Antique Well Pumps

Types of Pumps

Early designs of well water pumps included:

• Simple hand pump
• Double cylinder pump
• Windmill pump
• Force pump

The Simple Hand Pump

The earliest of the antique pump designs was the simple hand pump. This type of pump had a lever and could only be hand pumped. Each lever stroke produced a flowing gush of water through the cylinder of the pump and out the pump’s spout.

Double Cylinder Pump

The double cylinder pump was a more efficient method of pumping the water from the well. The two cylinders of the pump extended into the well water and when the lever was pumped the water was brought through the cylinder to the spout. While one cylinder was emptying out its water the other cylinder was refilling. The double cylinders brought twice as much water to the surface with each pump of the lever, making less work.

Windmill Pump

By using the power of the breeze that blew constantly across the open farmlands, the windmill pump replaced the action of the pump lever. Windmill pumps made life easier for the farmers that had them because the strenuous task of pumping well water was eliminated.

Force Pump

Farmers used a force pump when they had to bring water to a distant area of their farm. The water stream was elevated and pressure was created in the pump cylinder. Special parts called a packing gland and a sucker rod were built into the cylinder to create the necessary pressure to expel the water where it was needed.

Well Pump Manufacturers

Manufacturers of early well pumps were usually small, regional companies. It was common for each area to have several pump manufacturers that produced many styles and types of pumps. For example, the Myers Company made pumps in hundreds of combinations of parts. Due to the vast number of well pump combinations, the small local companies were able to stop the large companies from selling well pumps as they came into the regional areas. Instead the larger companies, such as International Harvester Company and Deere & Company, manufactured and sold pump accessories such as well water pumping engines and pump jacks.

Several of the early companies included:

• Aermoter Company
• Enterprise Wind Mill Company
• Fairbanks, Morse and Company
• Red Jacket Manufacturing Company
• Dempster Manufacturing Company
• A.Y. McDonald Company
• F. E. Meyers Company

Unusual Pumps

Many people of the time believed that drinking from cast iron was not healthy. This belief lead to different degrees of quality and unusual styles and designs of some antique water pumps. There were cylinders that were ornately designed and lined with brass and porcelain. Leather cups were used to prevent any leakage and to seal the cylinders to prevent the water from touching the cast iron.

Reproduction Pumps

Today’s market is flooded with reproductions of antique hand well water pumps. They are readily found at online auction sites, flea markets and home and garden stores. Many of the reproduction pumps are made of cast iron or pot metal and are fully functional and able to pump water from shallow wells.

Collectors and Antique Well Pumps

There are collectors today that search antique shops and farm shows hoping to find authentic antique pumps to use as decorative accents in their gardens. Often these beautiful iron relics are found standing proudly amongst flowers and shrubs, retired from their years of hard work.

Others are mounted in fountains as water flows from their spouts through the use of modern electrical pumps. Many are restored to their original natural beauty, others are painted colors to match the decor of their surroundings, and some remain as they were found, rusted from years in the elements. Regardless of how they look, each one brings visions of days gone by as we think of the important role antique well pumps had many years ago.