Taylor-Forbes Equipment Company

Taylor-Forbes Equipment Company was created in 1944 when James H. Forbes became a partner with Mrs. Roxie Taylor in a new business venture in Farmville, Virginia. The new business began with a contract from International Harvester Company to sell their agricultural equipment line in the Farmville area. Prior to this time, International Harvester had been represented by Taylor Company in nearby Prospect, Virginia, since the late 1800's. The original Taylor Company actually held a contract from McCormick Deering Reaper Company to sell that equipment. Mr. Forbes was a dealer for Dodge automobiles and trucks in Farmville. With the business union of the Taylor and Forbes names, a new era began. Soon after the creation of Taylor-Forbes, Mrs. Taylor decided to sell her share of the company, thus ending the long relationship of the Taylor family with the McCormick and International Harvester lines of equipment. Mr. Forbes' new business partner was C.J. Cox, the local Chrysler-Plymouth dealer, long time friend and previous employer. These two men decided to continue to use the Taylor name because of the long association of that name with farm equipment in the area. During this World War II era, James Forbes and C.J. Cox were each busy in their own business operations trying to obtain and sell automobiles in Farmville. As a result, a manager was hired to operate Taylor-Forbes Equipment Company. Of course the challenges were similar for the farm equipment business and the automotive business as most production capacity was dedicated to the War effort. Tractors, equipment, automobiles and trucks were difficult to obtain for any purpose.