Our cover girls this month are the Hoffmasters Anne, the blonde
and Joyce, the brunette with the family’s pet a 16 HP double
simple Reeves built in 1906 (No. 3547). The young ladies are the
daughters of Lyle and Barbara Hoffmaster, of Bucyrus, O. The family
regularly takes part in the Midwest Old Settlers and Threshing
Association Show at Mt. Pleasant, Ia., and attends other rallies as
page 7 of this issue. The photos are from the family, whose home is
at 1845 Marion Road, Bucyrus, O. 44820.
This early 1890s scene is at my great grandfather’s farm,
three miles east of Buffalo. This is a complete Advance rig.
Thresher is hand feed and webb stacker. Man on water pump is H. R.
Schmidt. His son, Raymond, is an engineer at our show each year
(Pelican Lake). Man sitting on engine is Christ Hohl. Other man is
Oscar Schmidt.
28-75 Sawyer Massey. Restored and owned by George Hutchinson,
R.R. 1, Kilworthy, Ontario.
This steam hoisting mule was built in 1S90 at the J. F. Beyers
Machine Company in Ravenna, Ohio. It is in good working condition.
I show it at both gas and steam shows. It is 12 HP, two cylinder
and weighs two tons.
At the factory it was mounted on 6 x 6 wood skids and moved
about on the job at Wooster, Ohio by horsepower. It was used in
construction of new buildings. One job was the building of the
chapel at the college in Wooster, the year 1900. It was used in and
around Wooster until 1915, when gas took over and it was stored in
a barn until 1968, when I got possession of the Mule.
It is a tube-type boiler and I worked on it four months and is
now running good. I put wheels under it in place of the wooden
skids to move it around.
Does anyone know of another like this one, that was built in
Ravenna, Ohio by the J. F. Beyers Machine Company?
Can you help with information on this unusual JI Case engine? On
the frame are the words, ‘Built for Jacob Price by J I Case
Threshing Machine Company factory in Racine, Wisconsin, U.S.A.’
In faint handwriting below the picture is this: ‘Steam Plow
Working N.E. of Garden City, Kan.’ Perhaps someone knew Jacob
Price. Please write to IMA. Photo courtesy of Harlan Thompson, R.R.
2, Harper, Kansas 67508.
At right, Clarence Bockman getting on Woods Brothers steam
engine rig east of Klemme, Iowa in 1918.