Route 1, Box 332 Adena, Ohio 43901
Charles ‘Son’ Yost was an old time thresherman from way
back. In 1896, he purchased a new Ohio Cultivator hay press
pictured in the two photos accompanying this story. Later he
purchased a Russell steamer and a hand-fed Russell thresher and
still later a Rumely Oil Pull. He had a run around Harrisonville,
bank against the baler and was unable to pay it back.
This is where my dad, Edgar Flowers, came into the story. He
bought the Ohio hay press from the bank. Picture #1 shows Son on
his Russell engine, hooked to the Ohio hay press and the baling
crew at an unidentified barn near Harrisonville, Ohio. Note the
wooden wheels on the hay press. Picture #2 shows the hay press in
1990 with my dad standing beside it. Note: steel wheels.
During the 1930’s, my dad bought the second Ohio hay press,
a later model, for $14.00. This press was borrowed from Ben Coleman
by Son and he was to buy it from him. My dad bought a new Avery
28′ thresher for the 1929 huge wheat crop. Son was to bale
behind him. Son ‘made the brag’ that he never saw a
separator that he couldn’t keep up to with his baler. He found
one. He increased the speed so much that the hay press blew up.
With the two balers, a machinist from Cadiz, Ohio, took the two
apart and used the best gears and the wagon to make the Yost baler
in good condition. My dad used the Ohio press until 1950 when he
bought a new John Deere wire tie baler.
I remember Son Yost as an ‘old cronie’ up at Giffens Ice
Cream store telling stories. As a kid, I was all ears.
#2: Edgar Flowers standing beside the 1896 Ohio hay press that
was bought new by Charles ‘Son’ Yost. Edgar passed away
October 11, 1990.
My dad just passed away in October 1990, but he was active to
that day, having just returned from setting up a display at the
Algonquin Mill just prior to the show.
Picture #1 is loaned to me by Dean Rinkes, grandson of Son
Yost.
