Sec. Route 1, Box 332 Adena, Ohio 43901
The 1988 Stumptown Steam Threshers Reunion was blessed with
beautiful weather this year. The show got off to a flying start
with prayer by one of our members, Lester Nabb, and the raising of
‘Old Glory’ by the Cadiz Boy Scouts while the Star Spangled
Banner was played on an antique music box. After the opening
ceremonies, the usual sawing, threshing, baling, shingle making,
cornmeal grinding and power-eater generator. Baker fan and the
operations of gas engines, tractors, etc., began and continued
until the noon whistles.
At 12:45, the Ladies Auxiliary announced the 1988 Thresherman of
the Year and the Thresherman Queen. Mr. and Mrs. John Graham (John
and Doris) were crowned by last year’s winners, Henry Niemiec
and Carolyn Fraley. One o’clock featured the slow engine race
and the block race. The slow race was won by Jared Crowe of
Navarre, Ohio on his 20 HP Minneapolis in the antique class and
Bill Rees of Canton, Ohio won on his scale Case in that class. In
the block race, John McDowell of Plainfield, Ohio was the winner in
the antique class and there were no contestants in the scale
class.
The usual sawing, threshing and grinding continued until 3:30
when the Young Farmers and Wives Pedal Tractor Pulling Club held
the pedal tractor pull with 83 contestants entering. Winners in the
Class I (30 to 45 lb.) were Jamie Jendrura of Bethesda, Ohio and
Jared Crowe of Navarre, Ohio. Class II winners (46 to 60 lbs.) were
Lynn Bosio of Uhrichsville, Ohio and Matt Modra of Shadyside, Ohio.
Class III winners (61 to 75 lbs.) were Mike Mercer of St.
Clairsville, Ohio and John Schultz of Rayland, Ohio. Class IV
winners (76 to 90 lbs.) were Chad Huges of Tempernsville, Ohio and
Mandy Williams of St. Clairsville, Ohio. Class V (91 to 105 lbs.)
winners Rusty Duncan, of Cadiz, Ohio and Chris Compher of Jewett,
Ohio.
At 6:00, the Ohio Valley Promenaders put on a square dancing and
clogging demonstration. The square dancers had people from the
audience participate later on. At 7:30, the old-time fiddling
contest got underway with 11 contestants. Winners in the under 60
class were: 1st, Gina Fair of Shadyside, Ohio; 2nd, Carrie Dillon
of Woodsfield, Ohio, and 3rd, Clarence Miller of Brilliant, Ohio.
Winners in the 60 class and over were: 1st, Don Wilson of St.
Clairsville, Ohio; 2nd, Dan Laslo of Martin’s Ferry, Ohio and
3rd, Jim Ady of Woodsfield, Ohio. After the contest, a ’round
robin’ fiddle playing continued with several singers
participating. Between the two classes, 88 year old Carl Porter of
Cadiz, Ohio played four tunes on his mouth organ. Prior to the
contest, Ed Cole played several songs on his homemade dulcimer.
Sunday’s show started off with church services led by Marion
Rogers from Freeport, Ohio and singing by Mindy Rousch of Flushing,
Ohio. After church services, the usual activities continued until
the noon whistles. At 1:00, the wagon backing contest featuring gas
tractors without power steering was held. In the open class, Bob
Murphy was the winner with a Farmall M and N or b Wilhelm was the
second winner with a Farmall Super C. In the previous years’
winners class, Bob Murphy was again the winner on the Farmall M and
Dave Murphy was the second winner with a Super C Farmall.
At 2:30, the Ladies Auxiliary held their quilt drawing and Mary
Grant of Jacobsburg, Ohio was the winner. After the quilt drawing,
the last threshing and baling was completed just in time for the
parade. Prior to the parade, a drawing was held for a clock made on
an engine plate, a miniature wooden steam engine and two membership
drawings. The clock was won by Richard Diehl of Deerfield, Ohio who
had predicted earlier that he would be winning the clock. The steam
engine was won by Mary Ann Smith of Shadyside, Ohio and Marty
Litten of Flushing, Ohio and Andy McDonald of New Cumberland, West
Virginia won the membership drawings.
There were approximately 2000 paid admissions for Saturday’s
show and about 1500 paid admissions for Sunday. Equipment at the
show was as follows: 3 threshers, 2 balers, 1 model baler, 8 full
size traction steam engines, 2 full size portable steam engines,
one scale portable steam engine, two scale steam traction engines,
three scale steam traction engines, 87 tractors, 338 gas engines, 8
models and stationary steam engines, several model gas engines, an
implement seat display, a working blacksmith, 2 large toy tractor
displays, a shingle mill, a cornmeal grinder, a power-eater
generator and fan, a full size sawmill and scale sawmill. The
teeter-totter was a real success with several fellows being able to
balance and some failing. Cornmeal was ground on a stone burr mill
and 395 bags of cornmeal were sold. Darel Murphy had made several
canes with Stumptown written on them which were a hot selling item.
Souvenir cups and plates were also sold. The cups featured a 1935
R. C. Case owned by the Flowers family and the plate featured the 6
HP portable Russell engine owned by the Francis Young family of
East Sparta, Ohio.
L to R: Joe Harrison with his Russell, John McDowell on the
Baker, and eventual winner Jed Crowe with his Minnie in the 1988
Slow Engine Race.
The Stumptown Ladies Auxiliary was successful with its crafts
and rummage sale. Both eating stands were busy along with the
lemonade stand, ice cream stand and the popcorn stand. The New
Athens Fire Department specialized in cornbread and bean soup.
There were also several flea markets.
The Stumptown Show tries to have something interesting for all
ages and gender. The officers and directors wish to thank all who
came to the show whether exhibitors or spectators. Without the
spectators we couldn’t have a show and without the exhibitors,
the spectators would have nothing to see. We thank the Bannock Coal
and the Ohio River Colliers for the coal, the Carson Company for
the oil and the Consol Coal Company for the use of the grounds and
emergency supplies.
This year’s show is the weekend after Labor Day, September 9
& 10, 1989.
