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Rock River Thresheree, Inc.

Since 1955

The Thresherman's Gazette

April 1995 edition
"Name Your Paper"
We've had several catchy slogans for our newspaper and the slogan above seemed to catch the flavor of the thresher. While some come to enjoy the way farming was done in the past with the enjoyment of old steamers, tractors, threshers, you name it, you have to admit that the Cannonball adds a lot to the atmosphere for the young and old at the thresheree. "The Thresherman's Tracker" was submitted by Jenny Dierickx from Monticello. Jenny is the daughter of Craig Dierickx of Monticello and will be receiving a free T-shirt. Congratulations and thank you for submitting the name for our new publication.
 
Member's Hotline
BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL -- Join us June 9-10-11 for the "Bluegrass Festival" held at Thresherman's Park. Raffle tickets are available for sale and members can get their raffle ticket packets from Wendell Bennett. There will be bands galore, prizes and guaranteed fun for all. Don't miss it!
 
Coal Car Banks now available to go with your Locomotive Bank. Start building your souvenir collection now if you haven't already done so. It is a limited edition and we only have 100 to sell. Don't miss this great opportunity. If you haven't started your set and would like to, we have some of the Locomotive Banks still available, but act now as they will be out of stock soon. For only $10 each for members ($16 for non-members), you can enjoy a part of the past as well invest in the future.
 
PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES -- If you have any old pictures or newspaper articles from the early days of the Thresheree, please contact Carol Studebaker, Secretary, so we can organize and show the history we have at the thresheree. We would be willing to make a copy of your photo so you can have your original back if you desire. Help us to archive the history in our own back yard. Perhaps you have a relative who has been coming for many years and can remember some of the activities or can relate how things have changed and grown over the years, let us know. Share with us a part of the past. [p. 1, col. 1]
WORK DAYS SCHEDULED -- Two work days are scheduled for April 22 and May 6 (also the date of the May meeting) from 9 a.m. until ? Lunch will be provided both days. This is a sample of what we will be doing:
 
1. Painting the steel work on the pavilion.
2. Building another people wagon.
3. Repairing the tongue and bolsters on the Reeves water wagon.
4. Repair work on the buildings.
5. Cleaning and painting the big stationary engines.
6. General pick-up/clean-up
7. Paint! Paint! Paint!
 
If you have the tools that pertain to the job, bring them along. If you have any questions, contact Charlie Hendrickson at [removed].
 
New Members -- Three new members joined the club at the April meeting. They are Brian Bennett of Beloit, WI; Edwin Riddle of Janesville, WI, and Norm Meinert of Davis, IL. Welcome to the club!
 
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
 
April 22
May 6
 
June 3
June 9-10-11
July 8
Work day at 9:00 a.m. - ?
Work day at 9:00 a.m. - ?
Meeting at 1 p.m.
Meeting at 1 p.m.
Bluegrass Festival
Meeting at 1 p.m.
 
NEW SIGN -- Please take notice of the new sign erected by the lady's rest room near the Cox Road entrance. It was made by new members Tom Fiedler and Mark Landon. Thanks, it looks GREAT! [p. 1, col. 2]
KNOW YOUR OFFICERS/BOARD MEMBERS
 
The following people are board members and active members who give much of their time prior to, and during functions, working and making the Bluegrass Festival and Thresheree enjoyable and safe for those who come to the park.
 
WENDELL BENNETT -- Wendell lives in Platteville, WI, and is retired after 42 years as an auto mechanic. He now works part-time at Wonder Wash and helps his son with his combine and chopping business. He's been a very active member since 1978 and has served 11 years as club Treasurer and is now on the Board of Directors. It was largely through his efforts that the Thresheree acquired the Schell sawmill. For the past two years, Wendell has been in charge of the Bluegrass Festival that has been held on the grounds. He is also in charge of planting and harvesting the oat crops for the show.
 
FRED BULLOCK -- Fred lives in Darien, WI, where he works as an electrician. He has been a club member since 1986 and on the Board of Directors the past two years. Fred has done a lot of the wiring and electrical work on the club grounds. He collects Allis Chalmers tractors and equipment and his dream is to one day have a restored Oil Pull.
 
