Stumptown Steam Threshers 1989 Show Report

The show got underway with sawing, threshing, baling, cornmeal
grinding, power eater demonstration, shingle making, etcetera,
along with a nice bunch of gas engines and tractors in operation.
At noon, all the steam whistles signaled dinnertime. At 12:30, the
Ladies Auxiliary announced that John McDowell of Plainfield, Ohio
was the Thresher-man of the Year and Lori Wines of Belmont, Ohio
was the Thresherman Queen. They took the grand tour in the back of
Ralph Jones’ Model T truck. One o’clock found the steam
engines lined up for the block and slow engine race. Jim Welkart
won the slow engine race in the antique class and Don Lautzenhauser
won in the scale class.

In the slow tractor race, Bob Bulter was the winner on a JD L,
and Dennis Jackowski of Flushing won in the garden tractor slow
race. In the steam engine block race, John McDowell was first on
his Baker, Clyde Sell was second on his Frick and Jim Welkart was
third on his Port Huron. After the races, the usual threshing,
baling, sawing took place until 3:30 p.m. when the TriValley Young
Farmers & Wives of Dresden put on the kiddie toy tractor pull.
The following were winners:

In Class I, Bill Burney of Jewett, Ohio was first and Josh
Shultz of Rayland, Ohio was second. In Class II, Matt Hughes was
first and Jared Shultz of Rayland was second. In Class III, Jim
Bethel of Steubenville, Ohio was first and Aaron Henceroth of
Adena, Ohio was second. In Class IV, John Shultz of Rayland was
first and Karen Lam of Piedmont, Ohio was second. In Class V, Chad
Hughes of Temperenceville, Ohio was first and Mandi Graham of St.
Clairsville, Ohio was second. There was a very nice turnout for the
kiddie tractor pull.

At 6:00 p.m., the Ohio Valley Promenaders put on a very colorful
and talented clogging and square dance demonstration. While the
fiddle contestants were being signed up, Ed Cole and Earl Whitehill
entertained on their dulcimers. At 7:30, the old time fiddlers
contest got underway with twelve contestants. Winners in the under
60 class were Clarence Miller of Brilliant, Ohio, first place;
Carrie Dillon of Woodsfield, Ohio, second place; Ginger Haren of
Woodsfield, third. In the over 60 class, Bill Burris of
Shippingport, PA was first, Dorman Jefferies of Toronto, Ohio was
second and Danny Laslo of Martins Ferry, Ohio was third. All the
fiddlers then played the ‘Round Robin’ after the trophies
were awarded.

Sunday’s show started off with church services led by Marion
Rogers of Freeport, Ohio and a spiritual singing group followed by
the usual threshing, baling, etc. until the noon whistle blow. At
1:00, the wagon backing contest took place. In the amateur class,
Jay Graham of St. Clairsville was the winner and John Miller of
Aliquippa, PA won the previous winner class. After the wagon
backing contest, the usual activities took place prior to the
parade. At that time, the Ladies Auxiliary held their drawing for
the quilt which was won by Dorothy Griffith of Wheeling, WV, the
pillow was won by Alice Laport of Tippecanoe, Ohio, and the pillow
cases were won by Sue Nichols of St. Clairsville, Ohio. Dan
Trushell, the oldest man to attend the show, won a stein featuring
the Farquhar steam engine and Emma Holmes of Moundsville, WV won
the prize for the oldest woman. Both winners were 88 years old.

The plate clock was won by Janis Bell of Willow Grove, Ohio; the
toy wooden steam engine was won by Terry Stewart of Cadiz, Ohio;
the drawing among the membership was won by the club president,
Henry Niemiec, and one of our directors, John Graham, who both
donated their prizes back to the club.

After the drawings, the grand parade took place, led by our
Thresherman and Queen, followed by antique cars, steam engines and
tractors. Approximately 4000 people came through the gate. There
were 410 gas engines registered, 82 tractors, eight full-size
traction engines, two full-size portable steam engines, two -scale
traction engines, one homemade traction engine, two -scale traction
engines, and one -scale portable. Six exhibitors showed small
stationary and model engines powered by Jared Crowe Frick Portable.
The 1989 show programs were in memory of Bill Humphreville who was
a charter member and former director.

The show ran very smoothly and was enjoyed by all. Mickey
MacDonald was the M.C. The Stumptown officers and directors wish to
thank all the spectators and exhibitors who attended the show and
all who helped put on the show and made it a success. This
year’s show will be held on September 8 and 9, 1990.