Marshal Reeves began his agricultural implement business in Columbus, Indiana. He brought his father and uncle into the business in 1875 and changed the company name to Hoosier Boy Cultivator Company. In 1879, the company name changed again to Reeves and Company. Reeves and Company now designed and manufactured threshers, straw stackers, separators, corn shellers and clover hullers. In 1895, Reeves started to build steam traction engines.
This postcard from White, shows the Polzin family proudly posing with a new Reeves Compound Separator No. 2663. In the 1913 Reeves Machinery catalog, they feature the belts. The first paragraph of the separator’s description stated that “the belts on Reeves machines are the best quality of oak-tanned, non-porous leather. The belt driving the separating parts from the cylinder shaft is six inches wide. The belt driving the fan, beater and minor parts from the other end of the cylinder shaft is five and one half inches wide, making a total of eleven and one half inches of belt to drive the separating and cleaning mechanism. This great width of belting insures a positive drive and prevents slipping and stretching occasioned using too light belts.”