Oxen team image

[Mutt]

Evening all,

Hope I'm posting in the correct forum. It's been too long since I've been on the ol AC Board. Lots of familiar names and faces.

At any rate, I'm posting an image from my collection that I posted several years ago, just in case there are newbies who may be interested. I'm working on scanning my collection and hope to post more soon. I enjoy collecting but enjoy sharing even more. :)

The image is a photo I took of the photo. The scanner I had access to at the time wasn't great. I'll probably create an album in my profile with a better scan later.

Best Regards,

[Gery Barker]

Re: Oxen team image

Beautiful, thank you for posting it. Do you know where it was taken or anything else about it.
Gery Barker
Wagoner/Ox Driver

[Mutt]

Re: Oxen team image

Hello Mr Barker,

Glad you like it. As I said, I'll get a better scan soon so you can see the details I see in person.

I purchased it for a VERY reasonable price in Old City Huntington WVA. My now wife and I were living in Greenup, KY at the time. There are a few details in time image that help narrow down where it may have been taken. The fence far in the background is a classic, early style to keep livestock in, but is tough to say it was only used in certain parts of the country. I noticed the tiles on the roof of the nearest structure; they look to me very much like those I've seen on some German houses in SE Penna. They are a red clay type. (edit: now that I look at it more, maybe note clay, had high hopes) I'll dig some more but that's what I have gathered thus far. I'll post more as I find more.

I've put some images in albums in my profile as well. Not argricultural, but still neat. :)

Best,

[Gery Barker]

Re: Oxen team image

Thank you. I am collecting any information I can get on wagoner's, wagons and teams. I've reproduced two wagons of the era and am looking for ideas and any way that I can improve the impression. Sadly, wagoners were so common and so beneath anyone's dignity at the time that they are poorly documented. - Gery

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Oxen team image

Mr. Barker, I was wondering if you might help me with a question I have about the use of multiple yokes of oxen as illustrated in this image. It seems that in this image as well as other images of multiples yokes/teams, the larger oxen are positioned as the foremost team. Is this done in rather the reverse reason that the strongest horses are the wheel team and pulling closer to the load? Would the larger oxen be placed in front since the pulling dynamics of yoked animals are different from horse harness? Just something I've been wondering for a while.

[UnicornForge]

Re: Oxen team image

Interesting photographs. Do you have any more photographs of working folks associated with the military?

[Gery Barker]

Re: Oxen team image

Mr. Barker, I was wondering if you might help me with a question I have about the use of multiple yokes of oxen as illustrated in this image. It seems that in this image as well as other images of multiples yokes/teams, the larger oxen are positioned as the foremost team. Is this done in rather the reverse reason that the strongest horses are the wheel team and pulling closer to the load? Would the larger oxen be placed in front since the pulling dynamics of yoked animals are different from horse harness? Just something I've been wondering for a while.

Ox teams rigged for logging generally put the largest in the lead and run the team by size so the chain is as straight as possible from the point of draft on the leaders back to the load. There is a good illustration and discussion of this in _Oxen a Teamster's Guide_ by Drew Conroy. Wagoners ran it the other way with the largest as wheelers both for power and for stopping/hold backs. Better discussionof this in _A Bullockie's Handbook_ an Australian publication. Being a wagoner, this is how I organize mine. James and Charlie weigh 2200# each and are at the wheel; the leaders are George at 1900# and Will just under 1800# so they are quite a bit smaller. On wagons with larger teams, the smallest (weakest) yokes might actually be in the swing position. When I've run six and eight, this is what I have done.

This is probably more than you ever wanted to know. I'm sorry. - Gery

[Mutt]

Re: Oxen team image

Hello Mr. Einhorn,

Unfortunately I don't have any other images of working folks associated with the military, though I'd love to get a few! I'll have to search online again because I know there is a website full of antebellum photos of workmen. I believe they were from a Pittsburgh collection, either a library out there or something of that nature. as soon as I come across it I'll post it.

I do have more images showing some neat fashion: a corduroy coat, big silk cravats, vests and watch fobs.

Best,

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Oxen team image

Ox teams rigged for logging generally put the largest in the lead and run the team by size so the chain is as straight as possible from the point of draft on the leaders back to the load. There is a good illustration and discussion of this in _Oxen a Teamster's Guide_ by Drew Conroy. Wagoners ran it the other way with the largest as wheelers both for power and for stopping/hold backs. Better discussionof this in _A Bullockie's Handbook_ an Australian publication. Being a wagoner, this is how I organize mine. James and Charlie weigh 2200# each and are at the wheel; the leaders are George at 1900# and Will just under 1800# so they are quite a bit smaller. On wagons with larger teams, the smallest (weakest) yokes might actually be in the swing position. When I've run six and eight, this is what I have done.

This is probably more than you ever wanted to know. I'm sorry. - Gery

Actually that's exactly what I wanted to know. I drove a team of oxen off and on one summer when I worked at a living history museum, but the museum only had one team of oxen, so I've never worked multiples. Your answer helped me out a lot. Thanks!