RICH GILBERTSON -- Rich lives in Edgerton, WI, and works at the Waste Management Facility in Janesville. He became a member in 1991. He is an active member and will try his hand at most anything that needs doing. He puts in very long hours during the show on the garbage pick-up detail and also helps in the corn meal shed. He has 15 gas engines which he shows at the Thresheree. He has been a Board member since 1994.
 
JIM HOMANN -- Jim is from Fort Atkinson, WI, and owns Homann Construction where he does new homes, remodeling and crawler work. He has an extensive collection of farm implements, antique tractors and engines at home which he calls "Wheels of Steel." He has been a member since 1983, has served the club as vice president and has been on the Board since 1993. He takes care of a lot of the repair and [p. 2, col. 1]
upkeep of the buildings here at the park. Jim owns and shows much of his equipment and machinery at the Thresheree including a Case steam engine.
 
LAVON BENNETT -- LaVon, wife of Wendell Bennett of Platteville, started coming to the Thresheree in 1976 and became a member in 1979. For the past 14 years she has been in charge of the Flea Market for the Thresheree and for the Bluegrass Festival. She puts in many hours sending out brochures, getting the spaces rented and assigned, marking off the spaces, collecting fees and making sure everyone is where they're supposed to be. LaVon has also served as Assistant Secretary, helped in the Thresheree booth and is in charge of selecting the Thresheree Queen. LaVon gets quite a chuckle when she remembers the irate woman coming out of the rest room and telling her that we should put on the Thresheree posters that we don't furnish toilet paper so she could have brought her own.
 
WES HOPPER -- Wes lives in Janesville and is a General Motors employee. He's been coming to the Thresheree since 1975 and joined the club in 1991. He is in charge of all security here at the park, 24 hours a day, during the Bluegrass Festival, the Thresheree and any other functions where they need security. He hopes to have a Farmall Cub ready to exhibit this year at the show. Wes has seen a lot of funny things during the Thresheree but the funniest was when a man took the crank from his son telling him that was not the way to start a gas engine. He began to turn the engine over and it backfired, throwing the man about 10 feet. Wes and the son couldn't quit laughing.
 
REMEMBER WHEN... by Joe McNally
 
"HISTORY OF THE ROCK RIVER THRESHEREE"
 
In 1955, John Horton had 17 acres of oats that he wanted to thresh with his dad's old steam tractor and a separator. John invited all to come and watch the operation, which was held in a gravel pit on his farm. The Congregational Church of Fulton came out and set up a food tent and the event was successful.
 
The following year, John went to Helgesen Implement and invited Marv Helgesen, and anyone else with an old tractor, to come out to his show. In spite of a heavy frost [p. 2, col. 2]
that year, the show was larger than the previous year. The group held another show in 1957, and that show was what is recognized as the first threheree.
 
The show continued to grow over the next few years and by 1960 the gravel pit was too small to hold the exhibit. The even was then moved to the Edgerton American Legion park and the show was larger than anyone expected. So many tractors came out that some of them had to be displayed downtown near the railroad tracks. Oats were threshed at the park and hauled nearly a mile away to be stacked. 1960 was also the year that the group of enthusiasts became the Rock River Steam Thresheree Association.
 
The crowded conditions at the Legion park forced the Assocation to look for another site to host the Thresheree and the group discovered some land for sale near Edgerton. They bought the land on land contract, and the Thresherman's Park was born. Three acres of land were cleared for the first show at the park. The land hadn't been plowed in over 50 years so it was hard work.
 
The first major project at the park was the construction of a storage building in 1962. Sy Havey and Fran Reiner heard that someone in Deerfield, WI, had some trees to give away. Fifteen or sixteen men went up there and spent two days felling the trees and getting the logs out of the woods. Sy then used his sawmill to saw the trees into lumber for the building. The framework was put on one year and the covering the next.
 
About the time that the building was being finished, another club member was starting another project. Walt Durst was traveling through Germany when he spotted an old steam train. It was a narrow gauge dock engine. He contacted the owner and was able to buy it and ship it home. The train was then completely restored and rebuilt to look like a Civil War train before it was brought to Thresherman's Park.
 
