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Sebewa Recollector
THE
SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR, Bulletin of the The Sebewa Center Association, Bulletin
of The
Sebewa
Center Association, August 1973, Volume 9, Number 1
NEW OFFICERS At the June Annual Meeting of The Sebewa Center Association Wesley Meyers was elected vice president and Mrs. Ilene Carr as trustee replacing for 3-year terms Allen Cross and Sherm Pranger respectively. Thus for the coming year the officers are as follows: President John York, Vice President Wesley Meyers, Secretary-treasurer Miss Mabel Ralston, Trustees: Richard Droste, Mrs. Ilene Carr, and Robert W. Gierman as retiring president. DEATHS Since our last issue we have lost two members by death—Mrs. Maude (Samaine) Lockwood of Ionia and Mrs. Glenna (Schray) Fleetham of Sunfield. Mrs. Hazel (Coe) Thomas of Kalamazoo died in mid-July. Our condolences are extended to the respective families. THE DOORS The three doors of the schoolhouse are now operational and painted for preservation. The north door is a new door. The east door is a steel clad wooden door that was once used as a back door at the McClellan dimestore in Ionia. It was presented to us by our member, the late George Sargeant. The west door is of redwood tongue-and-groove six-inch planks held together by a three steel rods horizontally through the doors. The planks are glued at the time of assembly for added strength. A glued and nailed piece of paneling completed the interior side of the door. Lock and knob sets for all the doors are identical and respond to the same key. WHAT IS IN THE STATE ARCHIVES The Michigan Archives is located at 3405 North Logan Street in Lansing, Michigan. The Archives is open to researchers Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. In the summary of the Archives contents, a recent publication states there is 9,728 feet of shelf space in which are stored records of all units of government. They are classified by departments of state government, municipalities, counties and townships. There is 70 feet 4 inches devoted to Ionia County. Although relatively few township records are in the Archives, our neighboring township of Danby has furnished 2 feet of records covering the dates of 1845 to 1927. Records in the in the Archives consist of photographs, microfilm, motion film, tape recordings as well as the standard documents. FISCAL YEAR Our fiscal year runs from June to June. Each year in June we begin to get the annual dues for our Association. To date 120 members have paid for 1973-74. It is our hope to receive the bulk of the remainder that made up the almost 360 that were paid last year. ROSINA January 10, 1885. To the Nashville News The Village of Rosina is situated on the Bellevue Road, fourteen miles directly south from Ionia city, and is twelve miles from anywhere. It is situated on the township line between Odessa and Josh Henry’s blacksmith shop. It is surrounded by a good farming country (as good as could be expected). Rosina has a population of—well, not many thousands. The people are a live people—alive in the words: “I guess I’ll pay you what I O U tomorrow” or “dinner is ready”, etc. The village of Rosina comprises one store of general merchandise, in connection with which is the postoffices; one blacksmith shop and two blacksmiths; a cornet band, a hall and other articles too numerous to mention. Rosina has a sister village by the name of Bonanza, but this scribe don’t go there, as it isn’t safe. It is a strange sight to see a live man on the streets of that ville after 4 PM—so says their correspondent. Anyone wishing to visit Rosina can come from anywhere they have a mind to, and come by the most direct route. Rosina is destined to be a healthy place to live as might be inferred from the appearance of the young canals that have been cut through its lowlands. The people of Rosina agree pretty well on polly-ticks, as they are almost evenly divided between the three parties. But we all have to Grover it through for the next four years. PLUCK SEBEWA;S VITAL STATISTICS OF 1914—List of births in the township from Jan. 19, 1914 to Jan. 18, 1915 recorded by Archie Meyers, township clerk. Mr. and Mrs.: H. Heintzelman, girl Jan. 19; Eugene Carey, boy Feb. 18; Albert Culver, boy, Mar. 12; Tim Plockmeyer, boy Mar. 21; Clyde Franks, boy, Mar. 22; Albert Keperga, boy Mar. 26; James Reed, boy June 3; Raymond Durkee, boy June 17; Roy Sears, girl July 8; A. J. Goodemoot, girl July 13; John Lappincott, girl July 30; J. A. Klintworth, girl Aug. 12; Frank Cassel, girl Aug. 30; A. L. Valentine, girl Aug. 30; Victor Wilson, girl Aug. 30; Victor Wilson, girl Oct. 1; Snow Peabody, girl Oct. 23; Rev. O. J. Foot, girl Oct. 25; Ray Petrie, girl Nov. 1; Ralph H. Dodds, girl Nov. 6; Robt. E. Gierman, girl Dec 17; Leon J. Moyer, girl Jan. 8; Fred Reaham, girl Jan. 18. How is that for sex segregation of birthdays? MORE THAN ONE SONG IN THE TOWNSHIP After publishing the club song of the West Sebewa Community Club it turns out that they were not the only ladies