n 1919 the Pencil Makers Association organized to represent and unify the industry. A great exchange of raw material and technology ensued within the domestic market. During this time, the Colonel had the foresight to bring a German machinist, and his expertise to Tennessee and the transformation continued. In time, the Tennessee red cedar source of logs and rail fences was depleted and was replaced, luckily, with a wood of similar characteristics from California - California Incense Cedar - a fast growing, plentiful, and renewable substitute.

Seeing the entire wood cased pencil production, start to finish, taking place in Shelbyville, Tennessee was a dream Musgrave saw through to fruition.By the time of the Great Depression, the company was not only making its own pencils, but, in a grand display of equal opportunity, J. R. Musgrave nurtured the establishment of other local pencil manufacturers as well as the specialty advertising imprinting industry.