The addition of the train meant that tracks had to be purchased and laid. The club borrowed $15,000 for tracks and ties. Sy and his sawmill then went to work cutting some of over 6,000 ties needed for the mile and a half of track that circles the park. The long train ride meant that the park had to be expanded and another six acres of land was purchased and added to the park.
 
The next improvement to the park came in 1965 when the train shed was built. More buildings have been built since and the park was expanded five more acres when crop land was purchased along Hwy. 51. The number of visitors to the park has increased nearly four-fold from the 1970s and the club continues to thrive. [p. 3, col. 1]
If it weren't for John Horton wanting to do his threshing the "hard way," we would not have a club today. The next time you see one of the early members, take a minute to thank them for all they have done for the club over the years.
         
        *********
 
The first year of membership was in 1964. Below are the names of some of the members who joined at that time. However, please note that while others may have been very active early on, they didn't obtain membership until later.

Member Name

No. When Joined
    Kenneth Austin
    Glenn Beedy
    James Burno
    Peter Burno
    Vernon Burno
    Donald Cassels
    Melvin Cassels
    Marvin Helgesen
    Tom Helgesen
    Lloyd Hornbostel
    Bernard Lux
    Don Lux
    Robert Olin
    Francis Reiner
    Duane Richards
    Jeffery Richards
    Harlan Wade
    Robert Wollslair
26
13
20
2
8
17
14
1
33
36
3
12
34
4
11
18
27
24
 
People known to have been very active but joined at a later date are: Syl Henry, Harold Mauerman, Frank Schmaling and Janet Lux to name a few.
         
        *********
 
Do you remember when using the restroom meant going into a tent to relieve yourself into a pitched drain pipe with the wind blowing the sides up while you were in there? Ah, yes, the good old days!
 
Grandpa's Tool Box
The Bemis Transplanter by Guy Fay
 
The Bemis transplanter was patented by Frank A. Bemis, from Lodi, WI, in 1890. Before the transplanter, the planting of tobacco, as well as other plants that were started outside of the field, was done by hand, an [p. 3, col. 2]
expensive, tedious project at best. After patenting the implement, Bemis approached John A. Johnson, who was then an officer and major stockholder of the Fuller & Johnson Company, a major implement manufacturer in Madison, WI. Mr. Johnson was impressed and negotiated rights to manufacture the Bemis transplanter. Success quickly followed, especially after the implement won a medal at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair (a special display model was made out of cherry wood and metal parts were nickel plated).
 
The Bemis transplanter was also quickly imitated. Two men from Stoughton, WI, Thomas Lormer and Jacob Wettelson, began manufacturing the "New Bemis Automatic Transplanter," which was then manufactured by Stoddard Manufacturing Co. in Dayton, Ohio. Frank's brother Fred claimed he had developed and obtained the patent and arranged the deal with Stoddard, even though he was employed by Fuller & Johnson. Fuller & Johnson quickly sued, and eventually the case was won. However, eventually competition was developed, including transplanters built by New Idea and Massey-Harris. The planters are, of course, now known collectively as "old style" planters.
 
Although Fuller & Johnson had success with the Bemis Transplanter, the rest of their implement business took a dive after the International Harvester merger in 1902, as did several other companies. Fuller & Johnson bought into the gasoline engine business in 1902 with the purchase of M. I. Johnson Co., which had been developed by John Johnson's son, Maurice.
 
With the decline of the implement business and the need to focus on the then profitable gasoline engine business, Fuller & Johnson sold the implement business in 1911 to Madison Plow Company, taking a heavy loss in the books while doing so. Interestingly enough, the transplanter business was sold separately from the rest of the implement business, although it went to the same company in the end. One wonders if Fuller & Johnson was contemplating either keeping the transplanter business or selling to a separate company. No conclusive proof of either exists in the admittedly incomplete corporate records in the State Historical Society.
 
