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where was the closest oliver dealer to your farm?

S

swindave

Member
where was the closest oliver dealer to your farm,
our nearest oliver dealer was in the next county, about 15 miles from the home farm
it was the farm equipment store, jasper in,they sold oliver then white, hesston and new idea at one time
and i think they closed shop,in the 1980s,
there wasnt very many oliver dealers in my part of southwestern indiana
what was yours?
 
Charlie Johnson was about 5 miles away. He closed up about the time of the White buyout. I don't know if dealers had to sign a new contract with the buyout and he just didn't sign or what happened. Parr and Son was 10 miles maybe? Dad never dealt with Bill Horton much, but he was about 10 miles too when he was in the elevator. He moved out about 4 miles farther later on. The best dealer though, and the one that lasted the longest was Hessler Brothers. They were 20 miles or so, but if you needed something today, it was best to just head there and not waste any time anywhere else.
 
It was about 30 miles east to Aledo, Ill. Lafever and Duncan and then changed name to Heck and Anderson. West across the Mississippi about 35 miles was Morrison Imp at Columbus Jct., Ia. 60 miles south to Raritan, Ill was Hopson Sales and Service. Did some business at all 3.
 
The closest dealer was about 7 miles away and closed around 1970. There were a couple further away that transitioned into White but by the time the 1990's came it was down to Coryn in Canandaigua, NY with nobody else around. Coryn started off with Minneapolis Moline but picked up Oliver a couple of years before everything went to White silver, red, and black. It hurt that a fair number of Oliver dealers had little in the way of sidelines in dairy country after Oliver shrunk their product line around 1970.
 
A bunch of dealers regardless of brand were under pressure to build new facilities during the 1960's and a fair number just decided not to renew their contracts. That was one reason among several that our nearest JD dealer closed around 1966. A few Ford dealers kind of hung on into the 1980's as nobody was aching to take their place. The Case IH merger happens with cancelled dealers getting 250,000 dollars for each location knocked out. Next thing you know those former dealers were running to Ford then Ford NH looking into becoming dealers. They had the money for new facilities and stock equipment so the next thing you know is the old time Ford dealers getting pushed out or "retired."
 
The closest Oliver dealer was about about 8 miles away. He stayed in business through the White years, and then Agco, until 2005. A small dealership and building, in later years they did a lot of snowmobile and ATV sales and service to fill in the dead spots. It ended when the owner developed terminal cancer. I heard that he had a buyer for the business, but Agco refused to transfer the franchise, so he had an auction. Currently the nearest Agco dealer is over 50 miles away.
 
My dealer was Baldwin Brothers at Shenadoha, Ia about 25 miles. My first tractor was mist green880 gas with PB , purchased at farm sale near Winfield, Is in 1964 when I started farming.
 
The closest dealer was in Reo IN. But we went to the Farm Equipment Store in Jasper about 40 miles. They would take care of you.
 
Jackson County Farm Bureau COOP in Seymour, Indiana. About 6 miles to the dealer. 7/31/1968 dad bought a 1650 diesel and 4x16 semi-mounted plow. $8414 minus trade in. It was the dealer demo tractor so it ran much stronger than others in the area. Tractor is still here. After both parents died I bought it from the estate, paid with a check.
 
It was about 4 miles to R.E. Peckens in Cohoctah, and about 12 miles to Harold's Service that was south of Fowlerville. Both have been closed for quite awhile.
 
NY986 George Coryn is a good friend of mine, he still gets Oliver parts for us and deals in a lot of good used equipment.
 
small town 50 miles west of Charles city ia, Britt implement, but had a dealer in Algona 18 miles to the west, and one in Bancroft , 20 miles to the nw. dietering bros in Bancroft still in business selling new holland, but Algona now sells campers and the like. I bought a 1650 gas and a 565 plow , one of the first 1650s sold in 1964 as a senior in high school. wore that one out, have owned 3 since, a 1750, 2255, and then a 2-85 white. now have a 15,16,17 and looking some day to find an18 d and a 19
 
Jack, how long was Long's open there on Northland Drive just north of Rockford? There was a dealer in Ionia too for a while, but I
was never there. Dad always said he was hard to get along with whoever it was. Charlie Johnson there in Fenwick sold a heck of a
bunch of 60s, 70s and Fleetlines right around here.
 
