Reliving history - The tractors of our great-grandfathers

[hooky]

That is sharp!

Thanks. My brother shot all the paint and my nephew did the decals. Had a heckuva time keeping dad out of his shop for 2 months while it was torn apart. LOL

 

[tomcat13]

IJ-Thanks So Much for posting this!
Brought back so many Fond Memories of my Grandfather.
Born 1889, Engineer on Southern RxR Steam engines & then ran the Southern Machine shop in Princeton.
After retiring, went on to Build Small Steam engines.
Sure wish I had one of those little Beasts! Ha
RIP TTD

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Not a steam engine, but Dad's Christmas present a few years ago. An Oliver 77 was the tractor he started with.

One of the prettiest tractors ever made.

 

[ghuns]

One of the prettiest tractors ever made.

As a lifelong fan of the only properly colored brand of green tractors, even I have to admit, those had style.

My great-grandpa never farmed with a tractor, just horses. But near the end of his life he purchased this little JD. My dad never knew what happened to it. Turns out one of his cousins got it and just let it sit since the 70s. He passed away and it went to his daughter. She was moving and wanted it gone. She knew my dad restored old JD tractors so she called and asked if he wanted it. He very much did. He went to her house with a trailer and in about an hour had it running again. He went back and forth between restoring it or leaving it original. In the end, he restored it so it would match all the other old JDs in the barn.

 

[ghuns]

Just a kid on his great-great-great grandpa's tractor.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

 

[Leo]

Great pictures.

I was born in an industrial city and lived in a lot of upstairs rental properties, so I never experienced farm life. I cannot really even comprehend rural life. Before I got sick, I was trying to find a farmer to let me work a couple days at planting time and a couple days at harvest time, just for the experience. The affection for the old machines at steam and power shows has a passion that is not seen often in life. By these pictures of the equipment, land and the families. I can tell there is something special about life on the land.

May you all continue to enjoy that life and vocation.

 

[pitbulld45]

 

[pitbulld45]

Not a steam engine, but Dad's Christmas present a few years ago. An Oliver 77 was the tractor he started with.

I love the Olivers

 

[Quiet Observer]

The tractor of my great grandfather would have been a team. My dad left the farm in Strasburg (now Sauk Village) Illinois about a hundred years ago. He was in his early 20s. He and his brothers were not able to keep it going after my grandparents died. No farm there now, just open land. I often drive by there and the cemetery where my grandparents are buried. Dad never got farming completely out of his blood. Our Sunday drives often took us through farmland. I do those drives now.

 

[hooky]

The tractor of my great grandfather would have been a team. My dad left the farm in Strasburg (now Sauk Village) Illinois about a hundred years ago. He was in his early 20s. He and his brothers were not able to keep it going after my grandparents died. No farm there now, just open land. I often drive by there and the cemetery where my grandparents are buried. Dad never got farming completely out of his blood. Our Sunday drives often took us through farmland. I do those drives now.

My mom recently found the diaries of my Great Great grandfather from 1897-1943. In the back of each year's diary, he kept a running total of all expenses and sales. It's really interesting to see the change from the horses to his first tractor. I've yet to read them, but I've skimmed a few just to see those changes. I can't wait to read what he was thinking as that shift from horses to horsepower happened.

 

[Percolater]

My uncle got this 1883 planer mill running with his ‘36 JD. Great grandparents used it to build Aframe in the woods during an early 1900’s elm plague.

 

[BigRed]

For those in the market for one.....

Famous Chicagoland tractor and truck museum auctioning its multimillion-dollar collection

The George and June Schaaf Truck and Tractor Museum is closing after three decades and its collection of restored vehicles is being auctioned on October 1.

www.foxnews.com

 

[indyjohn]

The tractor of my great grandfather would have been a team.

Same here. My dad was born in 1923, when he was a teenager old enough to work around the farm there were 2 horses (their names I've heard but can't recall) that did all the tilling and planting work. My grandad would hire a harvester to come and bring in the crops. That man used a steam tractor and pull behind "combine". My family operated that way for many decades. I believe the first tractor arrived at the farm after my dad and uncle returned from the war, around 1946 - 1947.

 

[AmericanBob]

I love old tractors. I have a '49 Farmall C that my great grandfather purchased brand new.

 

[red_zr24x4]

I'm still using a 1968 Bolens lawn mower.
Still mows great and I have a snow blower attachment that still works great.
Does this count?

 

[duanewade]

I love old tractors. I have a '49 Farmall C that my great grandfather purchased brand new.

My grandfather used a Super C for all of the small stuff like planting, cultivating and mowing. He used a '48 TD6 crawler for plowing and discing and other chores requiring more pulling power.

I still have my dad's '67 Minneapolis-moline U302 Super that I use for taking care of our wildlife habitat (food plots and tillage), mowing and snow removal around our 34 acres (all that is left of the 173 acre original farm). I taught several grandkids, nieces and nephews how to drive with the tractor too.




Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Sorry to hear that. I had relatives that went bankrupt and lost their land. I recently reluctantly parted with family farm ( since 1836 ) because no heirs to take over on my retirement.

I'm available for adoption. And I'm mostly house trained. Just putting that out there.

 

[Hardscrable]

I'm available for adoption. And I'm mostly house trained. Just putting that out there.

Too late…wish I had known sooner

On the upside sold 300 acres with grain set up, center pivots, etc. that meant most to me to another family farm ( of course like most farms today it will remain part of a family farm at least until current generation(s) are actively farming. Then all bets are off. ) My wife and my house went to a good family. 3 acres with original family home is now young Amish family owned.