Tom Witherspoon has a 1949 Allis-Chalmers Tractor with deep roots into his family's history. The tractor first came into the family when Tom’s grandfather Eli Daniel Seller purchased it in January 1950. Even though money was short, Eli Daniel found a way to make this tractor his own. Down payment for the tractor came in the form of a cow and some goats. It was a down payment on what has become a family legacy.
The tractor sat out of sight and out of mind for a while. After the grandfather passed away, the tractor sat idle in a barn for about 30 years. Then one day, Tom decided to restore the old tractor with the help of a friend. Here’s how the tractor touches the family’s future. The freshly restored tractor was presented to Tom’s son, who bears his grandfather’s name, Eli Daniel.
The name and the tractor have both come full circle to become part of the family’s legacy. Young Eli Daniel carries these two aspects of his grandfather that will live into the future. The legacy of the family holds strong thanks to a tractor that has bridged the generations.
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