The trail goes cold after the sale of the Madison Plow Company. Very few records of this company have been found, although it was in existence from 1913 until at least 1954, when it disappears from the Madison City Directory. After this, there is an indication that Ellis in Verona, WI, took over production, but I have been unable to confirm this. [p. 4, col. 1]
Both Fuller & Johnson and Madison Plow built planters that were known as "Bemis Transplanters" and this was painted on the tanks of the planters. The seats of the planters usually are the easiest way of telling the two makes apart now, with the Madison Plow version having this molded into the seat base, which also was the lid for the water tank. The Fuller & Johnson planter that I looked at had the F&J cast seat that is so valuable. I was at an auction a few years ago and saw someone reach into a bush, pull one out, and bid and bought it before anyone saw what it actually was. The fellow bought it for $1.00, which is about 1% of what one is worth.
 
At the Great Fuller & Johnson rally at the Badger Steam & Gas show in 1993, a restored Fuller & Johnson planter was featured prominently. I grew up with a Madison Plow version, which received extensive use (minus the water attachment) for transplanting vegetables in peat pots as well as dry seeds meant for hills, such as squash and pumpkins. There is no more effective way of getting a dirty face as with the Bemis Transplanter because when you are on the planter your face is almost directly behind the steel wheels and you are never more than a few inches above the ground. Since the bottom of the [planter] occasionally drags on the ground, a rock can be a real problem!
 
"For Sale or Looking to Purchase"
 
Wanted: Parts for 1948 Cockshutt Co-op E-3 Model 30. Call [removed due to age of ad].
 
Wanted: Power steering parts, remote hydraulic parts and loader for JD 1010RUS tractor and any one or two-rwo 3-point JD implements for 420C or 40S. Call [removed due to age of ad].
 
LOST MEMBERS -->
We are unable to locate the following people. The last known address is listed. Can you help us find them? [street address have been removed]
 
    Peter Bakken
     
    William Blum
     
    Walter Daer
Downers Grove, IL
 
Monroe, WI
 
Roscoe, IL
[p. 4, col. 2]
LOST MEMBERS (CONT.)
 
    Robert Kennedy
     
    Armin Pagel
     
    Lonnie Townsend
     
    Duane Suiter
     
    Randy Suiter
     
    Lawrence Ward
     
    Orhan Yinmibesh
     
    Steve Zibell
Janesville, WI
 
Janesville, WI
 
Janesville WI
 
Janesville, WI
 
Janesville, WI
 
Beloit, WI
 
Clinton, WI
 
Deerfield, WI
 
If you have any idea where these people may have moved to or what has happened to them, please let us know. Thank you.
 
Obituaries
 
Joseph Lawreth of RR 1, Fontana, WI. He'd been a member since 1974.
 
Claude Zucker of Rockford, IL, passed away in March. He'd been a member since 1978. He and his wife, Helen, had a concession stand selling food and cotton candy. He was good with all the members' kids and they loved helping him in his food stand.
 
Our condolences go to the families of our passing members.
 
WEDDING
 
Elmer Taylor of Janesville, WI, a member for the past 25 years, was recently married to the former Iona Bruhn on December 3, 1994. Congratulations to the happy couple.
 
TRAVEL
 
Don and Janet Lux recently returned from a week in England. They were accompanied by their son Brian and daughter, Lily and her new husband, Jeff Hansing. Don and Janet spent the week in [p. 5, col. 1]
village of Guilden Morden visiting Janet's mother and helping her celebrate her 94th birthday. This was the first time in 10 years Janet had seen her mother.
 
KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED
 
Marv Helgesen, Bernard Lux and Einar Johnson, three of our members, are now residents of Rock Haven Nursing Home in Janesville. Bernard's wife, Genevieve, our 1973 Thresheree Queen, will soon be making her home with her son and daughter-in-law, Don and Janet Lux.
 
Melvin Cassels is residing in Edgerton at Long Term Care.
 
Grandma & Grandpa's Attic

 

 
We've run across a picture from Grandma and Grandpa's album of the year the parade bowl flooded. The year was 1970. This picture was given to us by a new member, Bruce Brown and was taken by his mother.
 
Schell Saw Mill
by Carol Studebaker
 
Ten years ago, in May of 1985, the Rock River Thresheree became the new home of the Schell sawmill. It was originally located in Blue River, WI, where it had been in the Schell family for two generations, first owned by Fred Schell and later by his son, Harry.
 