in the township to have a song. Here is a song used by the Rebeccas of Sebewa Corners. It was composed by Maude Probasco in 1922 to the tune of There’s a Long, Long Trail a Winding. This ends our Rebecca’s entertainment. We’ve tried to do our best. You must be getting rather sleepy. We think you need some rest. Dream of us the whole night long, friends, Of this Lodge be true. When you decide to enter here with us We will gladly welcome you. Chorus: There’s a Tuesday night awaiting For you to join us dear friends, Just hop right on our billy goat And hang on both ends. There are lots of joys and pleasures And a place here for you. So hurry and send your name in And he’ll take you a sailing right through. LETTERS OF LUCIUS LYON, THIRD INSTALLMENT; THE HIRAM MOORE HARVESTER; Michigan Pioneer Collection Volume 27 Lucius Lyon to Hiram Moore, May 4, 1839 from Buffalo I have been to Rochester to get my harvesting machine from Mr. Filer’s where you left it two years ago and have this day shipped it on board brig Virginia, Capt. J. M. Douglass, master, to St. Joseph. It consists of about 65 pieces of wood and board and two barrels containing the bars and bolts, belonging to them, so that the machine may be put together at St. Joseph and hauled to Prairie Ronde if you think it worth the expense and trouble of doing so. I leave it with you to decide that point. Nobody but you will be able to put it together and if it is to be prepared for use this season, you will have to do it. Ira Lyon will go with his team to bring it to the Prairie as soon as you are ready, that is, if you think it worth bringing. As to myself, I must say, I have very little expectation that it will ever be worked to any advantage anywhere, and I would be very glad to have my money back again for my share of the invention. Not that I do not believe that grain may be harvested and threshed by machinery cheaper than it ever has been done by hand, for I do believe it, and furthermore I think the principle of your machine is correct and that it will lead to important results; but a machine to be useful on a farm must be far lighter and more manageable than the one I have been removing. It is too heavy and unwieldy for the average field, be it large or small, to be ever introduced into general use—at least it so seems to me. You, however, can judge much better than I in regard to the matter and I therefore leave it for you to decide as to whether you will get the machine ready for use in the next harvest or not. I have forwarded the whole of it except the gathering cylinder and the cylinder with which to carry off the straw, both of which I left because they were very large and because I supposed you thought of little value or use. I however, brought along the wheel and guide gear and teeth belonging to the former and the wheel and shaft and iron arms belonging to the latter, which may perhaps, be used in the construction of something that will answer the purposes for which these cylinders were intended. To Henry L. Ellsworth, Commissioner of Patents, Nov. 17, 1839, from Kalamazoo. There is no longer any doubt of the success of Moore and Haskell’s harvesting machine. Mr. Moore has had a machine in the field on Prairie Ronde in this county during the past summer which harvested and threshed 63 acres of wheat to very superior style and would have harvested 250 acres with the greatest of ease, at the rate of 20 acres per day, had it not been for one or two trifling accidents, the cause of which may be very easily guarded against in the construction of machines hereafter. Twenty of the 63 acres were harvested on my farm and every expense attending it does not exceed one dollar per acre. A great number of farmers witnessed its operation. All are entirely satisfied with its complete success and many, in sowing their wheat this fall, are calculating largely on the benefit to be derived from it next year. I have within the last three or four years, advanced to Mr. Moore between three and four thousand dollars to enable him to bring the machine as near perfection as possible, and am much gratified at the results of his labors. The following are some of the improvements made by him on said machine in the winter of 1836-37, and publicly tested in the neighborhood of Rochester, in the summer of 1837:--
All of these improvements may be as well represented by drawings as in any other way, and at the request of Mr. Moore I write to enquire whether they cannot be patented without furnishing a model of them? I also beg leave to enquire whether a model of the original machines, as it was patented, cannot be supplied at the expense of the department? If it can, the improvements can be added to it with very little additional cost. To H. L. Ellsworth, Commissioner of Patents, dated Detroit, March 19, 1840. Enclosing for record an assignment from Hiram Moore conveying to Rix Robinson and Lucius Lyon 4 1/2/16th each in all the improvements that may be made by Moore on Moore & Hascall’s harvesting machine….. August 6, 1841—Assignments and contracts, by which John