Starting His Own Business

I am thankful for all the stories that my dad told us of when he was a boy. To this day these are thinks that I cherish the most. They are great memories for us but I'm sure that some of them were struggles that he had in his youth.

My dad's dad died when he was a teenager and he had to learn to grow up faster that he had probably planned.

He had lost a brother and sister before he was born and then in 1937 he lost and older sister (Linnie Waters Turpin) in January and he lost his dad less than a month later.

Having been from a large family and taking on the responsibility of his older sisters children the older boys had to go to work to keep the family going.

My dad knew that if he could buy a truck he could make a decent living and help out his family in the process. He went to truck dealer after truck dealer to try and buy a truck and no one wanted to finance a young man a truck. He went to Stovall Ford and talked with several people there about buying a used truck so he could start to earn some money. He had a plan and it was clear in his mind if only someone would give him a chance. Everyone always said no, we're sorry we can't help you. Mr. Stovall who owned the dealership overheard the conversation with my dad and introduced himself to my dad. He told him that he had overheard the conversation and if he would come into his office he wanted to talk with him.

Mr. Stovall asked my dad what he was going to do to make money to help him pay for the truck. My dad explained that he was going to collect scrap iron and sell it to the scrap yard here in Athens and he had an older sister and brother-in-law with a Peach Orchard and he could save them money by driving peaches for them up the east coast to New York. He told Mr. Stovall that he only wanted to finance it for sixty days and that he would pay it off before then. Mr Stovall shook my dad's hand and said, "Son you have yourself a deal, because I am going to carry the note myself.

My dad did what he said that he would do and more and paid off the used truck in thirty days. For years he would only drive vehicles from Stovall Ford because he gave him his start in business.

Coming Soon... The First trip to New York

Palmer Waters