Farming as it was.
I
find, buy (and sometimes sell), examine, enjoy, research, and study old farm
equipment for a hobby. Below are a few of my interests.
- Standard Engine Company and Walking Tractors, or mechanical marvels of the
Truck Farming IndustryJ
Ever
think about where a head of cabbage comes from? Now think about where it came
from in 1920.
The
machines that made truck farming, like other types of farming, easier and more
profitable are largely overlooked by "real" tractor people and
historians, yet they none-the-less had a dramatic effect on the food production
activities and capabilities of the farmers from our grandfathers' time. It is a
love of history, a constraint of finances, and a joy in ancient mechanical
things that has prompted me to explore this world of the walking tractor.
I
have chosen to focus my research on a group of companies which were controlled
more or less by one man, Harold L. Downing. If you happen to be a relative of
this fellow, I surely would appreciate hearing from you.
In
brief, then, here is some data on the topic at hand:
There
were 5 companies associated with the owners of the Standard Engine Company. All
of them were located in
American
Farm Machinery Company
Standard
Engine Company
Walsh
Tractor Company
Allied
Motors Corporation, and
Implement
Finance Company.
The
first four built garden tractors at one time or another over a period of 32
years, from 1920 to 1952.
- You can find a more detailed
thumbnail sketch of these 5 companies here.
- For a link to some fairly accurate information on Kinkade garden tractors built by American Farm Machinery company, click here.
- For a link to some elementary data on Standard tractors built by Standard Engine Company, click here.
- You can find some basic information on Viking tractors built by Allied Motors Corporation here.
- For a link to some highly inaccurate info on Standard Twins, click here.
- And finally, how do I know? Find out here.
- The
While
researching the Syndicate tractors and companies, I also ran across a good bit
about the history of garden tractors in general. Here’s a thumbnail sketch of the Beeman
story. The story and tractor were so
interesting to me that I went out and found a Beeman to buy for
restoration. It’s quite a machine
Ed
Beeman patented and produced a walking tractor when walking tractors weren't
cool. His patents range back to 1915, but he didn't have a tractor in
production for some time. In fact, he ended up contracting with Gilson for the
production of the first 5100 or so Beeman tractors. You can see a picture of a
later style Beeman on an advertising booklet here.
Other
items you may find useful:
A
very short and likely inaccurate History of
the Beeman Company.
Some basic commentary on the Beeman Design.
Here is
a link to a work in progress; the Beeman Setting Up manual.
