Allen County, Indiana Genealogy

July 30, 1898 – The first printed automobile advertisement in Scientific American the very first magazine advertisement for an automobile. Cleveland, Ohio, based Winton Motor Carriage Company asked readers to “Dispense with a horse and save the expense, care and anxiety of keeping it. To run a motor carriage costs about ½ cent a mile.” At This Day in Automotive History automotivehistory.org.

The Passing of the Horse Olds Motor Works advertising in the 1900s. The Best Selling Cars of the 20th Century; Vintage Car Ads at the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum tbautor.org.

1910 - Waverly Electric - The Dawn of Tomorrow - The Passing of Horse Delivery - Indianapolis

Article from May 22, 1910 The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, Indiana) 1910, Waverly electric, Automobile

1910 - Waverly Electric - The Dawn of Tomorrow - The Passing of Horse Delivery - Indianapolis The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, Indiana, Sunday, May 22, 1910, Page 17.

#OnThisDay in 1913, Ford engineers debuted the moving assembly line when they put the Model T motor, transmission and...

Posted by Digital Public Library of America on Monday, October 7, 2024

Monday, October 7, 2024 post by Digital Public Library of America on Facebook:

#OnThisDay in 1913, Ford engineers debuted the moving assembly line when they put the Model T motor, transmission and chassis on moving assembly lines for the first time. This was the first time all major components of the Model T were assembled using this technique.

The assembly line improved rapidly, eventually producing one Model T every 24 seconds and dropping the price per Model T to below $300. The affordable Model T changed the landscape of America and contributed to the move from rural to city life.

‘Ford Motor Company Model T Assembly Line’ 1913

Contributing Institution: Wayne State University Libraries

1914 - The First Automobile - 43rd Installment of A Pictorial History of Fort Wayne

Article from Oct 31, 1914 The Fort Wayne Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1914, First automobile

1914 - The First Automobile - 43rd Installment of A Pictorial History of Fort Wayne The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Saturday, October 31, 1914, Page 11

THE FIRST AUTOMOBILE. H. W. Meyer brought the first automobile to the city of Fort Wayne in 1897. Others who appeared with "horseless carriages," as they were called in the earlier vears of their use, were W. H. W. Peltier, E. B. Kunkle and Dr. G. A. Ross. Same text as newspaper article copied from page 535 in CHAPTER XL VI— 1895-1899. Centennial Celebration of the Building of Wayne 's Fort — The Fifth Courthouse — The First Automobile in the The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River Volume 1 by Griswold, B. J. (Bert Joseph), 1873-1927; Taylor, Samuel R., Mrs, Publication date: 1917 on Archive.org.

1916 - Why is it - when a collision between autos 8-10 mph - there is always a smash-up like this?

Article from Jul 8, 1916 The Fort Wayne News (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1916, Autos, Collision

1916 - Why is it - when a collision between autos 8-10 mph - there is always a smash-up like this? The Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Saturday, July 8, 1916, Page 16

1. The Haynes car, built by Elwood Haynes in Kokomo in 1893-94. It was brought from the Smithsonian Institution for the July Fourth Haynes Historical Celebration and monument dedication on July 4, 1922 in Kokomo. Original Haynes car, 1922 in the Indiana State Library Digital Collection.

2. 1899 - Automobile Arrives - The First One to Appear This City - Arrived at 3 O'Clock - From Toledo

   Article from Aug 18, 1899 Fort Wayne Daily News (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1899, First automobile

   1899 - Automobile Arrives - The First One to Appear This City - Arrived at 3 O'Clock - From ToledoFort Wayne Daily News, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Friday, August 18, 1899, Page 4.

   AUTOMOBILE ARRIVES.

   THE FIRST ONE TO APPEAR IN THIS CITY.

   ARRIVED AT 3 O'CEOCK -STARTED FROM TOLEDO YESTERDAY MORNING.

   The first automobile that has been seen in Fort Wayne arrived in the city at 3 o'clock this morning. The owners sheltered the machine in the Winklemeyer livery barn and registered at the Wayne hotel as Harry S. Pickands and H. Tuttle, Cleveland, O. This morning large crowds of people gathered in the barn see the first horseless carriage that has been on exhibition here. Mr. Pickands was busy cleaning the carriage machinery and all who came had a look at both the interior and exterior of the automobile. This afternoon before leaving the city Messrs. Pickands and Tuttle, took their carriage about the city, making several small purchases, and the machine was seen in motion.