Hascall of Kalamazoo County assigns and makes over to Lucius Lyon all the interest he holds in the Moore and Hascall patents for harvesting machines: The consideration is $100 cash, a note given by E. Ransom for %50, and Lyon’s personal note for $150; also $5,000 from the profits from the sale and manufacture of the machines. To the Commissioner of Patents, dated Kalamazoo, August 7, 1841—Enclosing the assignments of the Hascall patents for record…We have had our harvesting machines in the fields during the past harvest and mine has harvested 150 acres without much delay for alterations, and I have no doubt the invention will ultimately prove one of the most important labor saving inventions ever brought into use; but the operation of cutting, threshing and cleaning the grain of the field, all at one time is so complex and the harvest season, which is the only season for experiments, is so short that it will require some years yet to perfect it so as to make it profitable. The expense is so great that Hascall has broke down and I have been compelled to buy his interest. In the meantime six years of the patent have past and as there can be no profits arising from the invention for at least three or four years, there is small inducement to go on to perfect it unless the patent can be extended to the end of 21 years…He asks to have the patent extended if possible. To Arthur Bronson, dated Grand Rapids, Mich., August 15, 1841.—Asking him to take an interest in the Hascall & Moore harvesting machine….Two of the machines were operated during the last harvest and worked most admirably and are now in as good or better condition than before they were used. When the machines are driven with an ordinary degree of care, nearly every grain of wheat is saved, while under the old method, fully one-fifth was lost. Ira Lyon operated one of the machines and after paying all expenses cleared about $300, which is more than 50 per cent on the cost of the machine. In addition to saving one-fifth of the crop, he harvested and threshed at $3 an acre, while the usual cost was $5 an acre. The machines will work well on any ground that is free from large stones and stumps and may be operated by any man of ordinary common sense after two days’ experience. It will take money to manufacture and put the machines on the market. Mr. Bronson replies declining to take an interest as his experience with patent rights has been unpleasant and unprofitable. To Hiram Moore, March 3, 1844. Your patent is dated March 28, 1836. On the 21st of June, 1834 Cyrus McCormick of Rockbridge County, Virginia, took out a patent for cutting grain by a machine with a sickle edge saw, like the one you use and operated in a similar manner. It is said to do a good business in Virginia at the present time. March 16, 1841, A. Churchill of Geneva, Ill., patented a harvesting and threshing machine. May 4, 1841, Damon A. Church of Friendship, N.Y., patented a machine for harvesting, threshing and cleaning. April 6, 1842 Charles Brown and S. Crane patented their “improved harvester”, which cuts by means of revolving scythes, and on the 12th of March, 1842, Jonathan Read of the State of New York, now of the city of Washington, patented a machine to cut grain with a scalloped sickle edge, just like one that you use. There are several others besides those that I have mentioned, but I have given you the principal ones. I should think your safest plan would be to patent your improvements separately. I fear you have been anticipated in some of them, though I have not had leisure to examine them carefully. To Gov. Mocton, of Louisiana, October 3, 1845, Detroit—Introducing Hiram Moore, who is going south to avoid the riger of the northern winter. His health has been seriously impaired by laborious study for some years past to the improvement of agricultural machinery, and he needs a little relaxation. I commend him to you as a man of uncommon merit, and one who has done for the grain growing regions of the north what Whitney and his cotton gin have done for the south, viz., invented and perfected a machine which saves to the agriculturalist three fifths of the labor of preparing for market the great staple of the country. He has reduced the cost of harvesting and threshing and cleaning grain from more than three dollars to about one dollar per acre, and for this he is destined to be, and deserves to be, ranked in the first and noblest class of our country’s benefactors. THE FIRST BICYCLY CRAZE In the late 1890’s the bicycle had its day before the coming of the automobile sent it into a secondary role. In 1900 the Lake Odessa Wave published this little commentary in verse about its social impact. Mary had a little lamb. That time has passed away. No lamb could follow up the pace That Mary sets today. For now she rides an air shod wheel In skirts too short by half. No lamb now shares her airy flight But you can see her calf. INDIAN STORIES OF ODESSA (From the John S. Schenk HISTORY OF IONIA AND MONTCALM COUNTIES 1881) Indians abounded in the vicinities of Tupper and Jordan