Antiques found in Cunningham barn
Nov. 30—While cleaning out his grandparent's barn, Jerry Cunningham Jr. ran across some old artifacts. One was a medicine bottle from Dr. William Spieth's office here in Lebanon.
"(I) found it here with a bunch of old farm manuals in the barn," Cunningham said of the find. It was on Bill and Edna May Cunningham's property.
Spieth was a doctor and surgeon in Lebanon from 1922 until he retired. He also served as the Boone County Public Health Officer. He died in 1955.
When Cunningham posted a photo of the bottle on Facebook, several people commented on remembering Dr. Spieth and his wife who taught at Lebanon. Some said the doctor delivered them.
Although he could sell the antique to a collector, Cunningham said he plans to keep the bottle.
He also found the manuals for all of his grandfather's tractors. Inside one he found the bill of sale when the International 966 was delivered to Jake Cunningham in 1976 by Steve Hine who was the service manager at Larr Equipment. Hine remembers Jake and the tractor. He still works for Larr's successor, Bane Welker. Hine will celebrate 49 years with the farming equipment dealer next March.
Hine remembers when Jake called him on a Saturday because he thought his tractor could use a little more power to go a little faster.
"I did twist the smoke screw on it, let him drive it," Hine said. "Made him feel better. Back in the day, that's what we did, we just shoved more fuel to them. I knew him, respected him, and thought a lot of him."
Cunningham is keeping the receipt and the story of his grandfather.
