The History of John J. Tokheim (cont'd)
It took me three months to locate a rare Tokheim Model #211, 10-gallon visible gas pump for them and another three months to complete the restoration. After delivering the pump to Cedar Rapids, I was invited back to the nieces' place of business for a little surprise that the family had waiting for me. They were so happy with the restored Tokheim pump that they decided to let me look through J. J. Tokheim's personal effects and his historical records. I was led into a back room of the office, and in the middle of the floor was an immigrant's travel trunk that was at least 100 years old. Upon opening the trunk, I discovered a wealth of paper literature representing J. J. Tokheim's entire life.
I found early factory manuals, from water pump and electric motor companies dating to the 1890s. I found copies of every advertising brochure ever made by J.J. Tokheim between 1901 and 1935. I found letters to the U.S. Patent Office and to family members describing his desire to invent and produce a safe and efficient gasoline pump. I found his personal hand written notes on sizes, colors, metal sources, even old Gillette razor blades dated 1906. I spent hours going through this "treasure chest" that no one, other than the family, had ever seen.
After closing the trunk, and coming back down to earth, I thanked the nieces for the opportunity and started to say goodbye. Before I could extend my hand to them, they told me that their aunt would like me to have some of the literature in the trunk. Very appreciative, I gladly agreed to use this literature in articles or books that I would write in the future. Most of the factory illustrations shown in the previous and current issue of PCM are one of a kind, nearly 100 years old, and never before seen by the public. In addition to the original factory literature, the family also gave me a copy of J. J. Tokheim's personal history, including a biography written by his family and employees in October of 1934 and an autobiography written by J. J. Tokheim himself in November of 1939.
On a subsequent trip to Cedar Rapids the following year, I was invited to tour the original Tokheim manufacturing plant, complete with original tools, patterns, and N.O.S. parts. I can honestly say that this association with the original Tokheim family was one of my best experiences in the gas pump collecting hobby and business. The following is the combined, paraphrased, personal history of J .J. Tokheim as described above.

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