What would $2,000 buy you in 1949? For Russell Mason of Winchester, Tennessee it bought him a bright future. In 1949 Russell working at an Oliver dealership and was living in Atlanta with his wife and two sons. With $2,000 in capital, he signed an Oliver contract and started his own business in a rented concrete block building on the main street in town.

Winchester is located at the plateau of the Cumberland Mountains and when Russell Mason arrived, the countryside was dotted with dairy farms, potatoes, corn and clover. Hay equipment was a necessity to feed the cattle and in 1955 he took on the New Holland equipment line. In the earlier years there was an Oliver branch house in Nashville, TN. However, Oliver closed that branch and Russell had such a good reputation with the Oliver Company that they made him the Oliver distributor covering a 150-mile radius. Equipment was shipped directly from the plants to Winchester, TN and then stored until dealers came to pick it up.

By 1957 Russell Mason had outgrown their small block building so plans were made to build a new building just next door. That same building is still home to the Mason dealership today.

Russell Mason grew to be one of the top dealers in the mid-south. Based out of the Memphis branch, which was 250 miles away, the dealership often won the “top ten” award and top volume sales along with top volume parts.

Fred Zimmerman went to work for Russell Mason in 1959 and has been there ever since. Four years later Fred's brother, Walter, also joined the company and is also still there today. Fred serves as the parts manager while Walter handles a many duties involving sales, service and delivery. He is also the “expert” planter man in the area.

Russell Mason was a very passionate person. He cared very much about helping the farmer and put their needs up front. If that meant staying in the shop until 10PM to get a baler set up because the hay was on the ground, then he did it. If someone had to run after parts after hours, they did it. This way of doing business gained him a great reputation and the farmers knew they could depend on him. His shop was the right arm of the business. Russ was proud of the fact that his shop had a good reputation and drew customers from miles around. With five or six Oliver dealers within 60 miles, a dealer had to be at the top of their game to get the business.

Make sure to check out Oliver Heritage Issue #18 (April/May 2007) to finish reading this story and other exciting stories from the wide world of Oliver!