MTFCA Forum

Here is a photo supposedly of a South Dakota Indian family at home with their what looks to be a 1918 ( I think) T Touring. But my question is what’s on the porch. We have a corn sheller almost identical to the one pictured on the left of the other grinder of some sort. So what was it for? I’ll bet someone knows if they were raised on the farm.

Coffee grinder?

Cornmeal grinder?

The larger item sitting on the front porch looks like a washing machine.

And you better get with it..they're not to be called "Indians" anymore! They're "indigenous Americans"!
Want this forum being sued for not being politically correct?!

Sarcasm? Maybe...maybe not.

From one label to another, it’s still all white-man talk…

One machine is a corn sheller, the other a grinder.

Looks like a fairly well-to-do farm family. Lots of modern conveniences with a washing machine, large plow nearly off the side of the photo, grinder and an automobile. Maybe a sheep rancher? Looks like five or more sheep dogs!
Detail isn't very sharp in the photo. No sidelamps, but zooming in it looks like there may be brackets for them on the windshield brackets. It also looks like maybe the windshield could be the earlier even folding hinges? That would indicate the car might be a 1917? Can't tell about the horn button. Non-demountable rim wheels.

Jeff Humble is correct IMHO. One on the left strips the corn off the cobs and the other grinds or "cracks" the corn. I think I have that exact grinder on the garage. The patent date cast into the wheels is 1879 so it's pretty old school. I suppose you could try to grind coffee in it but the grind would be pretty course that might make "cowboy coffee" where no filter was used.