Harold Henson loved antique tractors, and he was remembered at the antique tractor show dedicated to his memory on June 11, during the Pawnee Prairie Days in Illinois.

Larry Boblitt and Andy Theriac came up with the idea and planned the touching event, presenting a plaque to Harold’s widow, Mary Ann, and remembering his daughter, Marsha, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well.
“Andy and I decided we should do something special for Harold,” said Larry. “We decided to dedicate the whole show to him.”

“Harold was an awfully nice person. He liked the kids, the tractor games and everything,” Andy said, adding that when he lost his daughter, “Harold helped me through it.”
In tribute to Harold’s m
emory, a line of his antique tractors were on display for visitors to enjoy, along with tractors brought by other collectors. “His grandson Jason Blakeman and grandson-in-law Nathan Rogers brought them today,” Larry shared.

Harold’s line of tractors included his 1937 John Deere B, a 1959 Ford with Select-O-Speed that was known for winning slow races time and time again, a 1941 “60” Oliver, a 1953 “40” John Deere, a CO-OP and a 1930 GP John Deere.
Looking at the tractors, Mary Ann remembered his talent on the Ford in the slow race. “When he was driving, no one could beat him,” she noted.
For Mary Ann, this was an emotional day. “We lost him in February,” she said of her husband. “This is an honor to him.”

Knowing how much he would have appreciated the efforts of the club, Mary Ann also enjoyed seeing Harold’s tractors on display.

“My favorite was his John Deere GP because it was the first one he restored. I helped him with it a little, I did what I could.”

“This has been hard for Larry to do,” shared his wife, Mary. “We made cups for the exhibitors that has Harold’s tractor on it.”

The tractor on the cup was John Deere green, of course. Larry – an International guy – has fond memories of joshing with Harold over the benefits of red versus green. Besides his IH H, Larry also brought his Minneapolis-Moline Universal R that was purchased new by his dad and grandpa in 1947.
“I’ve got to give a John Deere guy a hard time,” he laughed, talking about Harold.

Andy, also an IH guy, shared a story about Harold: “At the Old Settlers’ Day parade in Hillsboro, Harold was on his John Deere L. The parade is a good two-mile ride and halfway around, the L stopped on him.

“I always carry a tow rope and asked Harold if he wanted a pull, laughing about my IH pulling his JD.”

Not liking the idea, Harold finally caved, saying if that was the only way he could get back to the trailer, then okay.

Harold was born on Nov. 22, 1931, and passed away on Feb. 13, 2011. Besides being a farmer, he served in the Army during the Korean War.

Everyone had memories of Harold at antique tractor shows. He was a mainstay and originator at the Pawnee show and many others, as well. Marsha Blakeman, Harold’s daughter, was on hand with her daughter, Michelle Rogers.
“Grandpa would be happy about the turnout,” Michelle said.

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.