Chapter 238

2/30/2010

Ch 238 Threshing Machine

how bout them oats

I vaguely recall learning in school that Cyrus McCormick invented the reaper in 1834. After analyzing the family photo above, I've come to realize that Grandpa, Dad, and I were all connected to that event.

The reaper would only cut the oat, wheat or grain stalk. To separate the grain kernels from the top of the stalk and remove the husk (separate the wheat from the chaff) you need the "separator" to thrash it. "Iowa threshing" is written on the back of the photo so I'm not sure if Grandpa Hayden is in it or it was related to the Butler side of the family. The machine is a 1920-1934 Case Threshing Machine (22x36 inch). In the 60's I did a little work on an International Harvester combine accomplishing the same task. Case and International Harvester are now combined as a conglomerate and McCormick was a founding father of the IH company.

As a history detective I had to make some deductive guesses here as I only had the picture to go by. I believe it has kicked around the family for years but Aunt Carol was not familiar with it. It's hard to recognize the people 75 years later in a black and white photo faces shaded from the hot August sun.

Aunt Carol did verify the the horse names and date Grandma Wilna wrote on the photo above. They are Jim, Dick, and Kit along with Gpa Hayden in this photo marked 1934. It is behind the old dairy barn lower (southwest) end with mid morning sun (west to the left). Outhouse on left. (no explanation necessary).

This third linked photo shows the horses even better. This confirms to me that Dick (white Percheron horse) is in the top picture with maybe Kit (smaller dark horse w/ roman nose) blocking out view of another smaller horse (front legs and ear showing). That two horse team is pulling the "hay" wagon (tongue visible) full of oat shocks on the right that would be fed into the feeder conveyor by an unseen person. Our handwritten in pencil farm ledger shows expense notations for pecks of seed bought for oat, wheat, buckwheat, and rye to be sowed. Labor paid records include those for threshing as well as income for bushels of harvested oats and wheat sold.

It appears to be Dad with slight build, arms crossed, slumped tired posture and floppy felt hat holding grain shovel in the center inside the grain wagon. If he's around 16 years old would put photo shoot about 1936. Guessing Grandpa Hayden hands on hips rounded felt hat on top overseeing the action of the Threshing machine. Hired worker on the left is redistributing the grain into the front right corner of the wooden wheeled grain wagon from the pyramid that is formed below the round tube pipe spewing the grain. The large straw chute pipe on top left shoots the less desired straw (and chopped chaff) out to the left. That design feature is an identifying marker indicating the steel wheeled thresher to be a 1920-1934 Case the same as the Case thresher pictured here. It shows the other side view of an active operation. If you zoom you can read the J. I. Case Threshing Machine Co and Racine, Wisconsin marking on the twin tubes. This machine is belt driven from the tractor flywheel or belt pulley from a distance to keep sparks away.

I manned a combine (combines reaping and threshing) similar to this (1939 McCormick-Deering) as Stan Connelly pulled it behind his tractor. Mainly I think I was signaling when the hopper was full so we could off load into a truck but I think there was a little steering ability. I thought that combine was powered by a gas engine that had a leaky gas tank which occasionally caught fire as we worked. Later on he bought a self propelled model. Believe it was orange or red and older than the "antique" International Harvester in this nicely informative video.

The lattice work of straps on the back of the horses is an interesting detail in the photo. It appears they bought (or maybe made) leather straps or cords or rope maybe to serve as a cooling device and protect from flies. Modern lightweight covers are called fly sheets. Ours seemed to be what is called a 1910 knotted cord fly sheet pictured here . With movement or a muscle twitch would tend to shoo the ever present pesky flies away. You'll see the fly sheets and blankets at the Saratoga track. Cowboys used fringe on their buckskin to wick away moisture when they got soaked. Wondering if the lattice work on the horses is more used as a cooling system to evaporate and wick sweat? Shoo fly tassels made of horse hair are now sold that owners attach to horse tack for that purpose and for decoration.