   Mr. Pickands is on the way from Cleveland to Chicago and thence to Milwaukee and other points. He said to a News representative: "We are out purely for our own pleasure and are not trying to advertise ourselves or any one else; we have not attempted to break any records or to make any particularly fast time, but we want to see what the automobile can do under any conditions going across the country.

   "We started from Cleveland day before yesterday early in the morning and came by wagon roads to Toledo, a distance of 147 miles. Yesterday, morning at 9 o'clock we started from Toledo and came by wagon roads through Defiance to Fort Wayne, the distance, we traveled being 108 miles. we arrived here at 3 o'clock and expect to leave by way of Kendallville for Chicago as soon as we are cleaned up and rested a bit. We had good moonlight night and came along easily, but to-night we are going to stop at dark and take a good sleep."

   In response to inquiries about the machine, Mr. Pickands said:

   "We purchased this machine from the Weston Motor Carriage company several months ago for: $1,000. It is run by gasoline and requires about a gallon for each twenty miles travelled. The gasoline purchased along the route at prices ranging from 11c to 15c a gallon. The machine also requires a certain amount water to cool the cylinders. We fill the tank when we replenish the fuel. When the machine is working well it makes very little noise. It weighs 1,600 pounds and will carry two people with all the baggage they may require."

   Mr. Pickands said that the auto creats a sensation in the farm districts and that all horses were afraid of the carriage that runs by itself. He has had strange experiences until last night, when he found the road barricaded and and no lights. A rail from the barricade fell into the carriage so that he could not reach the brake, and about 150 feet fence was destroyed.

   The automobile looks like an ordinary phaeton without shafts except that the tires are abnormally large. They are pneumatic and have but one tube. Those who saw the automobile will be interested to know that Mr. Marion Black is now in the east to secure an automobile. He tried to get one by correspondence, could not rely on immediate shipment, so he is visiting the factories and have one shipped here before he returns.

3. 1899 - The Fort Wayne News - The Automobile Industry

   Article from Aug 29, 1899 The Fort Wayne News (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1899, Automobile industry

   1899 - The Fort Wayne News - The Automobile Industry The Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Tuesday, August 29, 1899, Page 3

4. 1899 - Automobile Girl of '99 - Outclassed the Golf Girl - Skill, Beauty, Bravery Her Composition

   Article from Aug 30, 1899 The Fort Wayne News (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1899, Automobile girl

   1899 - Automobile Girl of '99 - Outclassed the Golf Girl - Skill, Beauty, Bravery Her Composition The Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Wednesday, August 30, 1899, Page 7.

   Drawing caption: IT TAKES TALENT AND PRACTICE TO BECOME A GOOD AUTOMOBILIST, FOR THE LEVERS MUST BE WELL CONTROLLED, AND THE DRIVER MUST UNDERSTAND WHEN TO PUT ON FULL SPEED AND WHEN TO USE THE BRAKES SO AS NOT TO INJURE THE RUNNING GEAR OF HER VEHICLE, WHICH, THOUGH VERY OBLIGING, IS VERY EASILY THROWN OUT OF ORDER.

5. 1902 - The Strange Antipathy of a Country Horse to a Horseless Carriage - Carlie Meyer - Blue Lake

   Article from Sep 2, 1902 The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1902, Horseless carriage, Blue lake, Churubusco, Carlie meyer

   1902 - The Strange Antipathy of a Country Horse to a Horseless Carriage - Carlie Meyer - Blue Lake The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Tuesday, September 2, 1902, Page 1

6. 1904 - The Motor Vehicle's Evolution - Cleveland Dealer - so new gaze as an elephant or balloon

   Article from Jun 19, 1904 The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1904, Horseless carriage, Automobile

   1904 - The Motor Vehicle's Evolution - Cleveland Dealer - so new gaze as an elephant or balloon The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sunday, June 19, 1904, Page 4

7. 1904 - Automobiles Worth $60,000 - Machines in Fort Wayne - Horseless Carriages Grown Popular

   Article from Jun 19, 1904 The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1904, Horseless carriage

   1904 - Automobiles Worth $60,000 - Machines in Fort Wayne - Horseless Carriages Grown PopularThe Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sunday, June 19, 1904, Page 15

8. 1905 - Built Auto Many Years Ago - John Bounty, Schoolmaster, Early Chauffeur - horseless carriage

   Article from Sep 27, 1905 Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1905, Horseless carriage

   1905 - Built Auto Many Years Ago - John Bounty, Schoolmaster, Early Chauffeur - horseless carriage Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Wednesday, Sep 27, 1905, Page 6.