Lakes and along Tupper Creek, for there were capital fishing—and hunting—grounds in those parts, and of course the savages gravitated towards them with considerable eagerness in great numbers. The whites got along peacefully, not to say happily, with the redskins, but there were times when the Indians waxed indignant at fancied injuries and became threatening, although nothing very serious ever resulted. A case in point deals with a charge brought by the Indians against one John Nead, a settler, to the effect that he had stolen some of their coons. Nead became incensed at what he called an out-right accusation, and in a fit of rage shot at an Indian, without, however, injuring him. Alarmed at the consequences of his action when he found the savages in an uproar about the attempt to kill one of their number, he secreted himself. Meanwhile the Indians met in council, with war-paint on, and after a dance on the banks of Tupper Lake discussed with many threatening mutterings the advisability of inflicting summary vengeance upon Nead. Fortunately for the latter, he kept out of the way, or it might have gone hard with him. As it was, his absence dulled the edge of Indian resentment, and in due time they got entirely over their desire for the would-be assassin’s life. It is related of Sauba, an Indian chief, that upon the death of his wife and her father—in, say 1845—he buried both of them upon section 26 in Odessa township. The old man was buried in the ordinary way, but the chief’s wife, by right of her distinction, was accorded extraordinary honors. Bedecked in all her finery and ornaments, she was placed in a sitting position with a brass kettle before her on the ground, supplied, doubtless, with provisions to sustain her while journeying to the spirit land. Over her was erected a framework of bark and poles, and upon this was set a close covering of mud. For a long time the curious looking vault was an object of interest to all who passed that way, and as time destroyed the structure, visitors were regaled with a free look at the departed, and of course there was no lack of sightseers when that circumstance came to be known. Pretty soon the peculative propensities of humanity led two young women residents in the neighborhood to despoil the dead squaw of her brass breastplate, nose rings, earrings, and other ornaments, which, viewed as relics, were much prized by the captors, and borne, accordingly, homeward in triumph. About this time, Saube, who had been in other regions, passed that way on a visit to his wife’s grave, and no sooner saw that the hand of the despoiler had been at work upon the late lamented than he waxed exceedingly wroth, and with loud threats to punish the author of the outrage, set about tracing the deed home. Although the people thereabout could tell who the robbers were, they feared to do so, for they were sure Sauba would work mischief were he to unearth the culprits. He reasoned, however, that girls must have had a hand in it, and, thinking to discover upon the person of the guilty ones evidences of their sin, went one morning into the district schoolhouse and quietly but searchingly scanned the girls there assembled, much to their terror, and, indeed, the terror of all present; for the story of his wrath and his avowed purpose had circulated freely. Failing, however, to discover the missing trinkets, he doubtless concluded to abandon the chase. At all events, he departed as quietly as he had come, and, proceeding to the grave, repaired it as best he could; whereupon departing, he was seen in that locality no more. In the course of time the monument fell to ruin and the bones of the dead exposed to the winds of heaven, were by idle wanderers kicked here and there to the four points of the compass without so much as a sigh from the kickers over the relics of vanished greatness. AUNT SYLVIA LUMBERT From the LAKE ODESSA WAVE of the summer of 1922 we have this story of Aunt Sylvia Lumbert. Many of you who were around seeing things in that year will remember the little old log house one and a half miles east of Odessa Center that is described here. The following is the story from the WAVE: The following article, which appeared in the IONIA SENTINEL, is reprinted in the WAVE TIMES by permission of that paper. Several years ago the WAVE TIMES gave a write-up of this remarkable woman but many present readers were not readers then. “Another agent, I reckon”, said Mrs. Sylvia Lumbert as the Rambler called her at her home near Lake Odessa. Until the death of her husband, James Lumbert some twelve years ago, they were Uncle James and Aunt Sylvia to the whole neighborhood by reason of their long time residence there. “Yes, mine is a good old fashioned name and I think a good deal of it”, she continued. “You see, my grandfather, Obidiah Wright, came to America from France with Lafayette’s army. Along in 1849 the Lumbert’s located this quarter section of land from a Mexican land warrant (a warrant given to veterans of the Mexican War) and it wasn’t long after that when we came here from Ohio to