The Rural Voice, 1996-07, Page 32Family tradition
Over 60 years in business the McGavin family company has
mirrored the evolution of the farm machinery business.
By Keith Rouiston
u can trace the
evolution of
farming and the
farm machinery
busincss in the 60
years the McGavin family
of Walton have been
selling farm equipment.
The family will
celebrate 60 years- in
business July 19 when
they also officially open a
new service centre. That
new 11,000 -square foot
facility, is the latest
evidence of the growth of
of the busincss that now
employs Neil and Marie
McGavin and their sons
Brian and Jeff.
The family tradition
began in a small way back
in 1936 south of Walton
on the McKillop
Township farm of J. J.
McGavin, well-known
farmer and drover, where
his son Gordon McGavin
renovated a small shed
and began selling farm
machinery.
Young Gordon had
made a name for himself
at the 1926 International
Plowing Match winning
the Fordson Cup and a
number of other prizes in
various events. He later
won Canadian
championship. He
remained active in
competitive plowing all
his life, serving as a long-
time director on the
Ontario Plowmen's
Association (OPA) and
president for four years.
Involvement in
plowing and the OPA is a
28 THE RURAL VOICE
Gordon McGavin, founder of McGavin's Farm Equipment,
won the International Plowing Match title in 1926 using a
Fordson tractor and Oliver Plow.
family tradition. Neil is a
director of the OPA and
helped bring the 1999
match to Huron. Brian
won the reserve senior
plowman award at the
1988 International
Plowing Match at
Stratford. Jeff won the
Ontario Junior Plowing
Championship, and a
$2,500 scholarship from
the OPA, at the IPM at
Meaford in 1987, and was
reserve Junior Champion
of Canada at the
Canadian Plowing
Championships in British
Columbia in 1988. Sister
Heather was 1989 Huron
County Queen of the
Furrow. Neil and Marie
will host the Huron
County Plowing Match
this September on their
farm where Neil's father
started the business.
Gordon's first "shop"
included room on the
ground floor for repairs
and parts bins upstairs, as
well as a small office. The
farm became a centre of
activity for the
neighbourhood as farmers
came to look at equipment
for sale, have their
machinery repaired, or
just chat about local
affairs. Adding the
ultimate in customer
service, Florence
McGavin, Gordon's wife,
always had extra food on
hand for those who
lingered at mealtime.
Gordon gave many young
people a chance to work in
his shop.
Among Gordon's first
lines, naturally enough,
were Oliver plows which
he helped publicize with
his plowing match wins.
He also sold cultivators,
manure spreaders and
Cockshutt tractors. In
1937 a new tractor and
plow from McGavin's
sold for $850. Today the
tractor and plow could
cost from $25,000 for a
smaller combination, up to
$100,000 for a 190 hp.
tractor and six furrow
plow.
Gordon was an
innovator, inheriting the
tradition of his father J. J.
McGavin who was one of
the first to own an
automobile, had the first
tractor in the
neighbourhood and had
the first bathroom and
indoor toilet among
neighbours.
There were several
spring creeks on his