Photo by Mike Brothers
Tom Gregory’s antique tractors form a line behind him and along Highway 121 in Bethany to honor the Farm Progress Show in Decatur. Gregory returned the tractors to the shed after the show and replaced the display with some of his favorite Model A Ford cars and trucks.

•September 9, 2015•

By Mike Brothers

Tom Gregory honored the Farm Progress Show in his own way.

For the past six Progress Shows in Decatur Gregory rolled out his antique tractor collection for display at the south entrance to Bethany.

“It takes a bit of doing, but if I can, I honor farm progress in my own way,” Gregory said of the units ranging from 1929 through the early 30s.

As he walked the line beside Highway 121 Gregory stopped at a tractor that looked like a car. It was a Model A “Doodlebug”. With a tractor kit, a “shade tree mechanic” as he put it, he converted a Model A fire truck into this pulling tractor.

“I bought it from a guy in Wisconsin and entered in the Arthur slow pull contest last year,” he recalled. “I only had it about a month. It wasn’t running right, and I didn’t even know for sure what gear I was in, but I won the contest.” The winning Doodlebug was built in 1939.

On down the tractor line is a mini Caterpillar. He got this 1929 Cat 10 from a guy in Canada and is one of the smallest trak Cat’s ever manufactured. It was used primarily for pulling road graders in the early 30s. Gregory got to display it during a Decatur Caterpillar open house.

A 41-year employee of Caterpillar, Gregory was invited to display this rare tractor in front of the plant.

Included in the tractors are some John Deere Johnny Poppers that are for sale, but one 1936 John Deere Model D that is sentimental.

“That tractor was built the year I was born so I’ll probably just hang on to it.”     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.