Sanford McCurdy and son, Paul, will be inducted the Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame as Pioneers in Agriculture in December.
They are two of six inductees this year. This is the 16th annual recognition banquet. It is Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at St. John's Evangelical Church, Kenton.
This year's other inductees are Jan Layman, Gary and Carol Oates, and Gary Shick.
McCurdy Steel Products
Sanford and Paul McCurdy were partners of McCurdy Steel Products, located in Ada for 57 years. The business held U.S. and Canadia n patents used to manufacture famous McCurdy farm elevators and gravity-flow grain boxes, as well as other quality farm equipment and sold them through a dealer network.
Being a manufacturer of superior farm equipment, McCurdy Steel Products employed many people from Hardin County and beyond. The firm was founded by Sanford McCurdy in 1915 as a second-hand equipment farm.
The manufacturing company was organized and a plant was built in 1927. During the depression years, McCurdy and his son, Paul, formed a partnership. Young McCurdy started as a salesman in 1929 and assumed active management in 1945. The partnership was dissolved in 1955. Sanford McCurdy died in 1961. Paul McCurdy died in 1972.
Paul graduated from Ada High School, attended Ohio Northern University and later graduated from The Ohio State University. He was a member of the Ada Masonic Lodge, Kenton Commandery, and the Kenton Elks Lodge. He was also a member of the First United Methodist Church of Ada and the Franklin-Scioto Consistory of Columbus.
He worked in Lima as methods and industrial engineer for Westinghouse before becoming involved with the family business. Paul was in a band and was an accomplished pianist. He was president of McCurdy Steel Products from 1945-1972. No further information is available for Sanford McCurdy except that he was the inventor of the McCurdy Gravity-Flow Grain Box with patent #US2827204A issued March 18, 1958.
Hall of Fame
The purpose of the county Agriculture Hall of Fame is to recognize outstanding agricultural contributions by Hardin County people and to honor those who have brought distinction to themselves and the agricultural industry.
Tickets must be purchased in advance through Nov. 26. Tickets are $12, and can be reserved by calling the Hardin County Extension office (419-674-2297) or purchased from the committee members: Dustin McCullough, Robert McBride, Ruth Oates, Kerry Oberlitner, Gary Harpster, Steve Poling, Luke Underwood, Robert Wood and Mark Badertscher.
