In 1937 I went in the well drilling business and continued until
1959 when I had a stroke and had to quit so I sold everything. I
sold the engine to Harold J. Parish, Jr. of Adrian, Michigan in
1960. I sure did hate to see it go but I could not run it anymore
because I lost the use of my left arm.
We thought this picture of the Ox Bow quite interesting. The
oxen yoke was found in 1930, half buried in the desert sand of
Wyoming. It dates back to 1847-1850. The driver of this oxen team
went berserk and left the wagon train only to be killed by Indians.
This yoke was found 3 miles south of the Oregon Trail in Sweetwater
County. As far as it is known, the wagon is still there in the
gully covered with sand.
This scene is in the heart of the Ozarks, where it is hard to
visualize that a field of this size ever existed. Location is
south-west of Rogersville, Missouri. The engine and plow was owned
by Clark Watts, who is standing on the plow. Mr. Watts’ two
sons are on the engine; Dill is on the left and Claude on the
right. It is believed the engine was built about 1904 and the
picture made in 1912.