A lot more dealers in your area than you think. They were just gone before your time. Dealership number shrunk from streamline and fleet line period up to 55 series and then again when White tractors were introduced and then again in farm crisis of early 80’s. We had a full line of Oliver equipment and knew where every dealer was within a two hundred mile radius as back then, when you needed a part and your dealer didn’t have one, they called around other dealers and found one for you. Load up in the pickup truck and away we went to get the part.
 
Nichols Implement in Pleasant Hill, MO. was about 2 miles from our place. They could also get Farmalls somehow. Dad bought a brand new, (demo), SH there from Paul Purvis in 54. gm
 
(quoted from post at 08:35:35 12/11/20) Jack, how long was Long's open there on Northland Drive just north of Rockford? There was a dealer in Ionia too for a while, but I
was never there. Dad always said he was hard to get along with whoever it was. Charlie Johnson there in Fenwick sold a heck of a
bunch of 60s, 70s and Fleetlines right around here.
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I don't know when he opened, but I think he closed up in the last part of 70s, after Jim, his son was killed.
 
Ours was about 15 miles, Farm tools in Newton, N.J. or Frank Ryman & Sons in Washington N.J. both were good Oliver dealers. I think Frank Ryman & Sons are still as Agco dealer.
 
about 25 miles away in mt pleasant ia kreutner Implement, another was about 15miles morrison implement. olivers were in the area quite abit back in the day. we had alot green thru the years still have the 1850 and a 60
 
(quoted from post at 22:14:05 12/10/20) Rolle Bros. in Riverhead, NY. About 16 miles when we lived in Middle Island, 11 miles when we moved to Mattituck.
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From what Ive gathered, they became a dealer for Oliver in the early sixties. They also handled New Holland hay equipment and Wheel Horse L&G tractors. And I cannot recall ever seeing any Oliver balers or lawn tractors. They made the transition to White. I left the area in 1984 but heard they closed business in the mid-1990s.
 
It was Nolin Equipment in Nevada,MO whom was both the Oliver and Case dealer....It was located 8 miles away...Not long after the 1800's came out he went out of business....I still have Oliver and Case brochures picked up there when I was 10 years old..He sold two new 1800 Oliver gas tractors whom were both still in the same families until just a few years ago..

After that it was Scoots Eastland in Rich Hill,MO which was 27 miles away...He went out in the early 1970's....Ft Scott Truck & Tractor at Fort Scott,KS located 27 miles away sold both IH and Oliver...They quit Oliver in the late 1960's but stayed with IH and Case-IH until about 10 years ago..

Other Oliver dealers in driving distance were at Iola,KS,Girard,KS,and Lockwood,MO..
 
Morrison Implement then Rye Implement in Pickford, Michigan. Owners were both my relatives. My dad bought his first Oliver from them, a 1964 550! My brother still owns it and uses it on the farm.
 
Our back porch was the parts department and the repair shop and machinery yard was across the driveway. The farming operation started about 60 feet from the parts department.............................
 
Here in western PA, The Farmer's Store in New Brighton, PA was about 6 miles away and operated by Elmer Eisenbrown and his wife. We did all of our business with them. They closed in the 70's and the nearest Oliver/White dealers were Witmer's in Columbiana, Ohio and Elder's in Stoneboro, PA. Both were about a 45 minute drive away and are both gone now.
Today it is either the internet, Tim Smith near Canton, Ohio, Rick's Ag service near Wooster, Ohio or Maibach's in Ohio. Maibach is the AGCO dealer. Tim and Rick are parts only. We really miss having a close AGCO dealer. There is a Massey dealer in Mercer, PA that is listed as AGCO but they carry no Oliver or White inventory nor do they have any Oliver/White repair experience.
We miss the old days.
 