hew us out a home in the wilderness. No inhabitants here then. Rolling some logs together, we built a shanty just out there with puncheon floors and so on and lived in it three years. “In 1857 we built this old log house and there isn’t any other house like it in all the world for me. If you’ll just step inside I’ll show you some of its good points. Be a little careful there”, she said as we bumped our head on the logs overhead. “This old house is on the decline like myself, like an old squeaky wagon. Well, when we built this house you couldn’t have reached the ceiling. But four of the bottom logs have rotted away and that’s why these window sills are down even with the ground. That front door you notice we don’t use anymore for it has settled with the old house until it’s partly underground. No doors like them in your modern houses, made of the best cherry boards. You see, we wanted to get away with the wood in those days. No matter how hard we worked to use it up, the timber seemed thick as ever. And hasn’t it come true! They tell me the old log house is going to fall down some of these days. No matter how hard we worked to use it up, the timber seemed thick as ever. I remember Father saying that it in fifty years people would know the want of it. And hasn’t that come true! They tell me the old log house is going to fall down some of these days and if it does, I’ll go with it so they will know just where to find me when it comes to that. Here is where I have lived all these 65 years and it is good enough for me while I stay. “No, never been in an auto in all my life and thank you for inviting me to ride down to the corners and back in your old Ford. ‘Tain’t the first invitation I’ve had out please excuse me. But see here. Someday I’m going to take an auto ride just like other people—up to the cemetery and I hope it won’t be long for there’s no fun living when one gets to be as old as I am. I am the oldest pioneer in this side of the township. It’s six years since I was out of my dooryard and nine years since I was in Lake Odessa. My oldest boy, Augustus Lemmon is 66 years old and the last time I was in Ionia was in 1892 on my way to visit him in Osceola County. And, by the way, that’s the only time I ever road in a railroad train. It seemed as though I held my breath most of the way. My other living children are Theodore Lemmon of Wexford County, Mary Herrington of Flint, Archie Lumbert of Ionia and Fred Lumbert, who lives on part of the old farm here and who has blest me with eleven grandchildren. But there is none to spare. If I fall down there is always some of them around to help me up. Yes, I have 34 grandchildren in all, 30 great grandchildren, 2 great, great grandchildren at last accounts and maybe a dozen more by this time. “I have been a midwife at the births of 336 children in my time. Is it any wonder they call me “Aunt Sylvia”? My youngest grandchild here was born the day I was 89 years old and will be two years old next Thanksgiving Day. Of course, they named her after me. “Where do I get my mail, you ask? Why in the mailbox, of course, where do you think? Oh yes, Lake Odessa is my Post Office. I have seen that town grow from nothing.” “As I was saying, the old log house was raised August 8, 1857. We came in here with teams. How else could we come? There wasn’t any flying machines, no railroads, no roads to speak of. But thank the Lord we could make our own sugar. There was plenty of wild meat and wild honey. Both men and women could shoot those days. Why, bless you, we drew bricks from Muir for our first chimney. We drew our grain to Battle Creek to mill—a week’s trip—and used to go to Detroit twice a year with wagons for goods and took part pay in salt. This stone churn we brought with us from Ohio. A week after we were married I traded underclothes for it to a woman who was no seamstress and it was the neighborhood churn here for a good many years—just as good today as it ever was. That old settee rocker behind the stove there rocked all my children and is good for as many more if we had them. That old milk safe you see there we bought from Mr. Tower in Ionia. When the old house settled we had to saw off some of the top. And as for that old bedstead there where my youngest grandchild is sleeping, well, it’s older than I am.” Then Aunt Sylvia called for the old Bible she had used all her life. “Best old book in all the world”, she said reverently trying in vain to see it just as she used to. The quaint old home of Aunt Sylvia is usually reached by turning east at the first schoolhouse north of Lake Odessa and going a mile and a half. The Rambler felt well paid for spending a little time with her and it might be so with some of the thousands of automobile travelers going that way if some of them should feel inclined to drop in and give a word of cheer to her in her declining years. Look for the name “Lumbert, 1857” in homemade characters on the roof of the old log house. Mrs. Lumbert was born Thanksgiving Day, 1831. WHERE TO FIND THE SUNFIELD SENTINEL As a project of the Sunfield