By RAY BRUMBY
In August 1898 the present elevator was the property of the Fabor & Twining Company, who also owned three other similar unites. One in Cleveland, one in Oberlin and one in Brighton, beside the elevator in Kipton.
In 1898 this elevator in Kipton was only a hay barn whose dimensions were 30 by 60 feet. In 1899, Faber & Twining employed S. J. Davidson to operate the elevator. However, before another year rolled around the Faber and Twining partnership was dissolved. Faber came into control of the Cleveland elevator, while Twining became owner of the Kipton, Oberlin and Brighton elevators. Later V. L. Twining bestowed the ownership of the elevator in Kipton upon F. A. Twining.
March, 1904, S. J. Davidson was controlling one half interest in the elevator with F. A. Twining through his purchase. This partnership went on until 1906, when S. J Davidson bought out his partner and came into full control of the business.
One half of the hay shed was torn down in 1914, and a new grain elevator was erected. The other half was torn down in 1925 and replaced by an extension of the grain elevator which included a new and efficient milling system. A large cement storage shed was erected adjoining the elevator in 1926, under the direction of C. T. Latteman, and a new office was also built in the same year.
Electricity became a source of power for all purposes in 1931.
Mead Buckley was S. J. Davidson’s first employee, and he worked in the elevator from 1904 to 1908. Then D. J. Clapp was employed, and he remained with the elevator until 1917. Following D. J. Clapp, Roy Twining worked in the elevator until 1925, when Mr. Clapp returned. Mr. Clapp is still employed at the elevator at the present day. Other employees of the Davidson Elevator Company at different times were: F. A. Ingersoll, Forest Hill, Henry Gheringer, J. R. Lewis, Glenn Barber, Howard McCready, and Walter Croff.
The S. J. Davidson Elevator Company has been an agency for International Harvester Company since its beginning in 1898.