J. M. Pollard & Sons, Inc

The Pollard Oil Team in 1962. Shown, left to right, are J.M. Brock, B.J. Hall, and the Pollards, Senior and Junior.After working for the Standard Oil company from 1923 to 1939, James M. Pollard, Sr. started out on his own in 1940 with the J.M. Pollard Oil Company.  Making a 5-hour daily trip into Richmond to pick up his oil from what is now Exxonmobil, James delivered his product to his customers in Ashland and the surrounding Hanover County.  When he asked his son, James M. Pollard, Jr., (or Jimmy) to work with him, Jim agreed.  The two set their sights on building a plant here in Ashland, and did so in 1955.  In 1958, they incorporated, and J.M Pollard & Sons was born.  

Today, we are into our third generation of ownership, and the 4th generation is involved in the day to day operations of  the business.  Not only do we still deliver quality heating oil, diesel, kerosene, gasoline, and lubricants to homes, farms, and businesses, we now have a full time Service Department that services all makes and models of heating and cooling equipment.  

Although many things have changed throughout the 75 plus years we have been serving, our basic business philosophy has not. We still do business the old fashioned way, by not only providing quality products and rendering personal, professional service, but by striving to build long term relationships with you: our customers, our employees, our suppliers and our community as a whole.  This relationship building is evidenced by the many customers that have been with us for such a long time.  Some of our customers have been with us for over 40 years, and a few for over 50! For some we have served their children and grandchildren.  Moreover, it is evidenced by the length of time our associates and employees stay and work with the company.  Mrs. Sandra Mills, our secretary, has been with us for 41 years and we have celebrated the retirement of three employees who have been with us for over 30 years each!

51 years later, Mrs. Lucille Midyette has oil delivered by the fourth generation of Pollards

Lucille Midyette has been buying her heating oil from J. M. Pollard & Sons for over 50 years.  When Madison, (James M. Pollard IV) delivered to her on Tuesday, September 15th, 2009, the event made her the first customer to have her oil delivered by the 4 generations of J. M. Pollard & Sons.  The above left photo is the 3 surviving generations, with Mrs. Midyette, and to the above right, is an oil ticket she found buried in a box.  The ticket is a receipt from a delivery in 1958, when James M. Pollard Sr. was president of the company.