I have a silver based pin that belonged to my grandfather, John Michael Menning, that he received as an attendant at a meeting either in Ames or Des Moines in very early 1900's. This meeting as I understand was called by the National Transportation Association due to the problems of the threshers causing trouble for the roads as the old steam engines, heavy as they were broke down the old bridges and the smoke stacks set fire to the covered bridges, and the hot ashes from the ash box sometimes set fire as they sifted thru cracks onto the bridges. I would like to know the year and more about it. I called the Iowa Threshers Association and was told they weren't interested in that area. From speaking to some in Iowa Transportation it was his understand this was a National Meeting thus the pin with the Iowa designation. The silver pin shines up beautifully and is marked Hoag Co. N. J. on the back but that is quite worn and can't read some lettering. My grandfather in his 80''s attended his 60th yr going with the "threshing ring." I played as a child in three steam engines in our grove. Can anyone help me on information of such a Transportation--Steam engine-threshers meeting.