Dempster 210F pump with Duplex 55 pump jack and Lauson TLC-349 engine

We have just completed restoration of a Dempster model 210F well water pump which has a Duplex model 55 pump jack and added a restored 1946 Lauson TLC-349 engine to power it. 

Dempster model 210F Pump

Dempster pumps were manufactured by the Dempster Mill Mfg Company.

The Dempster company was founded by Charles B. Dempster in 1878 in Beatrice Nebraska.  It was incorporated as the Dempster Mill Manufacturing Company in 1886.  Dempster Mill Manufacturing company produced a variety of water well equipment including windmills, pumps, well drilling machines, flywheel type gasoline engines, water tanks, and agricultural equipment.

The company was purchased by Warren Buffet in 1960, sold to a group of investors in 1963, and sold to a private investor in 1985.  It closed in 2011, with the assets purchased by Ryan Mitchell in 2013 and continues to operate now as Dempsters, LLC.  The company currently offers lines of submersible pumps, windmills & wind energy, water systems, recycling trailers, and fertilizer equipment. 

Duplex Model 55 Pump Jack

The Duplex Manufacturing Company was a Wisconsin company which manufactured and sold farm water supply items which included windmills, steel towers, and water tanks.  The origins of the company name came from a windmill designed and built by the Lake City Tool Company of Madison, Wisconsin which could pump water and grind grain at the same time, and the 1882 patent was designated as a Duplex Windmill.
Duplex was known for their wooden blade vaneless windmills.

Duplex was in operation from 1891-1985
The Duplex model 55 pump jack can be fastened to a hand well pump to convert it to powered operation, with the power supplied by either a gasoline engine or electric motor.

Lauson TLC-349 Engine

The Lauson Manufacturing  Company of New Holstein Wisconsin was founded by John Lauson in 1895 after John’s brother Henry who had been working for a gasoline engine manufacturing company in Chicago joined the company.  John had been in business with his uncle repairing and manufacturing steam tractors, and John bought out his uncle’s interest in the company in 1891.  The first Lauson engine was built in 1895, and was a 4 HP, 4-cycle tank cooled engine weighing 1140 pounds.

Lauson built farm tractors starting in 1915 including a number of models from the 15-30 in 1917-18 to the four cylinder 230-35 & 20-40 and the six cylinder 25-45.  The tractor line ended in the 1930’s as sales slumped due to the depression and farmers defaulted on payments.

The TLC-349 is a 2.3 horsepower, 8.95 cubic inch L-head engine with a 2-1/4” bore and 2-1/4” stroke.  The TLC-349 was manufactured from 1937 until 1951, and from serial number records, we believe this engine was manufactured in 1946.  It was recently restored, and is a very smooth running engine.