Aug. 21-24 FCFI booth featuring the McClure family antique tractors at the Half Century of Progress Show held at Rantoul, IL (former Chanute AFB)

Come see the McClure family antique tractors at the Half Century of Progress Show

Links to information on the Half Century of Progress Show:

https://farmonaut.com/usa/rantoul-tractor-show-2025-top-vintage-equipment

https://www.halfcenturyofprogress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HalfCenturyOfProgressShow/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCWTuQyDvj4

About the McClure Family:

Samuel “Sam” McClure was born in the winter of 1884 in Columbus, Kansas. His early life was marked by the realities of rural hardship, with his family returning to Carlock, Illinois in 1891 after years of failed crops. Growing up, Sam followed the footsteps of his father, learning the rhythms of the seasons and the grit of farm life.

In an era where most farmers relied on horse-drawn equipment, Sam found his calling in 1908, not just in agriculture but in seeking something deeper—a reason for life beyond labor.

A Life Changed by Christ

Sam heard of a revivalist named Billy Sunday preaching in Bloomington, Illinois. Sunday, a former professional baseball player turned evangelist, drew crowds with his fiery calls to repentance. One cold December night, Sam stepped into a packed, dimly-lit hall and walked out a transformed man—having given his life to Christ. From that moment forward, faith became the cornerstone of Sam’s life and work.

Family, Faith, and Farming

Sam married, started a family, and built a farming life near Meadows, Illinois. In 1936, his love for innovation and good equipment led him to Roszhart Sales & Service, where he purchased a new Allis Chalmers WC tractor—one of the first to come with rubber tires. That purchase would mark the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the Allis Chalmers brand.

Sam’s work ethic, devotion to God, and commitment to excellence carried him through decades of farming until his passing in 1969.

A Legacy Continued: Edwin McClure

Born in 1922 on the southern edge of Woodford County, Edwin “Ed” McClure grew up under the guidance of a father who balanced the physical demands of farming with spiritual leadership. Raised in East White Oak Bible Church, Ed learned early that faith and community mattered most.

Like his father, Ed chose to stay on the land. In 1954, following in Sam’s footsteps, he visited Roszhart’s and purchased an Allis Chalmers WD-45 tractor—complete with power steering, lighting, and modern hydraulics. It served as his workhorse for decades, shifting from plowing fields to spraying crops, and eventually became a fixture in family parades and memory-making moments with grandchildren.

Ed passed away in 1991, just miles from the home where he was born. In both land and life, he had invested deeply. More than crops, he cultivated relationships, always eager to share the message that true fulfillment came from following Jesus.

After decades of sitting idle, Sam McClure’s original Allis Chalmers WC tractor—once a symbol of his hard work and faith-filled farming—stood weathered but intact. In a powerful gesture of honoring their heritage, his grandson John McClure and great-grandson took on the task of restoring the historic machine, carefully reviving it piece by piece and breathing new life into a tractor that had served the family for generations

A Tractor Restored—And a Legacy Reawakened

Though the family’s original WC tractor had been sold to a neighbor, it eventually made its way back to the McClure family. After sitting unused for 40 years, Sam’s grandson John and great-grandsons revived it in 2023—restoring its engine, frame, and paint to pristine condition, even recasting the original steering wheel.

That restoration was more than cosmetic. It was a celebration of heritage. A visible reminder of the values and faith that sustained the McClures through wars, the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and personal loss.

John McClure and his son began restoring the family’s original Allis Chalmers WC tractor, a hands-on tribute to the legacy started by Sam and carried on by Ed. Now, with the restoration complete, a new generation of McClures experiences the joy of the land and the deep roots of their heritage—riding that same tractor proudly across the family fields

A Message That Endures

Both Sam and Ed McClure knew that farming was never the ultimate purpose of their lives—it was a platform. Their mission was to point others to Jesus. And they did so not just in words, but in every act of kindness, every shared burden, every neighbor helped, and every field faithfully worked.

In the family workshop, three generations of McClures came together—sharing tools, stories, and wisdom as they restored the old tractor. Now, with the youngest McClure behind the wheel, it’s clear that the legacy of faith, hard work, and love for the land continues to thrive in the next generation

Their story is a call to remember that joy can endure hardship when anchored in faith, and that the real harvest is not what we reap from the ground, but what we sow into the hearts of others.

If you’re curious, just ask. The McClures would be the first to tell you—Jesus is the Answer!