HOF Members

Donald (Don) Mayes

Donald Mayes plays a major role in Tired Iron of the Ozarks, Branch 37 of EDGE&TA. As this paper will evidence, he deserves all the honor and accolades we can give him.

Don was born June 5, 1935, in a two-room home at the Mountain Home community in Northwest Arkansas. After five generations, the land the home was on, with some acres added, is still owned by the Mayes family.

Don\’s interest in engines came early in his life. In 1944 or 1945, when Don was about eight years old, a man in his neighborhood, had a small Briggs and Stratton engine he had rigged on a pump jack to provide a reliable water supply for his wife. After the availability of electricity made the gasoline engine powered pump jack obsolete, Don asked the man to sell him the engine. He bought the engine for one dollar. Don gained lots of knowledge about engines by removing parts one at a time and replacing them. Finally he was able to repeatedly dismantle the engine, rebuild it, and get it to run. This had to be the beginning of his lifetime involvement with engines and everything mechanical.

The major move for Don\’s involvement with old engines came in 1980 when he saw a program on television about hit and miss engines at Pawnee, Oklahoma. He had seen this type of engine as a youth and was intrigued by them. He decided he wanted one. The first engine he purchased was a 2 H. P. Sears Economy hit and miss. He still has the engine, and it still runs. Don now has over 70 engines and keeps a record on all of them. His extensive research on each engine makes him a \”go to\” person when anyone wants to know about a particular brand. His favorite engine is a 1929 Stover 2 H.P. he uses to power his Stover saw.

An important part of Don’s involvement with collecting has been his membership in Tired Iron of the Ozarks. In 1992, Don came to the attention of a couple of members of the newly organized Tired Iron. They encouraged him to join the new club as a charter member, and he has been an active member ever since.

Don serves as an ambassador for Branch 37 and EDGE&TA. He enjoys traveling each year to several festivals and shows to display a spectacular trailer load of his engines. Don also displays examples of his extensive collections of antique tools, jacks, hog oilers, com shellers, cast iron implements, household items, and blacksmith tools. He also has a collection of five tractors.

Two years ago Don accepted the responsibility of building and equipping a blacksmith shop at Tired Iron. At Branch 37 shows he demonstrates his blacksmithing skills. The well-equipped shop is a major attraction at Tired Iron shows.

Finally, Don is well known throughout the state for his years of searching for diamonds at the Arkansas diamond mine at Murfreesboro. Don first went there in 1977. On the first trip he found none, but on a trip there a week later, he found two. Over the years, Don has found about 300 diamonds. Magazine, newspaper, and television reporters regularly interview him for their features about Arkansas diamonds. His diamond collection has been borrowed for display at the University of Arkansas Museum and for special events at the Murfreesboro mine. Most recently, Don can be seen in a Travel Channel feature on the Arkansas Diamond Mine State Park. In Arkansas, Don is probably the most recognized member of Tired Iron of the Ozarks. He is a valuable member of our club.

Charley Stark

Charley Stark was raised in Billings, Missouri. His father sold farm equipment for many years along with farming. The Bell City Thresher was one of the things he sold. Charley has fond memories of going with his father to the factory in a 1-1/2 ton truck to pick up a thresher.

When Charley came back from the service in 1962, the Ozarks Steam Engine Assn was formed by his dad and several other steam enthusiasts. Charley wasn’t a charter member because his dad wouldn’t pay his dues to join. But he did join later. Charley has been at all the shows but one.

Branch 16 was chartered in December of 1971. Charley wasn’t a charter member of Branch 16 but came in a couple years after it started. Charley served as Secretary-Treasurer from 1979 to 1990. Charley served on the National EDGETA board from 1976 to 1998. He served as National Vice-President for about 10 years.

Charley is an EDGETA member in good standing with Branch 16. Charley is President of The Ozarks Steam Engine Association and has been in that position for about 30 years. He spends many hours working at the show grounds and working in conjunction with Branch 16 preparing for the next show.

Every fall when the show starts, Charley is at the helm every morning welcoming all the exhibitors and spectators at the flag raising ceremony. Charley announces the 2 steam parades everyday with out notes no less and gives a history of every engine that comes through.

He has several rare tractors and an Advance Rumley Steam Traction engine and a scale model engine. He takes to shows around the area and belts it to a scale model hay press.

Charley is always willing to help anybody in the two clubs along with anyone that has a steam engine or a piece of antique equipment. After his retirement he has a lot more time to do the things he likes best. Charley & Betty have 2 daughters and 5 grandchildren. A pair of twin grandsons has kept them busy. Charley is a deacon at the Brookline First Baptist Church.

After Charley retired, he was working on a tractor and told Betty he needed a set of rear tires. She told him either sell some of his stuff or find himself a part time job. He now drives cars for a dealer a couple of day a week to support his bobby.

