A Farmers’ funeral in Missouri

In 1978, several farmers from Southwest Missouri were actively planning to participate in the Tractorcade to Washington DC. Their tractors had been serviced, the tire weights and suitcase weights were removed. The rear tires had the water removed and turned around to prevent them from wearing out. The phone rang one day in mid-December asking them if they wanted to participate in a protest in Jimmy Carter’s hometown when he arrived in Plains, Georgia for Christmas. Two of the farmers were pilots and volunteered to fly the group to Georgia early that day. Shortly after takeoff, one of the planes developed a vibration because the propeller was cracked. The plane went down and left no survivors. The other plane circled around and tried to locate their friends from the air. The plane landed and the search continued from the ground. After about an hour, the downed plane was found.

When the protesting farmers returned home, four funerals were arranged. The tractors these young men had prepared to drive to DC were wrapped with black cloth and parked near the funeral procession. Every state chapter of the AAM sent delegates to the funeral, including William Scott from Sylvania and Ted Evans Springfield, Georgia. Ted Evans spent time in the Plains City Jail with Wayne Cryts the week before.