Guthrie, Kentucky
In your Album of May-June issue in coffee break with Kitty,
requesting information and history of the 20th Century
Manufacturing of Boynton, Pennsylvania.
I have a catalog from this firm but cannot give the date it was
printed.
The following information, however, is printed in the front
cover.
The first 20th Century Traction Engine was built in a small
machine shop in the woods on the Allegheny Mountains, about seven
miles from our present plant. This first engine is still in use. A
group of prominent businessmen furnished the means and organized
the Improved Traction Engine Co. of Elk Lick, Pennsylvania, which
is 1 mile from the plant they erected at Boynton, Pa. to continue
the manufacture of aforesaid engine. The business outgrew its
capital and the said company’s stockholders decided to enlarge
the plant and increase its business. This was done in 1913, after
which it was further decided to branch out in other lines, which is
being done. After their company was formed at Boynton, Pa., they
also built road rollers and also portable engines. These engines
were all double cylinder and under mounted, except a few portables
which were top mounted and single cylinder. In 1914, the 20th
Century Manufacturing Co.; as they were then called, purchased the
business of The Champion Thresher Co., of Orrville, Ohio and this
plant was moved to their plant at Boynton, Pa. I am not sure just
how long they operated there, but I believe it was somewhere around
1920 when gas tractors started coming in, which forced the steam
engines out of the picture. I think the first tractor to come in
this part of the country were Huber Light Fours. I operated Huber
Tractors up until 1963 and they were good tractors in their
time.
‘Young Men can work eight hours a day and play ten, but
after 40 you can’t and you might as well quit trying.’