Thresheree members, led by Wendell Bennett, moved the equipment to its new home. The new building is an exact replica of the Blue River sawmill. The rough-hewn lumber used as siding on the new building was the last wood cut on the saw before it was moved. [p. 5, col. 2]
Schell Sawmill (cont.)
 
The Schell family donated the sawmill and the Thresheree purchased the extras, such as the Howell planer, cut-off saw, overhead roller line, sawdust drive and the big 90 hp Waukesha gas engine.
 
The mill was made by Enterprise and driven either by the Waukesha engine or by a steam engine. The mill is all original with no hydraulics.
 
Harry Schell was known throughout the United States as a master hammerman. Hammermen are a rare breed of individuals who put tension on the giant five-foot diameter blades used at sawmills. The blades are hammered one blow at a time at various places on each side until the job is done.
 
The blades will not spin properly at high speeds unless they are tensioned. It takes an expert hammerman to know precisely where to hit the blades. Harry Schell was considered by Simonds Company (who produced the large blades) as the most accomplished hammerman in the entire country.
 
The sawmill runs every day during the Thresheree. Take some time to go over and watch it in operation.
 
Granny's Kitchen
by Jackie Brown
 
Remember Granny's good ol' home fried chicken and biscuits? M-m-m-m! Look what's cookin'!
 
Grandma's Buttermilk Biscuits
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. shortening
3/4 c. buttermilk
 
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk; knead dough gently. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Bakes 10 biscuits. [p. 6, col. 1]
Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Gravy
 
1 boiler-fryer chicken (2 1/2 - 3 lbs, cut up)
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Cooking oil for frying.
 
Gravy:
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 1/2 to 2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
 
Place chicken in a large flat dish. Pour buttermilk over; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a double-strength paper bag. Drain chicken pieces; toss, one at a time, in flour mixture. Shake off excess; place on waxed paper for 15 minutes to dry. Heat 1/8 to 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet; fry chicken until browned on all sides. Cover and simmer, turning occasionally, for 40-45 minutes, or until juices run clear and chicken is tender. Uncover and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove chicken and keep warm. Drain all but 1/4 cup drippings in skillet; stir in flour until bubbly. Add milk and 1 1/2 cups water; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook 1 minute more. Add remaining water if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with chicken. Makes 4-6 servings.
 
-- KID'S KORNER --
 
"Peggy's Poetry"
by Peggy Dierickx
 
"Moments"
 
The sights and sounds of thresherees,
Often bring back memories.
The ice cream bars, the big parade,
And all the booths with lemonade.
The train locomotive making its rounds,
The old machinery scattered throughout the grounds.
I like to go back and have all that fun,
And I can every year in Edgerton. [p. 6, col. 2]
[insert flyer for the Plum River Country Opry held June 9-10-11, 1995]
Featured Entertainment:
HOSTED BY BLUEGRASS EXPRESS (All 3 days) from Stockton, IL
HARVEST HOME (All 3 days) from Iowa City, IA
GORDON McMASTERS (All 3 days) from Decorah, IA
ROUGH EDGES (Friday only) from Sycamore, IL
CROSSROADS (Sat. & Sun.) from Coolville, OH
TRADITIONAL SOUNDS (Sat. only) from Milwaukee, WI
ROCK RIVER REVIVAL (Sun. only) from Janesville, WI
GRANDE CHIEN CAJUN BAND (Sun. only) from the Corn Bayous of Wisconsin!
KID'S KORNER (CONT.)
 
FINISH THE WORD
Print the name of each picture. They all have "OW" in them.

 

[p. 7, col. 1]
DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER
is no later than the board meeting on July 8, but you don't have to wait until then. It's easier for us if we have it a little early.
 
Please send your articles, pictures, etc., to:
 
Carol Studebaker, Sec'y.
Rock River Thresheree
[address removed; Carol is no longer secretary] [p. 7, col. 2]
[p. 7, cols. 1-2]
                  A Slower Pace -- A Different Life
[p. 8, cols. 1-2]