Photograph
Frank Otto Threshing Crew
| A group of farmer workers stand with pitch forks in front of the first gas engine for threshing on the August Krenke farm. A horse-drawn vehicle is also visible in the background. |
| Image ID: | 83964 |
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| Creation Date: | |
| Creator Name: | Unknown |
| City: | Fremont |
| County: | Waupaca |
| State: | Wisconsin |
| Collection Name: | Andrew John Mueller |
| Genre: | Photograph |
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| In 1878 August and William Krenke purchased the first threshing machine. Four or five teams of horses were used in the operation. The machine only separated the grain from the straw. There was no straw carrier to be removed from the machine by hand. This horse power system was used until about 1910 on the Krenke farm. It was replaced by a multi-talented steam engine. The steamer was a power farm tool and was used for sawing wood and filling the early silos. The Krenkes used a small stationary gas engine from about 1910 to 1945. Richard Krenke worked with a threshing crew from 1910-1919 as they proceeded from farm to farm to service those who did not have sufficient grain to merit owning a machine. The crew of 10 to 15 men equipped with large machines thresh for many farmers in a single season. Krenke was the machine tender on his crew and hauled water for the steam engine. The crews would start at 6 or 7 AM and continue until dark. In some neighborhoods farmers pooled their resources and helped one another thresh. In time farm labor diminished and labor saving machines developed to do the job. Today, Elweyn Krenke, Richard’s son, takes advantage of new technological developments in the form of modern combine and tractor to do the job that once took a full crew. |
| This image is issued by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Use of the image requires written permission from the staff of the Collections Division. It may not be sold or redistributed, copied or distributed as a photograph, electronic file, or any other media. The image should not be significantly altered through conventional or electronic means. Images altered beyond standard cropping and resizing require further negotiation with a staff member. The user is responsible for all issues of copyright. Please Credit: Wisconsin Historical Society. |
| Location: | Wisconsin Historical Society Archives, 4th Floor, Madison, Wisconsin |
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