Historical Society back issues of the Sunfield Sentinel from 1957-1969 have been bound into annual volumes and are available to the public at the Sunfield District Library. The library is open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. SOME OLD LETTERS COME TO LIGHT Charles W. Waring to whom these letters are addressed, was the son of Sebewa farmer John Waring and was born in 1868. The 1880 census record further shows that Stacy Brown was born in 1873, little Irvie was born after 1880 and Irving A. Brown known locally as Del was born in 1847. “Sebewa, Mich. April 11, 1891 Dear Mr. Waring – We were indeed surprised to hear from you at Spokane Falls. When we got the letter I thought it looked like your writing and when Mother saw it, she was so sure it was yours, she opened it to make certain. We have got a teacher for No. 4. Her name is Miss Essie Terry. She says she is acquainted with you slightly. I like her real well. She is but eighteen years old. I hope you are well as we are. I go to school as a matter of course, and expect to enter into the higher spelling class in a little while, when I catch up with them. I write spelling lessons on my slate and all my spare time, and in two or three days will catch up with the higher class. I hope you will have success teaching school out there. Miss Terry has all she can do with the boys, especially as Ai and Johnny Green go, but of course Ai makes no trouble. But this is all I can think of. Yours truly with the best of wishes, Irving Brown From I. A. Brown (father of Irving and Stacy). Perhaps I had better add a little to Irvie’s letter. I know from experience that every scrap of home news is valued by one so far from home, and the year I spent in the army and especially the winter at Ft. Bridger, Utah seemed long and dull unless letters came every few days. I’ve used to write to every one we knew in hopes of receiving news in return. At the election last Monday, the Democrats carried the town as usual except Geo. E. Waring for clerk. Mr. Ellis’ amendment got a black eye all through this part of the country. The meetings which commenced at the schoolhouse the evening after school closed continued all through the vacation and resulted in the formation of a Methodist Class and the probability of a church being built on the Frank Smith corner (where Mr. Cassel lives), this summer. Joshua S. Gunn, Jacob Luscher, Mr. Trann, Mr. Pettingill, Mr. Townsend & wife, George Gunn and wife, Isaac Gunn & wife, Mr. Hitchcock & Leon Williamson are among the converts and others have been reclaimed and awakened so there is a good religious influence at the Center now. J. S. Gunn has signed $200.00 for the church besides giving the site, three quarters of an acre, Theodore Gunn $200.00, Jake Luscher $150.00, Jake Sayers $50.00 and it is thought possible to raise $1500.00 on subscription and then build for $1800.00 or two thousand dollars and raise the balance at dedication. There was no serious disturbance during the meetings though some of the boys, & girls, too, whispered, talked and laughed some unless watched pretty closely. Thanks for your letter. We should be very glad to hear from you again. With Respect, I. A. Brown.
SEBEWA, Mich. April 12, 1891: Mr. C. W. Waring, “Deer” Friend, I say “deer” because you seem to be pretty active in running around. As Irvie says it was a great surprise to us all. I suppose Father and Irvie have told about all that is worth telling in the line of news so I will content myself with asking some questions. Is it near you that wheat yields 100 bu. per acre and corn grows so big that they have to use a crosscut saw to cut the stalks? I have heard that Washington is a very rich state. I hope you will have success in teaching. Does your school beat ours in doing mischief or in study or in any other way? I suppose you don’t find the youngsters any more angelic than you did here. I think our school is probably better since the meetings began. Now this isn’t much of a letter but I can’t think of any more just now. I hope to hear from you often and remain, Yours truly, Stacy Brown P.S. Do you have both Ionia and Portland papers? If not we will send one now and then. THE LYON LETTERS The third installment of the letters of Lucius Lyon concludes the series we have excerpted from the extensive published correspondence of Lyon. Like some of the other Lyon projects, the Moore Harvester Project came near being a big thing. Today we use the word combine instead of harvester. The idea of the harvester was nearly 100 years ahead of the combine’s general use. Another source tells us that the machine of Moore’s was so cumbersome it required 26 horses to operate. That probably explains its failure of acceptance and why there was gradual evolution from the cradle through the reaper and self binder before the combine. All this seems more interesting when remembering that Lucius Lyon died in 1851 at the age of 51. THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR
Last update October 20, 2021 |
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