A Tribute to the ol

A Tribute to the ol' John Deere Model B

Photos below

When I was in high school, I worked for a near-by farmer named Paul Kauth and his son, Tom. In the summer of 1960, Tom and I worked together in the hay fields of Canton and Louisville, Ohio before I went into the Army that Fall. I always seemed to get the John Deere Model B tractor for the work that I was assigned.

So imagine my surprise when a few blocks away from our home, I made an interesting discovery at Alden Lane Nursery. My wife, Andrea, and I were shopping there recently and I noticed an old John Deere Model B parked there on the premises. After talking to the owner of the nursery, Jackie Williams Courtright, I learned that they use it occasionally around the nursery for some light work and also in some local parades.

I went home and got the camera and took a few shots for old time's sake. The only difference that I remember is that we had to turn the flywheel by hand to start it, whereas this one has a ring gear on it for starting with a starter. With the "Kauth John Deere" you first had to open the petcocks (one on each cylinder), then I had to rotate the flywheel to get it up on compression and then pull hard using both hands to start it, hoping all along I wouldn't break an arm if it kicked back! You haven't lived until you try and start one of these JDs by hand. It's an art in itself, and you better know what you're doing before you even try!

I often wonder whatever happened to that ol' Kauth John Deere! Wouldn't it be cool if Tom or his older brother Dave kept it all these years as an antique! You old timers, enjoy the following photos.

Update: After sending out this link to members on my Myers-Clan list, I received back some interesting memories from some other "farm boys". See below the pictures for their comments.

** "Henry Dreyfuss Styled" explained
Some comments I've received...
From Ed's brother Gary of Tampa, FL	Guess I've lived too! I took over the job when you went to the Army and I remember (I was 14-15) starting the JD with the flywheel (on the left side) and driving it from Kauth's Mother's farm (Canton) to Tom's brother's farm, Dave (Louisville) pulling two empty wagons. I remember the 2-speed axle with transmission in high doing about 45 mph top speed! Mr. Kauth paid me $1 an hour in those days, but those massive dinners his wife made for us after a hard day's work were sure worth it!
From Andrea's Uncle, Ken Smith of Pleasanton, CA	How neat. To be specific, what you have there is a “styled B”. It has the sheet metal work that covers over the hood and the steering gearbox. My father owned a “little B” as my uncle called it. Dad farmed in Oklahoma when he was first married and when things were getting tough in the late thirties and the beginning of the forties, Mom and Dad (and brother Cody) came to California to work as an hydraulic technician for Douglass Aircraft. He left the JD Model B with his little brother to use for farming. When I last talked to my now deceased Uncle about ten years ago, he did not know where it had ended up. FYI… I have a cast model of the same exact tractor that you are sitting on in my den, with the exception that it is “on steel”, not rubber. My mother thought that I needed to have that type of memorabilia in my life… LOL. Of course, I’m not complaining. LOL
From Ed's brother Chuck of Atlanta, GA	I always thought it would be nice to have an old JD and go to the tractor pulls here in GA. Just have no place to keep one. It's been about 2-1/2 years since we went to a pull. We are looking in to going again soon, although Karen says I will be going by myself! I will be sure to get some more pics of the antique beauty when I go. This one looks cherry. What memories she brings back. Remember the Skeele's JDs back in Fabius, NY? We could hear those "Johnny Poppers" all over the countryside.