A PRESS WITH PROVENANCE
When retired high school teacher Joe Wurth learned of a vintage apple cider press tucked away in a barn in his hometown of Marcus, Iowa, he couldn’t have imagined where the history of the piece would take him. Rich details found in the local newspaper and Marcus historic publications revealed that William “Ed” Rose originally owned this no-name junior press.
Rose was the first homesteader in Marcus Township in Cherokee County and, in 1869, the first homesteader in the township to build a dwelling.
Having served in the Civil War under General George Armstrong Custer, Rose came to Iowa after being discharged from the service.
Joe first learned about the press from retired Marcus postmaster Fred Wilkens, who admired Joe’s display of restored apple presses at The Barns Museum in Marcus. Fred told Joe that he had a vintage press that was well preserved.
“Do you know anything about it?” Joe
