Chapter 27

                 ORREN AND THE HORSELESS CARRIAGE

After being raised in Red Moon, ,where the only transportation was a horse,  Orren Anderson upon his arrival to Strong City, OK. was facinated with  Henry Fords introduction of  the Model T Ford, often refered to by the local residents as a “horseless carriage”.

Alida Guernsey in front seat and  sister Luella Guernsey in back far left seat.

I do not know who owned the Model T Fords, but dad found that they were really popular with the Strong City ladies.

Orren and Alida lived in Strong City until around 1924-25, when  Orren learned that there was an opening for a new Chevrolet Agency in Kingfisher, Oklahoma.  After traveling to Kingfisher, he went back to Strong City and told his friend, Jim Sandusky,  who worked in the Strong City bank, about the beautiful farms around Kingfisher. Orren ane Jim were good friends and often played the cotton market futures together.  They decided to be partners in a new Chevrolet Agency (a big jump for two 28 year olds).  They soon picked up a third partner, Curt Guernsey, Alida’s brother.    They named the agency Guernsey Motor Company.

Curt would tell the story of trying to sell a new Chevrolet truck to a German farmer who lived near Kingfisher.  The German farmer said “Vhen  I know I need a new truck,  and just can’t get along vithout it, then I don’t buy it”. Maybe that’s why Curt sold his interest in the agency back to Orren and Jim.  This turned out to be the right move for Curt, as he went back to his engineering background and put together a very successful consulting engineering firm……….and did not have to sell anything to the German farmers!

  During this same period ,there was a young boy living in Kingfisher named Sam Walton, who later started a company named WAL MART.

In the late 1920’s, Jim and Orren decided to open a second Chevrolet Agency in Hennessey, Oklahoma.  Although the 1930’s were years of the dust bowl and the great depression, the two agency’s survived. 

The above picture was their show room and parts room.  Many sale was made around that pot belly stove.  Picture was taken around 1928-29.  Orren is sitting on the left and Jim Sandusky on the right. The start of a long career in the horseless carriage  business for Orren and Jim!