Sweatman, Leland, 1927-

Born on Sept. 16, 1927 in Virginia, Ill., and spent his entire life on the farm until his retirement in the town of Virginia. Leland talks about his childhood and going to a school in a one room school house outside of Virginia, Illinois until the 8th grade. His chores consisted of watering the animals, bailing hay, hand shucking corn, saddling horses, and driving a plow. After high school he was drafted into the army in 1945, where he became an x-ray tech while managing to return to the family farm on weekends to work. After the war he returned to the family farm and rented land of his own to farm. When the house on that farm was being wired for electricity, he was hired on as an electrician's helper, which helped supplement his income. Sweatman farmed corn, wheat, and beans, even though the markets on such crops stayed the same price per bushel. He explained that the only way to get ahead was to produce more product from less land or buy more land. He also discussed drought of the 1950s and infestation of chinch bugs. Sweatman was an Allis Chalmers implements dealer in the 1970's and 80's, and now collects tractors. He explains the mechanical history of tractors including hydraulics, center three-point hitch, and the impact of increasing horse-power in farm equipment.