Gordon (Gordy) S. Nelson

Gordy was born in 1918 and died in 1998. He was from Chisago City MN. He joined Branch 1 in 1969 and was an active member until his death in Sept of 1998. He served as President of Branch 1 in 1973, 1974 & 1979. He was Vice President in 1983, 1994, 1997 and 1998.

After working for Honey Well for many years Gordy started his own machine shop in the 1960\’s called Gor-Nel-Co and in the 1970\’s started a mail order business. He made many parts for fellow collectors for tractors, engines, trucks, cars, cycles, planes ect. The mail order business included many customers from Canada, England, Australia as well as the US. He also made some items for Starbolt in their early days.

Gordy collected stationary engines, tractors, trucks, tools, outboard motors and other antiques. He had a very large collection of rare and unique items which he brought to shows throughout the country.

Gordy’s wife, Irmgaard is still an active member of Branch 1.

Russel Gibson

Russel was born in 1923, raised and bas lived around Richland. MO, all his life.

Russel Gibson is a man of many talents. He is a people person. He worked in car dealerships for over 40 years.

He has always been interested in tractors and gas engines. Nearing retirement be wanted something to keep himself busy, so he started restoring old tractors. Beginning with a 1928 John Deere GP. One of his favorites is a Graham-Bradley tractor he found in a thicket. He had to cut out of the thicket. It bad a tree growing up between the frame and block. He has taken it to many shows and driven it in several long distance tractor rides. He is currently restoring two other Graham Bradleys.

Russel bas slowed down a little in the last couple of years. But will host the first Gibson Tractor Ride, this year. It will be held on May 3, 2008.

Russel is easy to talk to and bas helped many members and non-members with carburetor and magneto problems over the years. Usually, after someone gives up on making an engine run they would take it to Russel to make it run. He would usually tell them, “If you had let me worked on it first it would have been a lot easier to fix.”

Russel started working on and collecting engines in about 1982. He became a member of EDGETA in about 1990.

He was also a member of another branch for a while, but it was too far to travel and he believed in the EDGETA program. He came up with enough people to charter a new branch. This was branch 108 at Eldon, MO and served 2 years as president. He is still an active member. At the Branch 108 annual show at Eldon. MO. Russel is always moving around the grounds doing something to promote the show.

Russel Gibson deserves to be inducted into the EDGETA Hall of Fame.

Dale Richardson

Lewis and Clark Antique Power Club EDGE&TA branch 54, of Lewiston, Idaho, proudly submits the name Dale Richardson for consideration into the EDGE&TA Hall of Fame. The members of Branch 54 feel that Dale deserves this prestigious award for the dedication he has provided throughout the years promoting our hobby, the preservation of \”old iron\”. Dale has been with our club for many years, since the early 1980\’s, and is a Lifetime member.

Dale is certainly a interesting fellow. In his early adulthood, he raced motorcycles and attended many races in Europe. He made his living in the timber/sawmill industry along with his father, the late Joe Richardson.

Joe, along with Dale, have assembled one of the finest Case Steam traction engine collections anywhere. Dale is a master restorer in everyway and leaves no detail overlooked. The Case steam engines are all in perfect operating condition. Dale has hosted many of our club\’s meetings and held many steam up\’s and threshing bee\’s throughout the years at his shop. It was a lot of hard work for Dale to get things ready for the numerous club meetings he has hosted in the past.

In the Case collection you will also find an outstanding Case automobile. Dale also has a beautiful 30-60 Altman Taylor gas tractor plus an excellent automobile and motorcycle collection. Dale resides in Orofino, Idaho along with his wife, Brigitte.

In closing, it is hard to describe the collection that Dale and his father started and what Dale has done to keep it preserved for future generations to enjoy. One just has to see for himself the dedication displayed. Any club would be proud to have Dale as a member. We certainly are.

Bob Sherrard

The K & O Steam & Gas Engine Association, Branch 11 (KS) would like to nominate Bob Sherrard for the 2009 Hall of Fame for the Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association. Bob has been a member for several years.

For most of his life Bob formed and operated a construction company and drove vehicles until 1985. He now restores tractors. He has restored John Deere’s, Massey, Case, IH, and pickups. His shop is in a 77-year-old barn. His shop is very neat and everything is in its place because Bob is blind. All of his tools are outlined on the wall so that when he has help they know where to put them back so he can find them again. He does the overhaul, carburetor, and preparation for painting himself; he has someone else do the painting. It is remarkable to observe how Bob has not let his lack of sight defeat him. Instead he has used courage, determination, and perseverance to overcome his blindness. He has the help from his son-in-law and grandsons. When he overhauls a carburetor he has Alan (his son-in-law) put in the gasket. Alan also reads the manuals for him. He walks to the wall and selects the correct wrench. His hands move slowly over a casting seeking the nuts that fasten it. He fingers checks for pits on the sheet metal and they detect oil and grime that might indicate a leaky seal. He really gets a feel for restoration. Memory and feel compensate for the lack of eyesight.

