R.R. Walker and Son observes
; 45th anniversary in Edinboro
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Phil Walker can remember
45 years ago when his father,
R.R, Walker, first began
selling John Deere tractors to
Edinboro farmers. He was 12
years oldand recalls that
most of the area farmers
used horses to plow their
fields at that time.
“Farmers had the general
attitude that tractors would
never replace horses,”
Walker said. “They were so
skeptical and suspicious that
my father finally taught me
to drive the tractor. Then
when he went to demonstrate
how a tractor could plow or
drag, he’d tell them that if a
12 year old could run one,
they certainly could, too. And
before you knew it, farmers
were trading in their horses
and team equipment for a
John Deere.”
On Friday, February 8,
R.P. Walker and Son will
observe the 45th anniversary
of serving area customers in
their agricultural implement
business. The business
originally began in 1935 as a
partnership between brothers
Russell and “Jinx” Walker
and Roy Eastman. Three
years later the partnership
dissolved and the next year
R.P. Walker sold his farm
and moved his John Deere
agency to downtown Edin­
boro.
“In 1939 we moved
downtown and used to do
repair work in the barn where
the laundromat now stands,”
Walker recalled. “Then in
1956 dad sold the building and

built the present building
here on Route 99. Later on we
added on a new shop to the
back of the building.”
Walker has to smile when
he thinks of comparing the
early model tractors to those
sold today,
“In 1935 the biggest tractor
we sold had 42 horsepower
and cost a farmer
Walker remembered. “'Today
they have tractors that get up
to 250 horsepower and sell for
about $10,000. Originally they
all came equipped with steel
wheels. Then in 1938 the first
rubber-tire tractor was put on
the market.”
Although the tractors of
today can pack more than six
times the horsepower of their
proto-types. Walker revesded
that the 130 horsepower
tractor is the biggest seller in
the Edinboro area.
“Most modern farmers
have never handled horses.
They don’t know what it’s like
to drive a team,” Walker
said. “Used to be that a
farmer would be able to plow
three acres a day with his
team and he’d consider that
doing good. Now a farmer
can plow two acres an hour
with a tractor— and the
bigger outfits can go even
faster. A farmer today can do
more with his tractor in one
hour than his father could do
with a team of horses in 12
hours.”
After he learned to run a
tractor himself at 12, Walker
begah selling the machines
four years later. Now he sells

snowmobiles, snow-blowers, Wendel LeSuer, who has been
farm
equipment, service manager of the
replacement parts, as well as business for 22 years; Albert r
a full line of lawn and garden English, service manager of i
equipment.
the lawn and garden
Walker’s father was active department for 18 years; andin the implement business up Virgil Krauter, assistant
to two weeks before his death , service manager for 16 years, ,
last summer at tWragt pf-Mfr :';„LQoking back'.cp\the'^'^5,
Walker remembers tAat his’ years that the business Ijas
father was a member of served the Edinboro cbpi- ,
borough council for 33 munity. Walker believes that
years—president for a long farming has; come a long,
time and also instrumental in long way to now stand as “the
building the water wh^l on most efficient industry in the
French Creek.
world today,”
j
Phil Walker’s sons Dave
“A lot of it is due to the <
and Buster are both active in research and development of
the family business and a machines that can do the
part of the 45-year heritage. work of many, many men,”
Dave, the oldest son, 32, he said, “Go^ management.
managed a branch store in and hard work along vidthVi
Erie for ten years before these machines have enabled
moving back to Edinboro in farming to outstrip any other
1978. He received a B.S. industry in the world.”
degree
in
Business
But with this efficiency
Administration from the comes a sense that farming is
University of- Michigan and becoming more impersonalnow acts as salesman and just as the “warmth’s- from a
manager of the lawn and tractor cannot replace the
garden part of the business. living, breathing warmth of a
Buster, 30, currently runs the family horse.
Walker farm and serves as a
“It used to be that neighbor
salesman of agricultural would help neighbor thrash
equipment.
the grain and fill the silos,”
Walker’s wife, Sue, keeps Walker recalled. “There was
the books for the business and always a feeling of fellowship
also acts as parts manager when everyone gathered
behind the counter. Walker together for the Wg meal
affectionately calls her his after the work was finished— i
“right hand man here,” it was like a neighborhood
saying that she has done festival, a real social affair.
everything on the farm from Now it’s gone from the
milking cows to spreading American scene and people
manure over the years.
my age miss it.”
Other workers in the
It may be gone, but after 45
Walker “family” include years these roots of old
Edinboro are not forgotten.
They will live on in memories
and a heritage that will be
passed from son, to son—and
not even 45 more years can
change that. , ,

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