Rudd Ford Agency

1917 - Aug 1 - New Ford Agency

The local agency of the Ford car which has been held by S. C. SHilling as sub-agent under O. J. Warner of Argos for several years has been transferred to the Rudd Co. of Plymouth which has, it is said secured the agency for Marshall, Kosciusko and St. Joseph (outside of South Bend and Mishawaka) counties.

Rudd co. last week purchased C. W. Newman's Main street lot, 66X99, for 4600 and will erect a cement block garage, salesroom and service station which will cover the entire lot.

The Ford people have the name of being arbitrary and exacting to do business with. For some time they have been insisting that Mt. Shilling must erect a building and maintain a repair department as well as keep a full line of supplies. But business here would not justify so large an expenditure.

The company then demanded of Mr. Warner a similar investment under penalty of losing his agency of the three or four townships which heheld if he refused, as he finally did.

But theFord people are very efficient and have worked out a system to which they rigidly adhere. They demand exclusive service of ther agent and every agent must maintain a substantial building, repair shop and supply department. This of course works out for the benefit of Ford car owners, but makes impossible a mere selling agent's office is "under his hat" and his stock the car is which he rides.

Ford is probably getting ready fora great expansion of his business when his tractors and ton truck are put on the market in large numbers - Citizen

1917 - Aug 5 - Clarence Hollett has bee secured a local manager for the Rudd Co., Ford Agents.

1917 - Sep 19 - The Rudd Motor company has plans in hands of contractors for their garages at Walkerton, Argos and Culver

1920 - July 20 - Rudd & McKesson of Plymouth have rented the Osborn Store on Main Stree for a FOrd salesroom and will take possession August 1

1920 - Nov. 3 - An ad lists A. R. McKesson as manager of Rudd Motor Co.