Stein Auer, Nebraska 68441
The 1968 Northeast Nebraska Threshers Reunion was held September
28 and 29th at the Wm. J. Mayberry farm, east of Niobrara,
Nebraska.
The weather the first day was a little chilly. The second day,
the weather was perfect. The crowds came from many states and some
foreign countries.
A good program was carried out each day with parades and many
activities. There was threshing with a hand feed thresher equipped
with web stacker and powered by six nice teams of Belgian mares on
the horsepower. The mares had eight nice colts on the grounds that
attracted a lot of attention.
The lumber saw was busy at all times, as different engines and
tractors tried their power on the lumber saw. They converted a
large pile of logs into lumber during the two days.
The two larger threshers at the oats stacks were powered by
steam engines and large tractors that created a lot of interest.
Many people went to the wagons and examined the nice clean oats –
no chaff or sticks!
The Yankton S. D. Antique Auto Club was well represented by a
large group of nicely restored cars. They all looked like master
artists had a hand in restoring them.
There was a number of scale model steam engines on the grounds,
also looking like the results of a master artist. Their owners were
busy putting them through their paces, including a scale model
Avery thresher complete with feeder, wind stacker and weigher.
Mr. Mayberry kept things moving and there was something going on
at all times from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. It is impossible to mention
everything and I suggest the readers make plans to attend the show
in 1969.
There were seven large steam engines under steam and one that
was not steamed up. All these engines, excluding one, were owned by
Wm. J. Mayberry. The return flue Huber is owned by Joe Stein Hagen
of Dodge Center, Minnesota.
The engine parade line up like this: 80 HP Case, 1923, Wt.
22,000 operated by Jack Wiltman of LeMars, Iowa. An 18 x 35 1
cylinder oil pull operated by Wally Nelson, Valley Springs, S. D.,
a 1925, 30 x 60 Oil Pull Model X operated by Bill Nolon of
Niobrara, Nebraska, then a 1913 30 x 60 Model E Oil Pull, Wt. 14
ton, operated by Herb Honey of Niobrara. Next, a 1916 40 x 80 Avery
operated by Dennis Steinbeck, followed by a 10 ton 40 x 70 Flower
City operated by J. O. Lee, Irene, S. D., then came Jake
Boomgaarden of Ellisworth, Minn, with a 30 x 60 Ault-man Taylor. It
weighs 11 ton and was mfg. 1917. Joe Steinhagen was driving the 28
HP Minnie mfg. 1913, wt. 18 ton. Next was L. V. Johannes of David
City, Nebr. with a 20 HP Advance Rumely, wt. 13 ton mfg. 1920, then
came John Parolek of Schuyler, Nebr. with an 18 HP Ault-man mfg.
1914. Ray Magnuson of Emerson, Neb. had a 1919 20 HP Minn.
A 16 HP Aultman-Taylor was on the grounds but was not fired up.
There was the Reichart and Mayberry Special operated by John Cosck
of Yorkton, S. D. It resembles the Avery undermounted. Martin
Gillhouse of Iowa Falls operated the 1922 65 HP Case and Carl
Grosley operated the 10 ton Holt tractor. The above engines are all
owned by Wm. J. May berry.
Then Carl Wilke of Minnesota came through with Joe Stein
Hagen’s 1924-25 HP Huber. Carl Reichart of Niobrara operated
Frank Ebensdorfer’s 22 x 45 8 ton Aultman-Taylor tractor. Doug
Berggren of Wilcox had his nice scale model Case, wt. 1 ton and Ed
Zisha of Chapman, Nebr. showed his wonderfully restored 20 x 30
Best tractor.
There was a lot of small scale portable steam engines and one
railroad engine on the grounds.
The Niobrara Community Club did a wonderful job feeding the
crowds and handling the traffic. Hope to see you at Niobrara in
’69!
