1899 Avery Yellow Fellow Threshing Machine

The Yellow Fellow Thresher was distinctive because of its deep yellow color and fancy red decoration. The Avery Company’s’ Yellow Fellow trademark was widely known and they were built in many sizes. 

William Ritzman Sr. (grandfather of Mrs. Henry (Lois) Rover of Nora Springs) purchased this Avery Yellow Fellow new in 1899. He used it for many years in his threshing business around the Cluterville area, located about four miles south of Dumont, Iowa. 

This Yellow Fellow threshing machine was purchased by Ed Smolik, for donation to Cedar Valley Memories, near Buckeye, Iowa in 2002.

When the Yellow Fellow arrived at Cedar Valley Memories, volunteers started to restore the machine and rebuild the straw apron. This wooden design thresher doesn’t have a blower like many other threshing machines. The volunteers were able to have the Yellow Fellow demonstrating at the 2003 Annual Power Show.