Bob is a very good member of our club – always helping. For example – he found out that the bathroom at our club grounds needed painting. He had someone lead him to the bathroom. He then proceeded to feel the walls and all the chipped paint. He ordered the paint and proceeded to scrape all the walls by himself by feeling with his hands. He had someone else do the painting.

Bob Sherrard is an asset to our cub and our hobby – he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame

Submitted by
Floyd Moore
President

Robert Moore

Robert Moore was born Feb 14, 1931 and raised in Iowa on a farm. Enlisted in the Navy (Korean War) for four years and married Barbara while in the Navy. He served on a repair ship. Returned to Iowa and rented a farm. When the farm was sold, he packed up the family and moved to Douglas County, Mo, and bought 100 acres. They have lived there for over 40 years. He spent most of the time employed as a mechanic (very good) by various tractor dealers in the area. Bob and his three sons deal in antique tractor parts in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

Bob is a charted member of Branch 28. Bob and a few other men wanted to start a tractor club for people who had interest in restoring and exhibiting old tractors and gas engines. When a new project is started, you can believe that Bob will be in the middle and usually do a lot of work on anything that needs to be done. He and his wife Barbara have 3 boys and 1 girl. The whole family is involved in the hobby, some maybe more than others. When the show starts you will find Barbara in the cook shack cooking or doing something to keep thing going. Bob will be out on the grounds making things work.

At present he is vice-president of Branch 28 and is a past president of Ozarks Older Iron Club of Cabool, Missouri. We can always count on Bob to be at the club work parties and many times he is there by himself on odd days. He gives a lot of his time and labor to the community, working in the food pantry, volunteer fire department, cleaning up tornado damage in Oklahoma, ice storm damage, and cutting firewood for widow ladies. He is a fountain of knowledge on old tractors and equipment and is always willing to share with anyone.

Bob is a John Deere collector along with other brands. He is another man that has served his time in the farm community and deserves the honor of being inducted into the National Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association Hall of Fame.

Submitted by:
Branch 28, Cabool, Missouri

Andy Gortsema

The Lewis-Clark Antique Power Club, Branch 54 of Lewiston, ID is honored and proud to submit the name of Mr. ANDY GORTSEMA as a member of the EDGETA Hall of Fame.

Andy is 80+ years young and has been a member of our club, even back when it was first started as Branch 7 in the early 1980’s. In recognition of his many years of service to our club, Andy was recently given a prestigious Life Membership award by our club in October 2008.

Andy was born in the Grangeville, ID area, one of 9 children. His farm background started his love of engines, and the need to get and keep them running to make the farm work more efficient and easier at an early age; and mechanics and engines have been the foundation for his life long profession. Andy worked many years for an IHC dealer in Fairfield, WA and retired from that profession to spend full time with his family and his love of giving new life to many pieces of “Old Iron”, not only for himself but also for his many friends.

Andy is a quite man, but very full of knowledge—both from book learning and what he gained from the “school of hard knocks”! Andy is always ready to share this vast knowledge with any who seek it, whether young or old. Yes, you do need to ask for that information, as Andy doesn’t force his knowledge on others. If he doesn’t know, he will tell you so, but within a short time, he will have the answer you need. This knowledge ranges all the way from a 50+ HP Fairbanks-Morse YV to a single cylinder ½ HP Plunket Junior—not to mention tractors. Andy has had the opportunity during his life to collect and restore some extremely rare engines and tractors.

This man is known by many collectors here in the Pacific Northwest, and is loved and respected by all. He has a unique knowledge of the many makes of engines, but he also knows by looking at a picture, not only which engine it is, but most likely who owns it!

His homemade aluminum can crusher utilizing a 1 cylinder make & brake engine and complicated mechanism has kept many 1000’s of fairgoers entertained for many years at the Spokane Interstate and other fairs where he has been a exhibitor for many years. In addition, Andy has caused many a head to be scratched, and to this date, they still have not figured out his “weeping willow faucet” that has no source of water—and he isn’t about to tell you his secret!

One of the highlights of any gathering is getting Andy to relate some of his life long stories, of which he has many—-some of which are even told with a “twinkle in his eye”!

While Andy has never opted to be a line officer in the club, he has served as a director–first being elected in 1981—and he was also instrumental in guiding the club back to life as branch 54. He has faithfully attended the meetings and supported the club in many ways, including hosting club gatherings—no easy task—as most of you know! Andy is also a long time member of the Spokane, WA area club, originally the Inland Empire Steam and Gas Buffs and has served as a director in that club also. (This above Spokane club just recently joined EDGE&TA as Branch number 197.)