9. October 1, 2023 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:

   On October 1, 1908, the first Model T #automobile rolled out of the factory.

   Between 1908 and 1927, more than 15 million Model T vehicles were produced. The car remains one of the best-selling #automobiles ever built.

   Visit our #CensusHistory page to learn more: https://www.census.gov/.../homepag.../2018/october_2018.html now archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.

   #OTD #OnThisDay #OnThisDayInHistory

10. 1910 - First Aeroplane Here - Marion Black Going to Build a Machine - Had First Automobile

    Article from Jan 5, 1910 The Fort Wayne News (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1910, First aeroplane, First automobile

    1910 - First Aeroplane Here - Marion Black Going to Build a Machine - Had First Automobile The Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Wednesday, January 5, 1910, Page 4.

    FIRST AEROPLANE HERE

    MARION BLACK IS GOING TO BUILD A MACHINE.

    Man Who Had First Automobile in Fort Wayne Now Seeks Another Distinction.

    Marion Black, who had the first automobile in Fort Wayne, is going to have the first aeroplane in this city, he declares. Mr. Black is now in New York city attending the automobile show, and he has written to local friends that upon his return here he will immediately begin the construction of a monoplane airship.

    Mr. Black. who is noted for his daring, intends to exhibit the machine when completed at county fairs over the country, and he is confident of securing a large sum of money. He has already secured the promises of a number of engagements, it is declared. It is not thought that it will take over two months at the most to construct the machine, and after it is finished he will immediately begin his exhibitions. The credit of having the first automobile in the city went to Mr. Black a numbor of years ago, when in connection with Will Peltier he constructed a car. The car attracted a great amount of interest in the city. Mr. Black was also one of the first men in the city to have a lowwheeled bicycle.

11. Charlie Deam the first Indiana State Forester mentioned that thanks to improved roads he was driving an automobile in 1914 to collect many more plant specimens around the state of Indiana.

12. 1914 - Automobile Industry Enjoys Remarkable Growth in Decade

    Article from Jan 25, 1914 The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1914, Automobile

    1914 - Automobile Industry Enjoys Remarkable Growth in Decade The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sunday, January 25, 1914, Page 34

13. 1915 - Wrecked Jitney Snapped at Harrison and Lewis - eighteen passengers

    Article from Nov 7, 1915 The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1915, Fort wayne, Indiana, Jitney, Automobile, Accident

    1915 - Wrecked Jitney Snapped at Harrison and Lewis - eighteen passengers The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sunday, November 7, 1915, Page 1.

    Eight passengers were in this car when it was stuck yesterday by a Ford bearing ten passengers. All of the occupants of both cars were injured but none will die. The drivers of both cars have been arrested on warrants charging violation of the traffic laws.

    [ Auburn touring car c. 1910 from Creager Smith comment to July 19, 2024 Facebook post. See a photo labeled: 1910 Auburn Pictured with One Driver and Twelve Passengers, Male and Female at the Auburn Cord Dusenberg Automobile Museum ]

    1915 - Thirteen Injured as Racing Jitneys Meet at Crossing

    Article from Nov 7, 1915 The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1915, Fort wayne, Indiana, Jitney, Automobile, Accident

    1915 - Thirteen Injured as Racing Jitneys Meet at Crossing The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sunday, November 7, 1915, Page 1.

    Two jitney drivers, L. R. Gebhard, 1514 Third street, and Charles Eby, 2008 Clinton street, are in jail, three of their victims are in hospitals and a half score more persons are laid up in their homes suffering from more or less serious injuries, following an accident at seven o'clock yesterday morning, when two heavily loaded machines, one a Ford, driven by Gebhard, and the other an Auburn, driven by Eby, crashed together at the corner of Lewis and Harrison streets, hurling their occupants to the pavement and injuring most of them. There were ten passengers in the Ford and eight passengers in the Auburn, mostly girls employed at the knitting mills who being taken to work when the accident happened.

    The Injured.

    Sophia Huesner, 2406 Gay street, broken jawborn, cut above right eye; face badly lacerated; at St. Joseph's hospital, condition serious.

    Charlotte Doenges, 1816 Oliver street, collar bone and scalp cut, rib fractured

    1915 - Thirteen Injured in Racing Jitneys (continued)

    Article from Nov 7, 1915 The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1915, Accident, Automobile, Jitney

    1915 - Thirteen Injured in Racing Jitneys (continued)The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sunday, November 7, 1915, Page 23.

