318 West Madison Street, Pontiac, Illinois
The Fourth Annual meeting of Zehr’s Central States Steam
Engine and Thresher’s Historical Reunion was held in Pontiac,
Illinois, September 10-14.
Dan S. Zehr, of Pontiac, is the president of the association and
was the originator of the Reunion. Ideal weather prevailed
exhibits was greater than ever before and attendance was estimated
at 45,000 for the five day meeting. Spectators registered from over
half of the states. Approximately 300 Flying Farmers from Illinois,
Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan attended on the first day.
A total of 38 large steam engines were in operation throughout
the reunion. The oldest of these was a 6 hp. Monarch built in 1861
and owned by Homer Dickson, Yorkville, Ill., who also had a 12 hp.
Case, 1893, on exhibit. Other old engines were a Nichols and
Shepard, 1881; Canton Monitor, 1874, and Undermounted Avery, 1914,
by Dan Zehr of Pontiac; Case Straw Burner. 1886, by Chas. Atkinson,
Polo, Illinois.
Other makes and entries included: 10 hp. Russell, 1901, L. V.
Kinsinger, Carlock, Ill.; Stevens, 1905, J. D. Roberts, McLean,
Ill.; Peerless, 1905, Ralph Fisher, Assumption, Ill.; Gaar Scott,
1912, C. B. Killing, Coal Valley, Ill.; Huber, 1914, Wilbur
Collins-Dam Zehr, Pontiac; Avery, 1916, Dan Zehr, Pontiac; Case,
1916, Amer Cook, Washington, Ill.. Reeves, 1916, Helm-Myers,
Tuscola, Ill.; Case, 1917, B. Johnson, Galva, Ill.; Minneapolis,
1917, Jos. Kieley, Clinton, Ill.; Frick, 1917, J. D. Roberts,
McLean, Ill.; Case 22-65, 1919, Wilbur Collins, Pontiac; Port
Huron, 1919, Glen Thomas, Ottawa, Ill.; Kitten, 1920, Wilbur
Collins, Pontiac; Illinois, 1920, N. S. Gould, Elburn, Ill.; Port
Huron, 1921, Fred Hasgler, Peru, Ill.; Nichols and Shepard, 1922,
Bob Walter, Comstock, Mich., and Melvin Lugten, Hamilton, Mich.;
Nichols and Shepard, 1823, Hubert Koopman, Flanagan, Ill.; Advance
Rumley, 1923, L. V. Kimsinger, Carlock, Ill.; Advance Rumley, 1923,
Dan Zehr, Pontiac; Keck Gonnerman, 1924, Jos. Weishaup, Mackinaw,
Ill.; Baker, 1925, Chas. Atkinson, Polo, Ill.; Greyhound, 1925,
Carl Litten, Newark, Ill.; Buffalo-Pitts, 1925, Chas. Atkinson,
Polo, Ill.; Colean, 1910, Wilbur Collins, and Dan Zehr, both of
Pontiac, and Homer Dickson, of Yorkville, Ill.; Advance, 1890, Port
Huron, 1917, and Aultman Taylor, 1915, Dan Zehr, Pontiac; Port
Huron Double, 1905, Wilbur Collins and Dan Zehr, Pontiac, and Homer
Dickson, Yorkville, Ill.; Case Roller, 1912, J. J. Kingston,
LaMotte, Iowa; Illinois 25 hp., M. F. Gould, Elburn, Ill.; Wood
Bros, Art Erickson, Pontiac.
MODELS SHOWN
A total of twelve Model Engines were shown as follows: Steam
Model, Hill, Newark, Ill.; Buffalo-Pitts, Dierzen, Newark, Ill.;
Model, Ben Fehr, Roanoke, Illinois; Avery, Zehr, Pontiac;
Minneapolis, Timberlake, Alpha, Ill.; Boiler, Johnson, Alpha, Ill.;
Wood Bros., Bower, West Liberty, Ohio; Gaar-Scott, 1951, N. Lang,
Charleston, Ill.; Gaar Scott, 1950, N. Lang, Charleston, Ill.;
Steamobile, 1950, Killins, Coal Valley, Ill.; Model, Bloom,
Cheurbusco, Ind.; and an Under mounted Avery, Roos, Ind.
Old model tractors were a 1914 homemade one exhibited by Frank
Fitzpatrick, Campus, Ill., and a 1915 Mogul by Stroller Bros., of
Pontiac. Other old equipment included cradles, nail, early reaper,
4-wing Deering reaper, hand fed thresher and straw piler, dog tread
mill, horse tread mill, 4-row hand corn planter, Tower wheel-less
cultivator, steam peanut roaster.
A unique feature was a portable sawmill built in 1906 by H. J.
Lucksinger, McKittrick, Mo. Demonstrations on this and other
sawmill equipment were of much interest.
The Women’s Hobby Tent under the supervision of Mrs. Wilbur
Collins had a large and varied display of antiques and hobbies.
Mrs. Gordon Collins demonstrated the use of her rug loom.
Demonstrations of early threshing procedures were one of the
daily features. Operation of engines an the Prony Brake loaned by
the J. I. Case Company, was of much interest. Other features
included balancing a Huber engine on a teeter totter; recounting
early history of farming in the middle west, polo played with model
steam engines, square dance demonstrations, pageant of threshing
progress, parade of engines and models.
The Rev. E. L. Ritzman, of Enola, Pa., preached the sermon at
the church services on Sunday.
Officers of the Association are, President, Dan S. Zehr,
Ponitiac, Ill. Vice-President, Wilbur Collins, Pontiac, Ill.;
Secretary-Treasurer, Miss Jean Roberts, McLean, Ill.
Directors of the Association are: Dan S. Zehr, Pontiac; Cecil
Ellis, Clinton, Ill.; Homer Dickson, Yorkville, Ill.; Amer W. Cook,
Washington, Ill.; Harry Vogelsinger, Sr., Pontiac; Reid Tombaugh,
Pontiac; J. D. Roberts, McLean, Ill.; L. V. Kinsinger, Carlock,
Ill.; Wilbur Collins, Pontiac.
