Back in 1929 (just before the Great Depression) Willard Young was diagnosed with heart problems. He and his wife, Eva, sold their Ashland area farm and, with three children in tow, moved to Wellington. Without a cent in the bank, they set up Wellington Implement.
Tragedy hit early in 1936. On January 30th, Willard Young was struck and killed by a fast moving train.
Left with three children (ranging from a second grader to a high school senior) and a business with which she was unfamiliar, Eva successfully combined the role of housewife, mother, and business woman. With the help and cooperation of the store's employees, International Harvester, and her family, the business grew to one of the most active, if not the largest, in the area.
Robert Young, the oldest son, began helping his mother at the family business when he was still in high school. Following graduation in 1940, he worked full-time. Business was brisk and in 1945, the Young�s purchased land on Herrick Avenue East and constructed their new building. It was ready and open for business by mid-1946.
Following World War II, brother Walter Young came into the family business. In the early 1950's, sister Margery's husband, Robert Stannard, also joined the firm in the refrigeration area.
Wellington Implement's 2nd location 13 years after the fire.
Probably the biggest event over the years for the company was the major fire in late May of 1966. Damage was estimated near $100,000. The cause of this multi-alarm fire was never determined. Eva Young, still very active in the family business, called upon her children and grandchildren to help clean and rebuild. To this day, the exhaustive and fulfilling work done at that time remains a topic of conversation at family reunions.
Owners of Wellington Implement/Wellington Indoor Comfort.
During the summer of 1970, after running Wellington Implement for 24 years, Eva Young died at the age of 76.
Today, Eva's children's children are carrying on the business that was started in 1929. Bill Stannard (who joined the company in 1973) heads up the day-to-day operations. His cousin, Michael Young (he has been with the company since 1977) oversees the operation of Wellington Indoor Comfort. In 1998, after traveling the world and working in New York, Cincinnati, and New Orleans, another grandchild of Eva's, Robert's daughter Patti Young, decided to make Wellington her home and the family business her new career.
January 2001 commemorates the fourth generation of family to join Wellington Implement. Tom Stannard, Bill's son and Eva's great-grandson brings with him experience from his work in Cub Cadet's corporate offices.
Wellington Implement has been located at 140 E. Herrick Avenue since 1946. The business had outgrown that location and in mid-2000, construction of a new facility began just South of Wellington at 625 South Main Street (State Route 58). The new 32,000 square foot facility accommodates both the power equipment and heating & air conditioning businesses. The new Wellington Implement opened for business in February 2001 and continues to satisfy the equipment needs of the area's farmers, homeowners, and businesses.