Have an ending! Thanks for all the help and suggestions. The following are the suggested problems from here and other people I have talked too:
1. Bad ground or contacts.
2. Bad battery.
3. Bad starter or starter solenoid.
4. Jumper cables not good test, because of inefficient connections.
Choose one or any of the above.
Will all of the above except bad starter, which is not the problem. The starter is OK.
I cleaned the cable connectors on the pos and neg posts and the wires going to the starter and the ground connection to the tractor. I cleaned the fuse contacts as they seemed to be oxidized. I replaced the battery from one I just bought for my motor home rated at 700 cold cranking amps. Checked the safety switches and continuity through them. One of the safety switches seem to be a little touchy, the handle activating it, has to be right on to make it work. (Bypassed the safety switches in initial testing). Did not try or test decompression mode. Turned switch on and it turns over like it should. I turned it on for several seconds with out giving it any fuel, so I could see the cranking power. It was fine, no hesitaion. Once I gave is fuel it starts right up.
Since, I already paid for the other starter which is a reduction starter and weighs about half the weight of the original, I thought, I'd try it out.
It turns the engine just as good as the original but has one big problem. When tightening the nut on the starter positive post where the positive lead from the battery connects too, it stripped the brass threads. Soft brass from China. You can't tighten these like you use to. What threads where left, was not enough to tighten the battery lead and the lead going to the alternator (both on same post), so washer and lock washer provided had to be left off and was able to get enough thread to tighten that way. So the $89 starter looks like a good replacement except for the soft thread brass post. I am starting a 24' x 24' garage and hope to use tractor for work on it. Again, thanks, for all your suggestions. Have a Happy New Year!
Ralph