    THIRTEEN INJURED IN RACING JITNEYS (Continued from Page One.)

    and left arm injured.. At the Lutheran hospital.

    William Firks, 2100 Weisser Park avenue; fractured leg and badly bruised. At St. Joseph's hospital.

    Mary Huesner, 2406 Gay street, inJured about head.

    Martha Bleich, 1824 Smith street, inJured about eyes and body, back wrenched and suffering from shock.

    Clara Bleich, 1824 Smith street, bruised about arms and legs.

    Gertrude Sherwood, 922 Hugh street, leg and arm wrenched and bruised.

    Alma Toênges, Maumee avenue, hurt about hips, and face.

    Velma Toenges, 1229 Maumee avenue, bruised about body.

    Gertrude Beuchel, 1614 East Lewis street, back hurt and arm cut.

    Gladys Brudi, 2414 Gay street, bruised and cut.

    Fred Bicknese, 2204 Hanna street, badly bruised on right side.

    Edith Doenges, 1816 Oliver street, bruised about head and shoulders.

    Each blaming the other for the immediate cause of the accident but both admitting that they were exceeding the speed limit when approaching the Harrison-Lewis, street crossing, the two drivers who escaped entirely unhurt, were arrested shortly after the accident on affidavits charging them with violating the speed laws and signed by Police Chief Chas. Lenz. They are being under bond of $500 each.

14. 1916 - World's Most Expensive Sport - Carl G. Fisher - Sixth International Classic At Indianapolis

    Article from May 14, 1916 The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1916, Automobile race

    1916 - World's Most Expensive Sport - Carl G. Fisher - Sixth International Classic At Indianapolis The Fort Wayne, Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sunday, May 14, 1916, Page 56

15. 1920 - Meet Me at the Accessory Department of the Fort Wayne Auto Show, March 2 to 6

    Article from Feb 29, 1920 The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1920, Automobile< title="View in new window" target="_blank"/a>

    1920 - Meet Me at the Accessory Department of the Fort Wayne Auto Show, March 2 to 6 The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sunday, February 29, 1920, Page 11A

16. 1921 - Funeral Ride Ends in Death - Mrs. Pauline Meyer - Horses Are Frightened

    Article from Sep 8, 1921 The Fort Wayne Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1921, Horses frightened, Automobile death

    1921 - Funeral Ride Ends in Death - Mrs. Pauline Meyer - Horses Are Frightened The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Thursday, September 8, 1921, Page 16.

    FUNERAL RIDE ENDS IN DEATH

    Mrs. Pauline Meyer Fractures Skull in Jumping From Buggy.

    HORSES ARE FRIGHTENED

    Returning from the funeral of Mrs. Louise Thiele at 5 o'clock Wednesday evening, Mrs. Pauline B. Meyer, aged 57, of Washington township, jumped from her buggy when the team of horses became frightened at a passing automobile, and fractured her skull. She died this morning at 8:20 o'clock at her home on the Leesburg road, rural route 4, four and one-half-miles from this city.

    Mrs. Meyer was within a mile of her home when the accident occurred. Henry Meyer, her husband, was driving the team. According to Mr. Meyer, his wife became alarmed when the horses shied after an automobile had passed. She slipped in jumping and landed on her head.

    Mrs. Meyer was taken to her home, and Dr. H. V. Blosser, of this city, was called to attend her.

    Surviving are the husband, one son, Otto, at home; four brothers, Fred, William and Christ Kammeyer, all of Washington township; William, of this city, and one sister, Mrs. Louise Pohlmeyer, of this city.

    Mrs. Meyer was a member of the St. Paul's Lutheran church of this city, and of the Washington township Mothers' club.

    [ See Horses page ]

17. July 15, 1921 the Indiana State Police began.
18. August 21, 1921 newspaper discussion of early gasoline stations.

19. 1922 - Local Men to Go to Kokomo - Auto Association Members Anniversary Birth of Automobile

    Article from Jul 2, 1922 The Fort Wayne Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1922, Automobile

    1922 - Local Men to Go to Kokomo - Auto Association Members Anniversary Birth of Automobile The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sunday, July 2, 1922, Page 13.

    LOCAL MEN TO GO TO KOKOMO

    Auto Association Members to| Attend Anniversary of Birth of Automobile.

    NOTABLES TO ATTEND

    A number of Fort Wayne members of the Hoosier State Automobile Association will go to Kokomo on July Fourth, to attend the anniversary of the birth of the automobile, according to Ralph F. Markey, manager of the local office of the association. Municipal, state and national officers, together with men prominent in the growth and development of the automobile industry, will be on hand when Elwood Haynes, inventor of automobile the will drive the original and historic Haynes car along Pumpkinvine trail, where he drove the world's first automobile on its momentous maiden journey 25 years ago.

