Looking Back in Emlenton

By Bruce Donaldson

As 2026 is past the midway point, I look back to my 50 years working on autos and lawn tractors. Donaldson’s will be the last repair shop in the Borough of Emlenton when I move south. The Donaldson repair business started back in 1929 when J. A. Donaldson started selling sprayer units and potato equipment. Planting more crops J.A. Donaldson, was in need of better equipment, so in 1934 the Allis Chalmers farm equipment was added renamed the store, J.A. Donaldson Farm Supply, near Nickleville.

Later a store was opened in Knox and later Titusville. The Knox store was closed at beginning of the War and the Titusville closed in 1951. Robert Donaldson managed the farm and in 1947, he purchased a lot on River Ave in Emlenton, to build a new store for selling farm equipment. He then added John Deere equipment in 1950.

Farming started slowing down after the war, so Robert signed a contract with Nash, to begin selling automobiles. The others dealership owners had a meal together once a month at Mary Best’s restaurant, now the home of Otto’s. They said that Donaldson’s would not last in the car business. Cars sold in Emlenton included Buick, Pontiac, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Ford, Dodge, Nash, and some Studebakers. Donaldson outlasted all of them. In 1957 the farm equipment was dropped and the name was changed to Donaldson Motors.

In 1954 Nash-Kelvinator merged with the Hudson Motors to become American Motors’ known by the Rambler nameplate. Early 1984 the AMC/Jeep dealership was dropped and became the last auto dealer in the Borough of Emlenton. I remember as a kid that in the fall the new car dealers would set a date for showing of the new models for year. We always kept two cars at our house hid until that day. The town was always busy that day. As my family grew up we spent many hours cleaning off the new cars, showroom ûoor and counting thousands of nuts and bolts over Christmas vacation. 1 am packing the old new OEM parts stock to move and will take my AMC’s to move south. I sell own a truck and car from our dealership sold new. My dad still had the business books from 1938 stores and invoices of all the new and used cars plus GMC trucks and THC Cub Cadet tractors sold up till 1984. Bruce took over the business in 2010, which will end with selling of the building and the last Donaldson living in Emlenton area since the farm was purchased in 1822. The farm was sold in 1951 and also the farm at Barrs Corners was sold. Maybe someday you can visit my toy and history display in North Carolina.