On March 31, 1984, JAMES E. LANCASTER of Mount Savage, Maryland
died at the age of 91 years.
James was a long-time subscriber to IMA.In his
will he directed that his remaining shop equipment, tools and any
steam or gasoline engines be sold at auction. He requested that the
sale be advertised in this magazine.
Submitted by D. M. Lancaster, Rt. 1, Box 217, Mount Savage,
Maryland 21545.
CARL W. MEIER of Dubois, Nebraska passed away July 23, 1984, in
the Pawnee Memorial Hospital of congestive heart failure. He would
have been age 77 on July 26th.
As a young man, Carl had thoughts of becoming a railroad
engineer. Instead, he became a farmer. Then in 1966, he decided to
combine his farming with the building of a scale model steam engine
of his own. After some years of planning and many trips and
consulting with his friend Ed Jacobs of Smith Center, Kansas, he at
last realized his dream and the scale model Advance Rumely became a
reality.
Carl and his wife Opal’s hobby was attending the various
steam shows in the fall around the country with ‘Little
Smokey’.
His family shall miss his love, teasing, and quick wit; but
their lives are truly blessed because of Grandpa Carl.
Submitted by his wife, Opal Meier, Dubois, Nebraska
68345.
BERMAN WARNER, 86, of Anderson, Indiana died March 20, 1984,
following an extended illness. He was retired from the Guide Lamp
Division in Anderson.
Mr. Warner and his wife, Eunice, loved to visit steam shows all
over the country. He was a member of the Pioneer Engineers Club of
Indiana at Rushville, and showed his big Minneapolis engine which
he called ’01 Minnie’, then later he owned an Advance and
showed it at the shows at Rushville and Elwood. Mr. Warner was
always willing to answer questions at the shows. He loved talking
to the young people, answering their questions and giving them
rides on his engines. He was also a charter member of the Tipton
Mid-America Threshing Club.
The clubs will miss this man’s expertise and knowledge of
steam and his hopes of keeping the steam engine era alive for
posterity. It was his desire to share his knowledge with whoever
was interested.
Submitted by Marjorie Ross, Secretary/Treasurer, Pioneer
Engineers Club of Indiana, Inc. P.O. Box 44, Paragon, Indiana
46166.
A life-long resident of Franklin Grove, Illinois, GEORGE H.
FRUIT passed away on November 18, 1983, less than two weeks before
his 92nd birthday.
George was a retired self-employed crane operator and also a
power engineer, qualified to operate a power plant. He was also a
mechanic at heart and loved steam operated machinery. George and
his brother owned and operated steam equipment.
He was a member of the Illinois Brotherhood of Threshermen. In
addition, George was a member of the Blackhawk Flying Club and a
lifetime member of the Dixon Pilots’ Association.
When George was in his seventies, he and his brother Henry
started their own steam and gas engine show, the Clear Creek Steam
and Gas Engine Association. More recently, they became members of
the Living History Antique Equipment Association and the Franklin
Grove Area Historical Society. The two were honored in 1981 when
that year’s Franklin Grove Summer Harvest Festival was
dedicated to them for their community service and help in
preserving agricultural heritage.
Submitted by Eloise E. Van Hise, 315 No. Spring St., R.R.
Box 149, Franklin Grove, Illinois 61031.
CARL B. ERWIN, a member of the Ozark Steam-O-Rama at Republic,
Missouri, died July 3,1984 in Harrison, Arkansas at the age of
90.
His fascination with steam power started when he was 13 when he
helped with a family sawmill and continued through his life. During
World War I, he helped build sawmills and cut lumber in Southern
France as a member of the 20th Engineers, returning to the sawmill
and threshing business after the war.
Carl’s main interest was always steam power, but he built
his own generator and generated electric power for some of the
saws. During World War II, he and his brother Dewey cut over
500,000 gun stocks for the armed forces of the United States and
England.
After retiring, he spent a good deal of time rebuilding steam
traction engines and helping others with their rebuilding projects
by lending his collection of catalogs and his expert knowledge of
steam engines.
Mr. Erwin wrote several articles for IMA and
others, and corresponded with many steam engine ‘buffs’
around the country. His expertise with steam machinery was well
known.
Submitted by his daughter, Bonnie L. Moore, 1014 W. Chase,
El Cajon, California 92020.
JUDGE JOSEPH D. MARTIN, 71 years, passed away May 10, 1984.
Joe was one of the early organizers of the Ohio Valley Antique
Machinery, Inc. Show of Georgetown, Ohio. He served as the chairman
of the Board for 10 years, and as legal adviser for the past three
years.
Joe will be sadly missed by his family and the many friends at
the Ohio Valley Antique Machinery Show.
Submitted by John Metcalfe, 5749 Richland Cir., Milford,
Ohio 45150.
STEWART W. LEE, age 81, of Route 3, Calhoun, Kentucky died
Sunday, July 29, 1984 at McLean County General Hospital,
Calhoun.
He was a retired farmer, a 60 year member of Livermore Masonic
Lodge No. 186 F & AM and a member of Tennessee-Kentucky
Threshers Association, who named him ‘old steam man of the
year’ in 1982.
He had worked with steam engines all his life, having also
worked in the oil fields in his early life on steam drilling rigs.
Although he had fired and operated several different makes of
traction engines, he preferred the J. I. Case engine. He had owned
a 65 HP Case and steamed tobacco beds for over 40 years. Besides
the 65 HP Case, he owned a 40 HP Case, Case threshing machine and
Case grain binder.
Submitted by a friend, Elza ‘Dodge’ Taylor, Route
One, Calhoun, Kentucky 42327.