Burchfield's in Martinsburg, PA. About five (5) miles from the farm. Oliver/White/Bolens/Colt/Hesston/Bobcat. Closed the original store (auction) several years ago. Moved to a new location in same town and sell Bobcat and Big Boy. Now the closet AGCO dealer is the MF dealer about ten (10) miles away.

When the dealer was Burchfield's they always had a nice spring open house. Gone are the "good ole" days.
 
Emil Ehler and Sons in Holstein Iowa was 7 miles away. As time went by they changed the name to Ehler and Ewoldt. I think they were in business into the nineties. Emil, Larry, and Leon Ehlers and Louie Ewoldt were in the business over the years.
 
From what I was told our home town about 3 miles away Alton Iowa had a dealer, I do not remember that. Obrien County Implement in Sheldon which was about 30 miles is the place we dealt with. Marcus Iowa also had Gross Implement and Ireton Iowa had a dealer.
 
We had 3 about 20 miles away .The largest ,Brooks,at Sun Prairie,would have about 100 ,770 or 880's to rent to canning companies and then to farmers each year and for sale. They were also the main NI Uni Harvestor dealer in the 60-70's.
 
They had New Idea, Gehl, and Hesston as well as White back then. They also parted out quite a few MM and Oliver tractors as well. Helped them survive over the years. Probably the most successful of the White dealers in NY. White also had strong dealers out at the Western part of the state south of Batavia and near Jamestown. There were others as well.
 
The closest Oliver dealer in my lifetime was Beavers Implement in Charleston, IL about 20 miles. There was an MM dealer about 7 mi and in the late 60's and early 70's, he had full-line White and Oliver too.
Others in the area:
Shelbyville, IL., Stewardson, IL., Casey, IL., Atwood, IL., Bement, IL., Urbana, IL. Some were MM, but were White later.
 
And NOW BROOKS in Sun Prairie is only Deere construction equipment.

I grew up in NW Illinois, about 20 miles east of Moline, town of Geneseo, on US Rt 6 and I-80 on south
edge of town. There was an Oliver dealer for a few years in '50's and very early '60's on Rt 6 where it
went over the Geneseo Creek. Was only 9-10 miles from our farm. Maybe that's why Dad had an Oliver sickle
mower. Building is now owned and occupied by Dennis and Bob Reese and manufactures SPRINGFIELD firearms.
Can't really say where the the next closest Oilver dealer was. I think there was an Oliver dealer up
around Prophetstown or Lyndon, Ill.
There was two IH dealers in Geneseo for several years, The original dealer, Gib Pritchard, closed
about 1970. And Empire Equipment that started in the old Minneapolis Moline dealer's building on west
edge of town on US 6, then built new big building on east edge of town on US 6. They closed about 1990.
The Deere dealer, Belanger's was down town, next to the post office, They closed after the new dealership
owners complete their building next to the new IH dealer.
 
Your post jogged my memory. Bill Nelson Equipment in Opheim, Ill right on Rt 150 sold Oliver. Dad bought an Electric Wheel 8 ton running gear and 150 bushel flare box wagon about fall of 1966. Not sure were Dad bought the hoist he used, was a 2 cylinger hoist that straddled the reach, He already had a new Midwest hoist with the Godbersen link but they raised the box way too far off the running gear.It was all decaled OLIVER, gear was green, not red, same model as the EWC, #5026, all the angle iron on the flare box was green, not red, same model # as EWC, #5150. Was a good wagon! We used to get catalogs in the mail from them every couple months.
 
When we lived in PA, Sheets Bros.in Hanover was about ten miles away. They also sold New Holland as well. We also had a Ford, JD
and IH dealers in town. Best of my knowledge the only one left is the JD one, but just one of several stores.
 
