S47 W22300 Lawnsdale Road Waukesha, Wisconsin 53186
The colorful fall photo on this month’s cover was taken
October 12, 1991, by Gen Ebert. It shows ‘Big Al’
Nettesheim’s 1921 60 HP double cylinder Frick, engine #22315,
being hauled by Joe Rodriquez of Rodriquez Construction
Corporation, Waukesha, Wisconsin.
We had just finished our second day of threshing on the old
George Chapman Farm, Town of Pewaukee, Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
The original home, seen in the background, was built in 1857 and is
of limestone from a local quarry that is still in operation
today.
Merlin Smart has been holding annual steam threshing bees on
this farm for the last quarter century. He has powered his 1914
wooden 36 inch Red River Special separator with the following array
of steamers: 18 HP Advance Rumely owned by August Kudick; 22 HP
Advance owned by the late Herb Moehrke; 65 Case owned by the late
Willard Griswold; 22 HP Keck-Gonnerman owned by Reiner Nettesheim;
21 HP Baker then owned by Kathy (Seyfert) Nettesheim, and the 60 HP
Frick on the cover. In 1991 Merlin bought a 24 inch Bell City
separator which we belted to my 1907 9 HP Case engine #18630, so we
had two complete rigs operating simultaneouslyone threshing winter
wheat and the other oats. At one point a ‘Good Samaritan,’
out of sight on nearby 1-94, called the fire department. Apparently
our smoke was a most impressive plume that could be seen for
several miles. Quite a crowd gathered. Some worked and some just
watched, but one thing for sure, everyone in attendance thoroughly
enjoyed the day and looked forward to another year which will
surely bring another threshing bee to Merlin Smart’s farm in
the town of Pewaukee, Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
Big Al Nettesheim’s 1921 60 HP double cylinder Frick
departing from the old George Chapman Farm in the Town of Pewaukee,
Wisconsin.
