Photo Taken ( 1981)
Pictured Left to right (Ron, Gilbert, Ed, Bob, Duane)
Great-Grandpa Carl Wenstrom came to Illinois from Sweden in the mid-1800’s-good hearty stock these Swedes, not bad Hockey players either. Ed Wenstrom was born in Illinois in 1906. In 1907, looking to improve his lot in life, Grandpa Carl came to the Langdon area looking to buy land. Well, he must have been impressed with what he found. He bought property two miles south of Langdon and moved his family there in 1908 and farmed until his death in 1948.
Ed Wenstrom went to school till Grade 6 when he left to work on the farm, which was customary at that time, also he was the only boy in the family. As Ed grew older, he realized his interests were more toward all things mechanical, consequently in the mid 1920’s he opened a shop on the farm. He was able to work on neighbours’ equipment in addition to their own repairs. As time went on he worked less and less on the farm until he was working almost full time in his shop. After W.W. II. he built the present building in 1947 and opened for business in 1948, but he did continue to farm so he was very busy.
When Ed Wenstrom opened his new shop in February 1948 his son Bob was able to work in the shop full-time. It was as an International Harvester Company (I.H.C.) Dealer selling both I.H.C. Trucks and Agricultural Equipment. This continued until May 1979 when I.H.C. gave six months notice of termination of the contract for the Agricultural Equipment end of the arrangement. Ed's son Ron carried on as an I.H.C. Truck Dealer and in 1981 Wenstrom Equipment signed an agreement with Allis Chalmers as it was important to maintain an Agricultural exposure.
Great-Grandpa Carl Wenstrom came to Illinois from Sweden in the mid-1800’s-good hearty stock these Swedes, not bad Hockey players either. Ed Wenstrom was born in Illinois in 1906. In 1907, looking to improve his lot in life, Grandpa Carl came to the Langdon area looking to buy land. Well, he must have been impressed with what he found. He bought property two miles south of Langdon and moved his family there in 1908 and farmed until his death in 1948.
Ed Wenstrom went to school till Grade 6 when he left to work on the farm, which was customary at that time, also he was the only boy in the family. As Ed grew older, he realized his interests were more toward all things mechanical, consequently in the mid 1920’s he opened a shop on the farm. He was able to work on neighbours’ equipment in addition to their own repairs. As time went on he worked less and less on the farm until he was working almost full time in his shop. After W.W. II. he built the present building in 1947 and opened for business in 1948, but he did continue to farm so he was very busy.
When Ed Wenstrom opened his new shop in February 1948 his son Bob was able to work in the shop full-time. It was as an International Harvester Company (I.H.C.) Dealer selling both I.H.C. Trucks and Agricultural Equipment. This continued until May 1979 when I.H.C. gave six months notice of termination of the contract for the Agricultural Equipment end of the arrangement. Ed's son Ron carried on as an I.H.C. Truck Dealer and in 1981 Wenstrom Equipment signed an agreement with Allis Chalmers as it was important to maintain an Agricultural exposure.