40-140 Reeves Cross-compound owned by Smolik Brothers. Shown at
Antique Acres Show, Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Shown is a view of a No. 3 Hart Parr taken in 1903 when new.
It was purchased by George Mitchel who lived one mile south of
Charles City, Iowa. He ran it for 19 years. I saw it run when I was
6 years old in 1922, which was the last year it was used. In 1930,
Charlie Parr was still working for the company which he helped
start. He persuaded the Oliver-Hart-Parr Company to buy it back and
restore it. It is now in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington,
D.C. The story which was told to me by Clarence Braend was that the
neighbors were all scared of it and afraid it would blow up. So,
Mr. Mitchel threshed his own. Then Mr. Braend’s father told him
to come thresh his grain. Then three or four neighbors let him
thresh theirs and after that he had no trouble having a good sized
run for threshing each year. I got this picture from Ray Mitchel, a
son of George Mitchel. Ray is not in very good health. He has six
sons and all live in the Charles City area. Ray still owns the home
place where No. 3 was used.
start. He persuaded the Oliver-Hart-Parr Company to buy it back and
restore it. It is now in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington,
D.C. The story which was told to me by Clarence Braend was that the
neighbors were all scared of it and afraid it would blow up. So,
Mr. Mitchel threshed his own. Then Mr. Braend’s father told him
to come thresh his grain. Then three or four neighbors let him
thresh theirs and after that he had no trouble having a good sized
run for threshing each year. I got this picture from Ray Mitchel, a
son of George Mitchel. Ray is not in very good health. He has six
sons and all live in the Charles City area. Ray still owns the home
place where No. 3 was used.
