5-23-12
Hello Everyone,
We left Davenport this morning at 8:00 and were sit up and drinking tea by 3:00pm in Effingham, Il.  It is about 1/2 way to our spot in Tenn.  "Hoss" did great today, we ave. 13 miles per gal.  It was flat and Interstate driving.  We had to take a little detour getting on to I 57 South.  A semi tractor and trailer had overturned on the on ramp to I 57.  They were closing it off just as we were ready to pull onto I57. " Miss Sassy" (our GPS system) got so confused we had to shut her off and dig out the old map.  We had to go about 10 miles around to find another on ramp for I 57.  Thank goodness Gene never leaves home with out maps, books and all navigation tools.
Our day sure went better than that semi driver's.
While we were at Bob's we made a side trip to Granddetour, IL.  That is the historical site for John Deere.  It is where his original home and blacksmith shop was and that is where he invented the stainless steel moleboard plow(1837).  He was from Vermont and followed alot of other settlers from Vermont to Granddetour, IL.  The farmers brought with them the cast iron plows (which worked wonderful in the sandy soil of the East)  The prairie sod was so heavy and rich that those plows would not scour clean when they tried to plow.  Alot of farmers quit and moved back to the East, saying " The prairie could not be farmed, it was worthless".  He remember his Mother polishing her stainless steel needles to sew.  He would help her polish them and than the needles would slip through the material cleaner and faster.
When he first arrived in Granddetour he befriended a saw mill operator.  He repaired his sawmill and got him up and running again.  The saw mill operater said, " If you ever need anything just ask".  John Deere listened to all the complaints about the cast iron plow and an idea formed.  He asked the sawmill operator for a broken steel saw blade and John Deere made is first steel moleboard plow.  The rest is history.  They found a bill of sale for 24.00 in 1837 for one plow.  That was alot of money so they figured a number of farmers went together to buy that first plow.  It was a very interesting tour, the 6 acres of the historical site was beautifully kept, and a black smith was giving demonstrations.  We really enjoyed it.  Dad remembers greasing the plow bottoms each evening with gun grease so they would not take on moisture and rust.  Rust would cause the soil to cling to the plow and what a pain to clean them off.  So much for my History lesson.  I don't know if you kids would know what I am talking about for sure the grandkids won't.
We are planning on going to The Cumberland Gap on our way to Christines.  It is located in the corner of Tenn. KY and Virginia.  It sounds like a lot of History took place there.
Supper is over and the dishes are done, so I am going to go sit in my chair on our front porch.  It is a lovely evening.  Love Mother