PAUL BLOUGH, 86, of Wis Dells, Wisconsin, passed away December
28, 1980 in Louisiana while vacationing in the South for the
winter. He was a life member of the Badger Steam and Gas Engine
Club along with other clubs in Wisconsin. He was very active in the
Central States Threshermen’s Reunion, Pontiac, Illinois, in the
late 50s. He exhibited his many varied interests from old radios,
homemade dynamos to gas engine driven generators and magnets. He
spent his early life in and around Bloomington. Paul was a retired
mechanic. He will be missed at the many shows.
Submitted by a nephew, Charles Blough, 2929 N. Bigelow,
Peoria, Illinois 61604.
JOHN M. ‘JACK’ BURROW, well-known steam engine man of
High River, Alberta, passed away November 17, 1980 at the age of
84. He farmed here all his working years, but found time to collect
many engines, at one time owning over fourteen. He will be
missed.
Submitted by Kenneth Scott, Box 305, High River, Alberta,
Canada.
CARL MORCHOUSE, Center-burg, Ohio, passed away February 14,
1981, in Mercy Hospital, Mt. Vernon, Ohio. He was 79. He owned and
operated a sawmill in Knox County for 50 years. He was also an
old-time thresherman. He owned two Baker steam engines. One 21-75
HP and one 23-90 HP. He also had a 25-50 Baker tractor. He always
referred to this 21-75 steam engine as the ‘little engine with
the big pull.’ Knowing Carl the way I did, I think he enjoyed
every minute of life. He will be sadly missed by all who knew
him.
Submitted by Ray Morchouse, 852 South Boston Street, Galion,
Ohio 44833.
ROBERT R. HUMPHREYS, 61, of Kensington, Maryland, passed away
January 27, 1981, after a short illness. He was a native of Kansas
and served in the Army Air Forces in Europe during World War II. He
had been a building contractor for the past 25 years.
Mr. Humphreys was active in historical organizations and was a
collector of antique tools and old photographs. He was also an
excellent photographer and it is in this role that he was best
known in steam show circles in our area, particularly by owners and
operators of steam engines and antique tractors. He was a quiet,
unassuming man who was a familiar sight at the shows, camera in
hand, casting an appraising eye over the exhibits. He was quick to
grasp the possibilities of a good picture and often could be seen
focusing on a steam engine or antique tractor, making sure that the
operator occupied ‘just the right spot.’ Later Mr.
Humphreys would present the operators with excellent 8 x 10
photographs of their equipment. He enjoyed seeing the big smiles
that these always brought. When they offered to reimburse him for
the photographs, he would dismiss them with a friendly wave of the
hand and say he did it just for fun. A number of his photos have
appeared in the Iron Men Album. Bob Humphreys will indeed be missed
as our shows here in Maryland begin again in 1981.
Submitted by James B. Romans, 9111 Louis Avenue, Silver
Spring, Maryland 20910.
FRANCIS E. BERSTLER, better known as Josh, departed from this
life on December 15, 1980. He had suffered from a period with
cancer. Born in Middletown, he resided in the Steelton,
Pennsylvania area. Josh was well known for telling tall tales and
cracking jokes. He was a member of practically every gas and steam
engine show on the Eastern Coast. Josh sold articles at the flea
markets until he decided to become an exhibitor. The small engines
he displayed were hand built from odds and ends that Josh found and
engineered. He will be sorely missed by all his friends.
Submitted by Richard E. Vinsky, Steelton, Pennsylvania
17113.
