8340 Weir Road, Hanover, Michigan 49241
In southern Michigan near Jonesville in Hillsdale county, there
is a hill that very few people would remember its name of long ago.
The hill was knows as Port Huron Hill. It was the home of Wilkes
Houseknect and his three sons, George, Avery and William.
They used and sold Port Huron Equipment such as engines,
Avery was sent to South America to sell and operate straw
burning combines. Then to South Africa to sell road building
equipment for Port Huron.
Through them, there was a lot of Port Huron outfits in this part
of the country. To this very day, when I see a Port Huron engine or
separator, I wonder if the Houseknects of Port Huron Hill sold it
when it was new.
The father and sons have long gone to their final resting place.
Only the hill is left, and very few know it as Port Huron Hill.
All four of them would easily qualify as the Iron Fireman of the
Month.
My engine drew such interest that it was featured in one local
and one state wide newspaper. I am quite a young engineer, being
only 15, and have even gotten my girlfriend, Linda Morrison, who is
standing beside me, interested in steam. (Picture by Thomas C.
Bradshaw, Lexington, Virginia 24450.)
This is a 1923 9 x 10, 65 HP Frick steam traction engine owned
by Clyde and Arland Costley of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. It is being
operated by Arland and fired by Clyde, sitting on the water tank.
It has just finished pulling 19,500 pounds plus a John Deere 450
bulldozer with the blade down back blading. She is right on the pop
and carries Pa. State Boiler Inspection of 150 pounds. This is one
of the several engines on display at the Tioga County Early Days
Reunion at Whitneyville, Pa. the second weekend of July.
