Men washing up for dinner outside using large, galvanized tubs at a local threshing ring. The names in the picture are Mr. Gisewite, the Swartz Boys, James McNelly, Henry Unger and Charlie Heeter.
Submitted photo
BROOKVILLE — Threshing rings were common in the Brookville area in the 1930s and 1940s with farmers helping each other to harvest crops.
In July 1937, many women came together to prepare a large noon-time meal at the home of Mr. Ed Harmon, whose wheat was being harvested. Twenty pounds of potatoes were used for this one meal, 11 lbs. of beef, three dozen eggs, one peck of apples, and all was prepared by five expert cooks: Mrs. Lloyd Copp, Mrs. Ed Shank, Mrs. Albert Harmon, Mrs. Charles Heeter and Mary Lou Harmon.
Some of the farmers present were: Mr. Gisewite, the Swartz boys, Perry Kreitzer, James McNelly, Henry Unger, Charlie Heeter, and Ed Harmon. The men used their bandana hankies for their napkins. Roast beef was served as the men preferred that over chicken. The men took 40 minutes to eat and then they were back to the field to finish the day’s work.
In 1944 the threshing ring of George Lightner, a well-known thresher of R.F.D. No. 2, Brookville, celebrated the closing day with an ice cream social at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Nietert. There were 103 people present.
Some of the families present were Howard Blumenstock, Dale Blumenstock, Walter Kump, Albert Lightner, William Brown, William Bowman, L.H. Kump, Anna Kessler, Elmer Baker, Glenn Somers, Harry Booker, Elmer Petering, George Lightner, Andrew Lightner, Howard and Tressie Hammel, and Mary Hussong.
The evening was spent visiting and playing games. The guests enjoyed 20½ gallons of ice cream, 15 cakes and a variety of cookies.
In 1961, local neighbors, friends and relatives brought corn pickers, tractors, wagons, trucks, and conveyors to harvest 85 acres of corn for Carmon and Helen Baker. Mrs. Baker had lost her hand in a corn picker accident. The 38 men in the “good neighbor” effort were rewarded by a nice lunch at the Minnie Baker farm.
All information and the photo for this Look at Brookville article were supplied by the Brookville Historical Society. Do you have a photo or historical information to share or add? Please contact the Brookville Historical Society at 937-833-0285 or email to [email protected].
