History of the Marathon Motor Works

Although the future seemed bright for Nashville's Marathon Motor Works, what lurked behind the scenes was not quite as rosy.

In 1913 William Collier filed charges of management impropriety, and suppliers were not being paid. The company had seen three presidents in four years. Through bad investments and management decisions, the company was in dire financial shape.

Production in Nashville had ceased by 1914. All the machinery was eventually purchased by Indiana Automakers; The Herf Brothers, who produced the car for another year in Indianapolis, under the name of Herf-Brooks.

It is not known exactly how many Marathons were produced, although only eight samples are known to exist today.

. The Nashville Marathon building remained opened, with a skeleton crew producing parts until 1918. The building sat vacant until 1922, when it was purchased by Werthan Bag Company, and subsequently filled with machinery for cotton bag manufacturing.

The original Southern Engine and Boiler Works Company in Jackson had also endured its share of financial woes. In 1917 the company was sold to an investor from Cleveland Ohio.

In 1918 the mill supply division was sold and became known as Southern Supply Company. In 1922 the remaining parts of the once great company, were purchased by none other than William H. Collier; who operated Southern Engine and Boiler Works until its complete demise in 1926.

Barry Walker; a Jackson native purchased the Nashville Marathon buildings in 1990. He has also acquired the Southern Engine and Boiler Works buildings in Jackson.

Tennessee Stayed out of the Automotive manufacturing business until the arrival of Nissan Motors (Smyrna) in 1981 and later Saturn Corp.(Spring Hill) in 1985. Today Auto manufacturing is the 10th largest industry in Tennessee.