International Harvester 123-SP Combine

Herbert, Roy Bucklin, and their mom split the cost of a new International Harvester 123-SP Combine in 1945 for $3319.24. The statement from Jennings Tractor & Implement Co., Inc. is below.  Mom says they bought the first one in the area.

I found a webpage with this info about that model: “In 1942 International Harvester offered its first self-propelled combine designated the No. 123-SP. The 123-SP featured a 6 cylinder IH engine, 12 foot grain head and hydraulic platform control. Options included a straw spreader and seed bagging attachment.”

On Facebook I wondered how long they would have used the 1945 combine and if it could be in this 1965 photo.

Jon Lawson wrote:

I remember my grandfather, Roy, telling me about this combine that they bought. He said they spent more time fixing it than cutting in the beginning. They were not very reliable in the beginning. He also told me that they were the fist to own one in the area also.

I really don’t know how long they used it but I kinda doubt it would have lasted that long. However we both know that our grandfathers would stretch the life out of equipment to it’s absolute maximum before discarding it therefore I wouldn’t rule it out.

Ray Bucklin told me:

Seward LeJuene and Herbert Bucklin cut rice together back when Seward LeJuene and Addie Bucklin [and her sons] owned the only two combines in the area.  Seward LeJuene was the owner of one of the big grain driers in Elton.

The combines lasted beyond 1965.  Remember the 1952 Ford truck that was still being driven in the 1970s. Daddy and Uncle Roy bought two of the same model IH Combines. So, you may find the receipt for the second combine somewhere.

They replaced the IH combines with Case combines sometime around the time I was in high school. I am not sure when I started driving the combines, but it was sometime in High school (1964-1968, probably Fall 66) and at that time we were using one of the IH combines and one of the new Cases. I am pretty sure that I drove the IH for more than one year. The IH was fun to drive. It had lots of levers to keep adjusting. So both hands were often off the steering wheel and you steered with the brakes. The Case had a lot of levers too, but it had hydraulic systems which made things a bit easier. I am not sure if we bought the second Case when I was in High School or if I had started College.

So, Daddy and Uncle Roy used the IH combines until the late sixties, but 20 year old stuff for our family is just getting broken in, so of course Daddy and Uncle Roy sold the IH combines to Harley Bruchhaus. I don’t know how long Harley kept using them. They are almost certainly scrap by now, but there is a remote chance that they are still sitting somewhere on the Bruchhaus farm. Charles may remember how long Harley used them. There is a good chance that Charles drove them too.