Works,
to write to the Waterloo Tractor Works at Waterloo, Iowa. Wayne
wrote to Mr. J. W. Riley at Waterloo to get the information that I
desired. My tractor is a 15-27 hp @ 800 rpm. Serial No. 35331.
We asked Mr. Riley the following questions and his reply is
printed in quotes following each question:
1. In what year was it built? ‘The particular tractor in
question was built 20 August 1925 and was originally equipped with
magneto no.94265.’
2. Where was it originally shipped to? ‘According to our
records, it was originally shipped to what was then recognized as
our branch house John Deere Plow Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
‘on 21 August 1925.’
3. How many of the spoked flywheel-type tractors was made?
‘According to our best judgment, there were approximately 5849
Model D tractors built equipped with the open spoke-type flywheel.
Undoubtly, there were fewer than this, as lost or damaged serial
number plates would not be accounted for in this
calculation.’
4. What was the first and last year of spoked flywheel tractors?
‘The first year in which the spoke flywheel tractor was built
would have been in 1923 with the last one having been built 24
December 1925.’
5. What was the first and last serial numbers of spoked flywheel
tractors? ‘The first Model D tractor built was identified by
Serial No. 30400 and the last-Model D of the spoke flywheel variety
bore Serial No. 36248.’
6. Are there any parts available? ‘Your question no. 4
requesting whether or not parts for these early tractors are still
available is a real good question. We have on hand very few parts.
As you know, our responsibility for maintaining repair parts is
only for a 20-year period unless the demand for a particular part
is heavy enough to justify continued stocking. It is impossible to
advise the exact parts we still have on hand; however, if you would
furnish part numbers, it would be easy for us to determine wheter
or not parts are available.’
7. Could we get an Operator’s Manual or a copy of one?
‘At the moment I have failed to uncover a copy of the
instruction book covering this particular tractor. I have several
feelers out and it is my sincere hope that perhaps one of these
channels will uncover a book of this kind.’
8. Could we get any kind of a repair or service manual or a copy
of one? ‘In regard to a repair or service manual, you can well
appreciate the inadequacy of the importance attached to providing
service manuals during the years when these earlier tractors were
built. However, I do have as my personal copy a green covered
manual which I am including for both you and Mr. Wanie to read,
and, if you care, reproduce. I would then appreciate your returning
it to me. I am quite sure, and I have worked on lots of these old
tractors, that this book pretty much covers the basic overall
design of the tractor which you are concerned with.’
9. Is there any obsolete sales literature around or could we get
a copy of something that might have been used at that time? ‘As
for the obsolete sales literature, here again we are beginning to
realize how careless we have been in retaining for our files older
literature covering the early design products produced by this
factory. Fortunately, we do have a promotional piece that dates
back to 1929 that does cover in a general way. My secretary has
reproduced this book by Xerox and even though it is not the
original, maybe it will provide you and your friend with some of
the answers for satisfying your interest in the earlier
tractor.’ I recently read an article in the February 1967 issue
of Implement and tractor Magazine by the late Elmer J. Baker, Jr.
who wrote in answer to a question the Happy Farmer Tractor. A man
like this would have been able to give a lot of information this
sort of thing but now he is gone. I wonder how long it will be
before all the old timers will be gone and all their knowledge with
them? Perhaps we are too late now. I would appreciate hearing any
comments any of you might have.
To get the fund drive rolling, Joe Habeger, mathematics
professor at General Beadle State College, presented his 1915 Case
20-40 to the Prairie Historical Association. Here he gives the
‘key’ to the tractor-an 18′ wrench-to fund drive
co-chairman Jerry Prostrollo (in cab). Said Habeger, club
president, ‘Since this tractor was ‘born & raised’
in this area, I wanted to insure that no matter what happened to
me, it would stay in the area.’ It was bought new for $1,700 by
a German immigrant at Flandreau, worked on Moody Lake, and
Kingsbury county farms until 1930. Habeger bought it in 1953, uses
it for threshing every year. Its 2-cylinder engine has 8?-inch
bore, 9-inch stroke, cruises at 2? MPH at 375 RPM.
