The following was copied from the Washington Co., Indiana Banner Gazette's site (http://www.gbpnews.com) on blueriver.net,one of the owner's of the dairy, Ralph Emerson Mahuron was married to Barbara Faye Motsinger. By the way, an editor with the Banner, Mark Grigsby, is also related. (Motsingers)

-- Nancy Darabpour (Descended from John Riley Motsinger and Barbara Ann Frye)

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Mahuron's dairy trucks on sale at Stevens Museum

Replica's of the old Mahuron Dairy truck are being sold at the Steven's Museum, there are only 100 left, and can be purchased for $30.Here is a brief history of the Mahuron Dairy.

In 1928 John Milburn Mahuron, Bertha Cleon (Akers) Mahuron and Ralph Emerson Mahuron, who was the Salem Mayor from 1969-1975, founded Mahuron's Dairy in a small wooden building at the SW corner of Jackson Street and Martinsburg Road behind John and Bertha's Home.

They rented cows from Ernest Etzler at the Old Hedrick Farm one half mile south on Martinsburg road. The milk was filtered and cooled by flowing over stainless steel tubes that were filled with ice water.

The milk bottles which were glass embossed, were filled by a manual filler that held four bottles. The bottles traveled in a circular motion on a rotating tray while being filled and capped.

The milk was then delivered door to door and store to store. At that time there were about 20 to 25 grocery stores in Salem. The milk was delivered six days a week, twice daily. Sundays milk and daily surpluses were separated and the cream sold to Kraft-Phoenix Cheese Company or John Gassaway on Water Street.

All milk in Salem was sold raw. The dairy did not churn, therefore the buttermilk was cultured. This process created no butter, consequently, their blue ribbon butter came from Turner's Creamery in Paoli. John Purchased Ralph out in 1930.

In 1933 John bought out the Baynes Brother (Carl and Ted), who lived on Arthur Street.

Mahuron's Dairy then moved to their location at the South West Corner of High Street and State Road 60 across from Kraft Phoenix Cheese Factory.

During much of the time, Warren "Strawberry" and brother Jack, sons of John and Bertha, rode on the running boards of the truck and delivered the milk before school started.

In the summer they worked full time. Other employees were, Paul Mahuron, Lawrence Mahuron, who was killed in action during World War II, Ray Akers, Vance Bradley, Gene Lloyd, who was also a WWII casualty, Charles Foster, Forest (Tootie) Ray, Billy Stonecipher, Wallace Wilson, also a WWII casualty, Eugene and Bob Smedley, Copper Davis and many others.

John sold the dairy to Salem Creamery in 1938. John, Warren 14 and Jack 11, went to work for the Salem Creamery. After about two years they went to work for Rolling Green Dairy in Scottsburg and delivered milk to Salem, Pekin and Borden. After Warren went to service in 1942 and Jack enlisted in Army Air Force, John went back to Smith Cabinet as a foremen in the rub room. He died in April of 1946 at 46 years of age, while both of the boys were in the service.

John was very kind and compassionate, during the depression he delivered milk to the less fortunate families with children, knowing he would probably never be paid for the milk.

The URL http://RJHenry.com will always point to the current location of this website..