    A list of local men to go to Kokomo to participate in the auspicious event is to be announced the frat of the week. Mr. Markey says Kokomo 1s only little over 80 miles from Fort Wayne, with excellent roads practically all of the way, and that he believes many local people would be interested in spending the holiday by attending the big celebration.

    The same car invented, designed and built by Elwood Haynes a quarter of a century ago, has been taken from its pedestal of honor at the Smithsonian Institute, national museum, back to its native haunts in Indiana, where its venerable inventor will again drive it down the humble highway, made famous by having borne the first automobile ever made. Immediately after the celebration, in the course of which a marker will be placed on a huge boulder along Pumpkinville trail, the famous old car will be taken back to the national museum to take its place among the nation's historic treasures.

    The best route to Kokomo is through Huntington and Marion, and Mr. Markey will one pleased to give full information which roads to follow to anyone desiring to make the trip.

20. 1923 - Motor Industry Leads - Dates from 1910 - Better Highways Result

    Article from Jun 1, 1923 The Fort Wayne Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1923, Automobile

    1923 - Motor Industry Leads - Dates from 1910 - Better Highways Result The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Friday, June 1, 1923, Page 27

21. Get A Horse! America’s Skepticism Toward the First Automobiles The inventor who claimed the first U.S. car ever sold recalls the birth of the industry and the general public skepticism about automobiles. This article from the February 8, 1930, issue of the Saturday Evening Post was featured in the Post’s Special Collector’s Edition: Automobiles in America! The Saturday Evening Post.
22. Hazardous traffic: The early years shows many photos of pedestrians manuevering around cars, horses, and streetcars April 26, 2015 Michigan History by The Detroit News.
23. Transportation in Virginia for various Time Periods, 1825 to 1860, 1861 to 1876, 1877 to 1924, 1925 to Today Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

N_53_15_7070 by State Archives of North Carolina uploaded on March 23, 2017 on flickr.com Auto Stuck in Johnston County Mud 1909 Photo by Albert Barden. From the Albert Barden Collection, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.

Charging an electric AMC Gremlin at a curbside charging station. 1hr for 25¢. Seattle, 1973.

Posted by Historic Photographs on Friday, July 1, 2022

Friday, July 1, 2022 post by Historic Photographs on Facebook:

Charging an electric AMC Gremlin at a curbside charging station. 1hr for 25¢. Seattle, 1973.

Gremlin Electric died with its namesake car January 26, 2016 Bridget Knight Times Record News archive.

Terrible Cars That Weren’t Terrible: The AMC Gremlin Dorky? Yes. Cheap? Definitely. Terrible? Not the Gremlin! June 01, 2020 MotorTrend.com.

Indianapolis-based Pope-Waverley produced electric cars in the early 1900s. Their confident advertising treated "...

Posted by Indiana State Library on Friday, June 3, 2022

Friday, June 3, 2022 post by Indiana State Library on Facebook:

Indianapolis-based Pope-Waverley produced electric cars in the early 1900s. Their confident advertising treated "electrics" as a sure winner, but by 1914, the company ceased production in the face of gasoline's market dominance. You can see their full 1907 product line, including personal vehicles and commercial trucks, here: Pope Waverley electrics, 1907 [ 34 pages ]

🚗 Hop in. We're celebrating sustainability today with US National Archives & Smithsonian Folklife . 🔌Think electric...

Posted by Smithsonian Libraries and Archives on Friday, June 3, 2022

Friday, June 3, 2022 post by the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives on Facebook:

Hop in. We're celebrating sustainability today with US National Archives & Smithsonian Folklife .

Think electric vehicles are a novel concept? Our digitized copies of "Electric Vehicles" (1913-1917) show how they were marketed 100 yrs ago!

More: Electric vehicles

Car stuck in muddy road. Before good roads, people living in the country mostly walked or used a horse and buggy. Cars did not always start and many roads were too bad for cars anyway. 1920.

Posted by When America was Young on Monday, June 2, 2014

Monday, June 2, 2014 post by When America was Young on Facebook:

Car stuck in muddy road. Before good roads, people living in the country mostly walked or used a horse and buggy. Cars did not always start and many roads were too bad for cars anyway. 1920.

[ same photo as Car in Muddy Road Rut, ca. 1920 on IowaPBS ]

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