James F. Haymaker (May 28, 1918 - October 6, 1995)

My Dad was as perfect of a man as I have ever known. I know a lot of people think that about their parents but anyone that knew my Dad would say the same thing. Dad never smoked, drank, or cursed once in his life. He was not a Sunday Morning Christian, he lived it 24-7. He would not even use slang like darn, shoot, or heck, he said that was a Christians way of swearing.
I remember once when I was about 10, we had dairy cows and a heifer had just freshened, Dad put her in a stanstion, she broke the eye bolts on both ends and took out of the barn wearing the stanstion on her neck. Dad hollered "you dirty old rip", that was the closest to cursing I ever heard from my Dad and my mouth flew open.

Dad started farming in 1939, his first tractor was a new 1939 Oliver 70 Row Crop. He farmed with Oliver Tractors until 1955 when he bought a new WD-45 on May 3, 1955.

1955 WD-45

I will always remember the last week of September 1995, the Farm Progress Show was held that year South of Terre Haute, Indiana, and Dad, myself, and my son Matt went to the show together. Little did we know that a week later Dad would be gone of a massive heart attack.

Matt - Dale - James in June 1992

Some time back my Sister, Martha was here and I took her on a tour of the Museum. Later she sent me a card and said she thought Dad would be very proud of what I had done with his tractor and everything in the Museum. It brought tears to my eyes, I have never thought of it that way, that is what inspired me to write this.

I would like to dedicate the Allis Chalmers Museum to Dad's memory.

I miss you Dad.

Your Son Dale James