MY1907 Geiser Peerless!

RR #1, Box 226Archie, Missouri 64725

Here is a picture of my 1907 Geiser Peerless steam engine serial
#12907, it’s 18 HP. The engine was one of many steam engines
owned by Ben Markley of Joplin, Missouri. The story is, as I
understand it, this engine was last fired in 1936.I do not know
where this engine was sold or to whom, when it was new (I would
love to know!) but I understand it was used mostly on a sawmill.
The engine sat for many years when Mr. Markley decided to move it.
My guess is, this was when he moved the collection out of Joplin to
Carthage, Missouri to avoid them being scrapped. As they moved the
Peerless the left wheel was almost totally wrecked from sitting so
long. It was moved to Carthage where it sat in the woods with the
rest of his collection. I have heard stories that he hid his
engines to avoid the scrap drives and even spent time in jail for
refusing to scrap them. Well, anyway, that is where the engine sat
another 30 years. When Mr. Markley died, Leonard White and family
were in charge of the collection and would sometimes sell a piece
or two. This is where #12907 finally got a chance at a
comeback.

In 1977 Jim Courtney of Garden City, Missouri decided he wanted
to own a steam engine. He wanted a Peerless but didn’t know
why. (Years later a photo was found showing a Peerless engine
threshing on his father’s farm but he was much too young to
remember it.) He drove to Carthage and looked many engines over.
Mr. White would not set a price for the engines but would take bids
and discuss it with the family if they were to be accepted or not.
Jim made a bid on several engines, so he had a better chance of
getting one, but he told Mr. White he really wanted that Peerless.
A few days passed when Mr. White called and said if Jim could raise
his bid by a few hundred dollars and brought the money in cash, the
Peerless was his.

Needless to say, Mr. White had his money the next day with Jim
not wanting to take chances on him changing his mind. Jim bought an
old 2. ton truck and brought #12907 back. How he hauled this engine
on a 2 ton truck I’ll never know, even though he said he never
had been more scared than he was, driving that truck home.

#12907 spent the next five years being rebuilt as it was a
basket case. There were just a few major things that had to be
fixed. The boiler barrel was rusted through as the jacket was left
on, so he had to have a new one rolled and welded on. The clutch
spider was in pieces so he made a new one. The left wheel was a
total wreck and he spent many days making parts to replace busted
and missing ones. He truly loved this engine for anyone else would
never have even attempted to rebuild it. He made whistles, found
engine parts and made what he couldn’t find. His dedication to
save #12907 is what has made this hobby so rare in the way the
people care for one another.

His dream came true when the day came that #12907 ran once more.
He showed the engine until health reasons kept him from it, and as
his children had other activities, he knew he must sell it rather
than let it sit again.