(quoted from post at 19:02:41 12/10/20)
About 4 miles away, but only for 2 years and didn't stock much, Midellton Equipment in Sand Lake. Dad mostly went to Hessler Brothers in Belding.
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Looking for anyone that would have a piece of farm machinery that has an old dealer sticker on it. My dad was one of the brothers at Hessler Brothers in Belding MI. Would love to get a pic of that old sticker and have some replicas made. Thanks!
 

My dad was one of the Hessler Brothers. I would love to find an old Hessler Brothers sticker that they applied to the farm machinery when they sold it. Anyone have anything out there???
 
(quoted from post at 13:28:49 08/08/22)
My dad was one of the Hessler Brothers. I would love to find an old Hessler Brothers sticker that they applied to the farm machinery when they sold it. Anyone have anything out there???
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Which one was your Dad then? There was Frank, Ed and I don't recall the third one's name off the top of my head. I haven't seen one of the decals in a while, but there was a thermometer on Clayton Rasmussen's sale a few years back. By the time I saw it, it had been sold. I asked the buyer if he'd sell it to me but he wouldn't. I bid on the 1600 that he bought new at the dealership, but I didn't get it. There was a lawn mower there that he'd bought from them too. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a decal and see if I can get a picture.
 
(quoted from post at 13:34:34 08/08/22)
(quoted from post at 13:28:49 08/08/22)
My dad was one of the Hessler Brothers. I would love to find an old Hessler Brothers sticker that they applied to the farm machinery when they sold it. Anyone have anything out there???
Click to expand...

Which one was your Dad then? There was Frank, Ed and I don't recall the third one's name off the top of my head. I haven't seen one of the decals in a while, but there was a thermometer on Clayton Rasmussen's sale a few years back. By the time I saw it, it had been sold. I asked the buyer if he'd sell it to me but he wouldn't. I bid on the 1600 that he bought new at the dealership, but I didn't get it. There was a lawn mower there that he'd bought from them too. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a decal and see if I can get a picture.
Click to expand...

My dad was Frank. His brothers were Ed and John. I used to ride with dad on service calls and rember Clayton. He was a nice guy. I appreciate it. If you should run across anything id really enjoy finding out about it.
 
(quoted from post at 20:20:06 08/08/22)
(quoted from post at 13:34:34 08/08/22)
(quoted from post at 13:28:49 08/08/22)
My dad was one of the Hessler Brothers. I would love to find an old Hessler Brothers sticker that they applied to the farm machinery when they sold it. Anyone have anything out there???
Click to expand...

Which one was your Dad then? There was Frank, Ed and I don't recall the third one's name off the top of my head. I haven't seen one of the decals in a while, but there was a thermometer on Clayton Rasmussen's sale a few years back. By the time I saw it, it had been sold. I asked the buyer if he'd sell it to me but he wouldn't. I bid on the 1600 that he bought new at the dealership, but I didn't get it. There was a lawn mower there that he'd bought from them too. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a decal and see if I can get a picture.
Click to expand...

My dad was Frank. His brothers were Ed and John. I used to ride with dad on service calls and rember Clayton. He was a nice guy. I appreciate it. If you should run across anything id really enjoy finding out about it.
Click to expand...

John Hessler, yes. I had more dealings with Ed and your dad. Ed was the parts guy and your dad gave me lots of good mechanical advice. John was around, but seemed like he floated between departments. My wife used to be a home care nurse and said she took care of either your mother or one of your aunts for a short time. I bought a new round baler at the dealership, but that was after Steve and Monica bought it. I had bought some used stuff there, but that was the only new piece I bought.
 
Brooks Imp ,Sun Prairie, was our large Oliver dealer ,in the 1,950-1975 period ,having many,many tractors for rent each spring to farmers and canning companies and also got into the New Idea Uni-systems as a major part of business. then quit and sold John Deere Industrial equipment which they still do.
 
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