Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan
This little tractor followed me home from an auction about 15 years ago.
The Allis-Chalmers Model B was manufactured in West Allis, Wisconsin during World War II, which accounts for the frugal use of metal in its construction.
My grandfather, Wm. (Billy) Paton owned an AC-B. I have very fond childhood memories of “Little Allis”, so I raised my hand when it rolled across the auction block and parked it in my shop.
Brother Brad on the seat of Little Allis, with me in tow, in about 1960.
The tractor runs well, in an 85-year-old kind of a way. It is easy to start and will pull an implement around the yard, but it is treacherous to drive on our hilly acreage. The AC-B has independent wheel brakes, with a handle on each side of the seat. While navigating a hill, or loading it on a trailer, you must have one hand on each brake handle, which leaves zero hands for the steering wheel and less than zero hands for the throttle. Allis and I have had some close calls, so I don’t use it very often.
Grandpa on the other hand, used his Little Allis every day. It was his chore tractor and sometimes performed light field duty. Quite often, the Allis was just a way to get from one place to the other.
There wasn’t a well on Grandpa’s farm, so he and Little Allis would fetch a tank of water from the neighbour’s place each week. The AC-B transported the Paton Family’s drinking and wash water for more than 30 years.
Billy Paton on a very tired Little Allis, in about 1979.
My Allis-Chalmers tractor has been nothing more than a decoration for the past decade, so I decided it was time to give it to somebody who might put it to better use. This week I took Little Allis back to Saskatchewan, where it belongs.
I loaded the tractor at sunrise, and embarked on an 1100 km journey from Millarville, AB to Arcola, SK.
My brother Kevin has an antique business in Arcola. He converted an old Ford Motor Co dealership into a vintage showroom. Little Allis will look great in Ed Hanna’s Garage.
Bear wasn’t going to come with me, but at the last minute she decided to ride shotgun. Our journey would take us across two provinces, from southwestern Alberta to southeastern Saskatchewan.
Our first stop was in Maple Creek, SK, where we introduced Allis to a modern tractor. Colour wasn’t the only dissimilarity.
We took a break in Swift Current for gas, coffee, and a chat with local historian Hugh Henry. A conversation with Hugh always gives me ammunition for a dozen Saskatchewan-related stories, but I tried to remain focused on Allis this trip.
The next stop and the mid-point of our trek was Gravelbourg, where Little Allis’s story began.
Gravelbourg is my birthplace, and the final resting place of Grandpa Billy’s Little Allis.
Billy Paton was exempt from military service during World War II. He was 34 years old when the war broke out, which was on the far end of recruitment age. But it wasn’t his advanced years that allowed Billy Paton to stay home from the war, it was his occupation. Farmers were asked to contribute to the war effort by providing food to fuel the armed forces.
Grandpa Billy (on the combine) stayed on the farm in Saskatchewan and fought the Germans with wheat as ammunition.
Grandpa didn’t buy his Allis Chalmers tractor new, it showed up on the farm sometime during the War.
There are very few people alive who saw the Allis Chalmers tractor when it was delivered, but we visited one of them today.
Larry Bekker (right), pictured here with my father, Adrian Paton, remembers the Little Allis.
Larry Bekker is 90 years old. If I asked him what day of the week it was, and what the weather was like on the day Grandpa Billy took delivery of his AC-B, Larry would be able to tell me. I have never met a man with such a memory of dates and events.
I never had the presence of mind to get a photo of Larry with the tractor, but he remembered it well. Larry said that the AC-B was a workhorse, and very popular at the time.
Remember when I said Bear would be riding shotgun?
Ya, No.
We arrived in Arcola after sundown, so I dropped the tractor at Kevin’s place the next morning. He plans on putting it in the Arcola Fair parade in June. I am tempted to volunteer as a driver.
One antique riding another.
On the return journey we encountered this orange glow, which mirrored the sentiment I felt ….
…. Taking Allis Home
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Keith
Loved it, Russ. Thanks for sharing
Russ Paton
Thanks. There is an empty spot in my shop, I am trying hard Not to fill it.