B orn and raised in Weiser, Idaho, the late Michael R. Stoneman was a man of a hardworking nature with a kind heart and a passion for antique tractor pulls. Throughout his life, Stoneman had dedicated time to agricultural living, serving the country through Air Force recruitment, furniture manufacturing, and later, tractor and truck restorations. Prior to his passing, Stoneman had bid farewell to every machine in his collection except for one: the 1960 John Deere 8020 to be offered Friday, March 26, at the 2021 Spring Classic. Stoneman’s interest in John Deere stemmed from the use of the green beasts on the family farm throughout his childhood. With the vibrant machines engrained deeply in his memories, it was no surprise that after his years of career adventuring, he found his way back to his roots. Stoneman spent his early adulthood working alongside his father before enlisting in the Air Force and being stationed in Vietnam. Upon his return from duty, Stoneman met his soon-to-be wife, Margo, and began working at her father’s church-furniture manufacturing company, The Marshall Company. “He worked his way up,” his son Michael stated. “He went from sweeping floors, continued throughout the entire company, and then became president and remained in that position until his passing, three years ago.” Stoneman was a diligent man who poured his time and effort into every job and project he had, and once he had even footing in the workforce, he began his side hobby of collecting and restoring vintage trucks and antique tractors. Throughout his entire collecting journey, Stoneman only accumulated about six to eight John Deere tractors as well as one Oliver alongside his restored, prized Ford Fairlane and a 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder, which he restored with his grandson. He restored each machine that he had. Singlehandedly, he dismantled, sandblasted, restored, reassembled and painted each of his projects. The only aspect he had occasional help with was the labor lifting of certain pieces. With extra practice stemming from his experience finishing pews and other furniture pieces, Stoneman knew his way around a paint gun, making his finished work that much more impeccable. One such machine that received this thorough and careful treatment was Stoneman’s John Deere 8020.