Andy and his family have recently completed and opened the family’s “Last Dutchman Gortsema Museum” located by his house and shop. Visitors are utterly amazed at the total collection of memorabilia and artifacts of early history that Andy has amassed (in addition to his engines, tractors and vehicles) and the attractive manner in which they are displayed in the 30’ x 36’ building.

In summary, whereas Andy may not be the best known individual in the “Old Iron” world, his vast knowledge, friendly manner and contributions to the hobby and our club, certainly make him a candidate worthy of your consideration for the EDGE&TA Hall of Fame.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
David Ruark

Darrell Carter

Darrell Carter has been a member of Branch 16 since 3-2-1985. Darrell was elected as president of Branch 16 in 1991 and served in that position through 1996. Then in 2003 he was appointed as Advisor to the North Central Region Director and still holds that appointment.

He has spent many hours working on different projects for branch 16 while he was president. One of his biggest things was hosting the 1996 National EDGETA show. This show was hosted by Branch 16 and The Ozarks Steam Engine Association of which Darrell is also a member. He has attended several National shows; Union Gap, WA in 1992, the Branch 15 show in Brooks, OR in 1995, Branch 16 show in 1996, Branch 28 Cabool, MO, The 4-Corners show in NM, Somerset, VA 2003, Santee Lakes, CA, Ozark, AR, Gentry, AR and Hutchinson, KS in 2008.

Darrell is Vice President of the Fair Grove Historical & Preservation Society which oversees the Wommack Mill. The Mill is an 1880’s vintage and he has spent many hours on this project. He operates a steam traction engine at the show and oversees a stationary boiler and engine that operates the 36 inch stone Buhr mill. Restoration is still in progress.

Darrell also spent many hours helping restore the Hulston Mill. This is another old mill that is west of Springfield, MO.

Darrell has several tractors, gas engines, a ¼ size steam traction engine and corn grinding equipment of which some will be seen at the Missouri State Fair, The Ozark Empire Fair in Springfield, MO and The New Farm Equipment show in Springfield, MO demonstrating the way our ancestors ground corn. He also will be found at times showing school children how corn meal and corn starch was made using the old equipment.

He is a member of an Antique and Vintage car club which he has a 1938 Hupmobile car, a 1928 International truck and a Studebaker car.

His life started out near the town of Medford, OK. As a small boy he remembers his Dad purchasing a new Case Steam Traction engine and a Case Separator. His Dad drove the unit 18 miles and threshed grain along the way for a month before he got home. At age 13 his dad was sick and he did a complete overhauled on a W-30 International tractor. This experience has stayed with him.

During his working career; he spent 41-1/2 years at Reyco Industries where he worked in the foundry and maintenance. They made suspensions for trucks. Then he finished with 4 years working for Dayco Rubber Company in the maintenance department working on fork trucks.

He always has time to help another person in need.

Darrell and his wife Ellen work together on several of the projects.

Darrell Carter is another person that deserves to be inducted into the National Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association Hall of Fame.

Submitted By:
Branch 16

Bill Underwood

Bill Underwood joined Branch 16 in 1972. He has always been very active and still is today. He served as Vice-President 1976-1977, then as Director from 1983 to 1989.

He has been through all the growing stages of Branch 16 and The Ozarks Steam Engine Association. He is not a member of the steam club but work along side all the steam members to make the show go on.

Bill was raised on a farm where most of the farm work was done with horses. They had a 1 ½ HP gas engine on the well head and a 6 HP engine on a Well Drilling rig. His dad finally purchased a Farmall F-12 later in his childhood.

After serving his time in the armed services, he returned home and in 1949 he went to work as a plumber apprentice. He became a master plumber and retired in 1989 after 40 years of service.

When he joined Branch 16, (known as the Southwest Missouri Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association) the members met at each others homes for several years. They only had about 18 members at that time. He has owned several tractors and gas engines. He presently is down to one AC-B and a few gas engines. His favorite gas engine is probably the air cooled Ideal. He has 3 of these. He is now restoring IHC Cub Cadets.

He is on his 4^th tractor and has several to go in his collection of garden tractors.

A side from his engine hobby he is a member of the Ford Model T club and has made several of the National club drives. He owns a 1921 T model Depot Hack and a 1925 T model Roadster. He has helped many people restore cars, gas engines and tractors. When he first joined the club, they were out about every weekend looking for old engines and antique equipment. He has attended many shows since 1972 and hasn’t slowed down a whole lot. Bill and his wife Jean live at Republic, Missouri. Bill is another one of the people that is always ready and willing to help a person need.

Bill Underwood is another man that has earned the honor of being inducted into the National EDGETA Hall of Fame.