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2017
Marks 57 years in Business
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Prior To:
While Carroll Sipes (oldest son of Tom H & Sue C Sipes) was in high school he worked on his
dad's farm and on the farm of Gene Burnett. On the days that was too bad to work on the farm, Carroll
worked at Flaherty Hardware on St Martin Road, which was also owned by Gene Burnett. Besides hardware items,
Gene also sold Massey Fergusson equipment. After Carroll graduated High School in 1953, he kept working on his Dad's
farm and for Gene. September of 1954 Carroll joined the Air Force and was stationed in Long Island. When
Carroll came home from the Air Force in the May of 1958 he went to work for a company that installed electric lines along
the highways. Carroll helped install many of the original electric line poles in the area. On Labor Day weekend
Carroll got a toe smashed really bad while installing the poles and had to quit that job. When his toe healed in the fall
of 1958, he went to work for Joe Jones at Jones Repair Service. Jones Repair Service was a single bay building
that was attached to Flaherty Hardware. In 1959, Robbie Hall built the current building
on the corner of 144/1816 and Joe moved Jones Repair Service to this larger and more modern structure. The
building consisted of a show room, parts department and 2 service bays. The new location had plenty of room for
customers to park as well as room for equipment for sale.
Flaherty Tractor Company.
Early in 1960 Carroll bought half of the business from Joe
Jones and the name was changed to Flaherty Tractor Company . Also in 1960 on Feb. 8, Carroll married Margaret L
Fackler (daughter of Fred & Mary Fackler) from Brandenburg, KY. In
the winter of 1961, Marvin Sipes, Carroll and Margarets first child was
born. In
1962, Tom Sipes ,Carroll's dad, bought Joe's share of the business and for
many years Tom and Carroll worked side be side as more than Father and Son. The
winter of 1962 also brought the birth of Kenny Sipes, the second child. Flaherty Tractor Company originally sold Allis Chalmers Equipment, then went on to
sell David Brown tractors and New Holland Equipment. Later they added Bush Hog Equipment, Homelite chain saws, Danuser Post
hole diggers, Holland tobacco setters, Century sprayers and many other short lines of equipment. Thru these years they
employeed Frank "Boggy" Bradley, Ed McCoy, Bernie Lucas, Frank Lucas and Rick Foushee. Marvin, Kenny and
Bradley Sipes, Carroll's & Margaret's sons; and Linda and Mary Sipes, Carroll's &
Margaret's daughters, also have worked here. Carroll bought out his dad in 1976, to become the sole
owner. Marvin took over the operation of the business in 2001. In 2007 we started selling the Bush Hog Zero
Turn Lawn Mowers.
Flaherty Tractor Company, LLC
In 2008 Kenny and Marvin Sipes bought the business from Carroll
and changed the name of the business to Flaherty Tractor Company, LLC. We wanted to become an LLC, but we wanted to keep the
name that so many people would recognize. Its still confusing to new people that we are Flaherty Tractor, but we do
not do anything with tractors. We discontinued the sale of Chain Saws & Grass Trimmers. In the 70's
& 80's, it was nothing to sell 150 chain saws a year. With big box stores selling cheaper and cheaper
units and then sending people to us for service. The profitability went to nothing, because manufacturers paid
cost on warrantied parts & forced a discounted labor rate. We got tired of getting fussed at by customers
that didnt buy from us, but yet the box store employee told them something that was wrong just to make the sell.
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Our Shop
Marvin does 95% of all service work. Marvin has completed many hours
of Certified training with Sperry New Holland, both at New Holland, PA and with several New Holland engineers.
New Holland used our location to test the original Chain & Bar style Round Balers. Marvin has also Certified training
on Chain Saws, Kohler Engines, Bush Hog Equipment, Motorcycles, Hydraulics and Fabrication. Marvin can be seen doing
everything from working on the knotters of a square baler to welding a broken yard ornament, from repairing a PTO shaft to
rebuilding a hydraulic cylinder and from sharpening a chain saw to making a hydraulic hose. Marvin is married to Barbara
Culp and they have two sons, Ryan and Justin "Pooh". Kenny does some small engine repairs, but his main focus is on the Parts and Sales, and
the paperwork side of the business. Both Marvin and myself contribute the business success to our parents.
Who have always worked hard to insure a good life for their family. This way of life had been passed on to them from
their parents, as they have passed it on to us and our siblings.
Charities we contribute to: Flaherty Community Ball Park, Crusade For Children, Leukima Society, Ursuline Sisters, Sipes
Brothers Racing, CKW Racing.
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