Steinke's Olivers
Gibson, Iowa
STEINKE'S OLIVER HISTORY
The OLIVER tractor was popular in the Steinke family, and has been used for 4 generations.
At the time of an auction in 2003, many of our Steinke family Oliver photos were gathered together, and more photos of the Oliver tractors were taken.
The history of Oliver tractors in our family starts back with Gottlieb Steinke, who immigrated from Germany around 1882. He and his wife Rosalie eventually settled in Keokuk County and farmed there the rest of their lives, east of What Cheer, Iowa.
Gottlieb & Rosalie farmed with several of their sons. They also trained horses to sell to horse buyers from Chicago. Related Image
One son, Robert Steinke did custom work with his Port Huron steam engine and threshing machine, after returning from WW1. In the early 1920's he married and purchased a farm near Gibson, Iowa. Sometime in the later 1920's, Robert added a Hart Parr 28-50 to his farming operation.
In 1936, Gottlieb Steinke purchased their first OLIVER Hart Parr 70, at Farmers Elevator in Gibson, Iowa. Robert Steinke Sr bought a used OLIVER Hart Parr 70 also at Farmers Elevator, a couple of years later. It had previously been owned by Lester Williams of Gibson.Related Image 1 Related Image 2
There were many Oliver tractors that followed, along with some changes on the Steinke farms. Gottlieb Steinke died in 1947. His sons Ernst and Rudolf took over that farm.
Walter and Gloria Steinke moved back to the farm in 1960, to farm with Walter's brother Robert Steinke Jr. They went on to farm the acres of Robert Steinke Sr, along with acres of their own.
Gloria Steinke worked with OLIVERS also. When she used the OLIVER 1955, we called it the "Big Mama". She would use it to pull the disc or chisel plow, working ahead of the planter. She also used the OLIVER 1650 to pull a harrow, and also the fertilizer spreader. Gloria's father Leslie worked at the Hansen Oliver Implement for over a decade, in Latimer, Iowa, as a book keeper. Years before that, in 1951, when Leslie was still farming, he bought a new OLIVER Super 88. Related Image
When a newer OLIVER tractor arrived on the farm, it was a BIG event. "Trading-up" was an exciting time. An example of this is a photo we have of a happy Walter Steinke sitting on the newer OLIVER 1800, with the older traded OLIVER 88 sitting on the implement dealer's truck. Related Image
Trading was exciting, since with the trade came more features and options. Over the years they gained from changes such as the electric start, rubber tires, power take off (PTO), 3 pt hitch, power steering, 4 wheel drive/front wheel assist, more horse power & speed.
Many Oliver tractors have passed through the Steinke farms, and several are still used by the sons of Walter and Gloria Steinke. There are many memories of OLIVER tractors and stories to go with them.
Some of the Olivers owned over the years include:
Hart Parr 28-50, Oliver Hart Parr 70's, Oliver 70, 77, 88, Super 88, 880,Super 55, 550, 1365 with 1514 loader, 1650,1800,1850, 1955, 2255, 7300 Combine, White 8800 combine, and many other Oliver implements.
OLIVERS were used for many different jobs on the Steinke farms. Robert Steinke Sr used the Hart Parr 28-50 along with his threshing equipment. Subsequent Oliver tractors and implements were used for:
cutting oats,
mowing and baling hay, loading hay into barns,
chopping and stacking silage,
planting and harvesting corn/beans/oats,
pulling plow/disc/harrow,
spreading fertilizer,
grinding feed,
feeding hogs/cattle,
moving hogs with hog carrier - in farrow to finish operation,
cleaning hog and cattle lots, spreading manure,
moving dirt, pulling fence posts, and cleaning up brush, etc..
Olivers were used to run augers, a 2 row mounted corn picker, a back hoe, and to do tiling.
Implement Dealers in Iowa that Steinke1s purchased tractors or parts from:
1) Guy Wymore at Farmers Elevator, Gibson, Iowa,
2) Whitaker Implement, Oskaloosa, Iowa,
3) Campbell Implement, Grinnell, Iowa,
4) Hand Implement, Independence, Iowa.
Click on any of the following thumbnails to view an enlargement.
LINKS
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Copyright 2007