DEWEY L. ERWIN, who died February 14, 1982 at Harrison, Arkansas
at the age of 82, started helping with the thresher and sawmill
when he was 14 years old. He had to keep the business going while
his older brother, Carl, served in the Army during World War I.
They were in partnership from the end of that war until 1949.
During the 1920s they took turns, one staying in Arkansas
running their own rig, while the other went to Kansas to run an
engine for George Chancel, who was one of the best threshermen in
the Ninnescah Valley. One year he went north from Kansas to Canada
where he ran a large Reeves engine.
During World War II with his brother, he cut 500,000 walnut gun
stocks at their Harrison sawmill. After the war the partnership was
dissolved and he built a tool handle factory which he ran until
1969. After retiring he took a great interest in the Ozark Steam
Engine Show near Springfield, Missouri and the Paunee, Oklahoma
show.
Few men could handle a steam engine as skillfully as he
could.
Submitted by Bonnie Moore, 1014 W. Chase Avenue, El Cajon,
California 92020.
This is to note the passing of ROLLAND E. MAXWELL on April 6,
1982. Rolland was a dairy farmer and became semi-retired in 1972.
He restored antique farm machinery for many years and participated
in many shows from the early 50s until the early 70s. He attended
steam and gas engine shows extensively until declining health
prevented his attendance. He wrote and researched much on early
agricultural equipment history and progress.
Submitted by his wife, Mrs. Catherine Maxwell and sons,
Bruce and Hugh.
CLARENCE DENSER, 56, died suddenly December 29, 1981. He had
been known in Canada and at many shows in the United States as the
expert on the old reliable 30 x 60 Hart Parrs. Clarence grew up
with Hart Parrs in his blood as his father went to Hart Parr school
in Charles City, Iowa where the tractors were manufactured. In 1916
his father worked as a mechanic for the company at Grand Forks,
North Dakota. As a youngster Clarence said his father always made
him stand in the drive wheel to keep him out of the road when
threshing.
From the Manitoba Agricultural Museum’s origin in 1955 to
1981, Clarence spent many volunteer hours restoring many of the
large gas tractors and performing the many behind the scene duties
it takes to make a show and museum. Being the largest 4-day show of
its kind in Canada, Clarence’s main enjoyment was the threshing
contest where steam versus gas. Clarence and his team were the
champions with the best time in 1981. He, of course, operated the
30 x 60 Hart Parr along with the 36′ x 56′ Nichols &
Shepard thresher his father bought new in 1926. Clarence farmed a
good many years and ran his own threshing outfit for all the Long
Plains Indian Reserve. He as well worked for the local municipality
for 32 years.
He will be sadly missed.
Submitted by Jack W. Beamish, Box 271, Hamiota, Manitoba,
Canada.
ROBERT F. SMITH, 63, of Woodland, Illinois died December 2,
1981. He was owner/operator of Smith Machine Shop, where he built
his model steam engine, water wagon and scale model Ottawa
‘C’ corn sheller.
He taught his two sons, Robert and Richard, the machine trade at
a very early age. They were always there to help when he worked on
or exhibited his models. They inherited his love for steam.
Bob belonged to the Central States Thresherman’s Association
of Pontiac, since its second year and he exhibited there since
1954. He also exhibited in other shows, parades and local events.
He was active in community affairs having served on the town and
school boards. He was chief of the Woodland Fire Department for 44
years.
His sons and two grandsons will carry on the tradition and
finish the steam engine he was working on.
He is sadly missed by his family and many friends.
Submitted by his family.
BEN JERABEK died March 22, 1982 at the age of 76. He owned and
operated a machine shop at Hutchinson, Minnesota. He was a member
of the Western Minnesota Thresherman’s Association and was the
holder of a Minnesota tractor engineer’s license. Ben attended
many steam shows in the central Minnesota area and always
maintained an active interest in antiques and steam traction
engines. He was the owner of a 2 cylinder Nichols & Shepard
steam traction engine and several gas engines.
Submitted by Tom Terning, Valley Center, Kansas
67147.
CLINE E. ‘JACK’ KAUER of Wichita, Kansas died April 14,
1982 at the age of 77. Several strokes over the past years had Jack
confined to the house most of the time. On his better days he would
always get to the shop and work on his lathe. For the past 30 years
Jack was involved in making patterns for the and -scale Case 65
steam traction engines. He also designed and built patterns for and
machined the governor for the scale model engines. Jack had been
instrumental in spreading the joy and fellowship of the steam
engine brotherhood from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific and from
the Gulf of Mexico to the north reaches of Canada. In this vast
area, Jack touched the lives of many, many people. Jack will be
greatly missed by his family and many friends. However, we have the
assurance in knowing that everytime someone fires up a model engine
there will be a part of Jack with us at all times. Thank you Jack,
for myself, and thank you for the rest of the , people involved in
the brotherhood.
Submitted by Tom Terning, Valley Center, Kansas
67147.
JAMES P. KELLY, 56, of Zionsville, Indiana died March 28, 1982,
in a hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana after a long illness and
several operations for cancer in the past three years.
Jim will be remembered by his many friends of the several
antique engine shows that he visited and loved. He always arrived
early at the shows and helped anywhere he could to get the
equipment ready for the opening day. His first love was his
Crossmotor Case tractor which was featured last year at the
Rushville show.
He was a charter member of the Mid-America Threshing &
Antique, Inc., Tipton, Indiana, a member of the Western Minnesota
Steam Threshers Reunion at Rollag, Minnesota, the Lake Region Steam
Show at Dalton, Minnesota, the Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor
Show at Portland, Indiana, and a director of the Pioneer Engineers
Club of Indiana, Inc. at Rushville, He always attended these shows
each year and others as well.
His many friends and club associates, as well as his family,
mourn his death.
Submitted by Marjorie Ross, Secretary of Pioneer Engineers
Club, P.O. Box 44, Paragon, Indiana 46166.
