WEEBERMOBILE Christian F. Weeber, Jr., Inventor, Entrepreneur AND Manufacturer Geoffrey N. Stein New York State Museum Record 6 WEEBERMOBILE Christian F. Weeber, Jr. Inventor, Entrepreneur, and Manufacturer By Geoffrey N. Stein New York State Museum Albany, NY NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM RECORD NO 6 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Regents of The University BETTY A. ROSA, Chancellor, B.A., M.S. in Ed., M.S. in Ed., M.Ed., Ed.D. ................. Bronx T. ANDREW BROWN, Vice Chancellor, B.A., J.D. ........................................................... Rochester JAMES R. TALLON, JR., B.A., M.A. .................................................................................. Binghamton ROGER TILLES, B.A., J.D. ................................................................................................. Great Neck LESTER W. YOUNG, JR., B.S., M.S., Ed.D. ...................................................................... Beechhurst CHRISTINE D. CEA, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. ........................................................................... Staten Island WADE S. NORWOOD, B.A. ............................................................................................... Rochester KATHLEEN M. CASHIN, B.S., M.S., Ed.D. ...................................................................... Brooklyn JAMES E. COTTRELL, B.S., M.D. ....................................................................................... New York JOSEPHINE VICTORIA FINN, B.A., J.D. .............................................................................. Monticello JUDITH CHIN, M.S. in Ed. ............................................................................................... Little Neck BEVERLY L. OUDERKIRK, B.S. in Ed., M.S. in Ed. ........................................................... Morristown CATHERINE COLLINS, R.N., N.P., B.S., M.S. in Ed., Ed.D. ............................................ Buffalo JUDITH JOHNSON, B.A., M.A., C.A.S. ............................................................................. New Hempstead NAN EILEEN MEAD, B.A. ................................................................................................ Manhattan ELIZABETH S. HAKANSON, A.S., M.S., C.A.S. ................................................................ Syracuse LUIS O. REYES, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. ................................................................................... New York Commissioner of Education and President of The University MARYELLEN ELIA Executive Deputy Commissioner ELIZABETH R. BERLIN Director, New York State Museum MARK SCHAMING Director, Research and Collections Division JOHN P. HART The State Education Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, religion, creed, disability, marital status, veteran status, national origin, race, gender, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or sexual orientation in its educational programs, services and activities. Portions of this publication can be made available in a variety of formats, including braille, large print or audio tape, upon request. Inquiries concerning this policy of nondiscrimination should be directed to the Department’s Office for Diversity and Access, Room 530, Education Building, Albany, NY 12234. WEEBERMOBILE Christian F. Weeber, Jr. Inventor, Entrepreneur, and Manufacturer By Geoffrey N. Stein 2016 Dedicated to the memory of Marion Gladys Weeber (Welsh), who made possible documenting her father’s life and work. NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM RECORD NO 6 ©2016 The New York State Education Department Published in the United States of America ISSN 2156-6178 ISBN 978-1-55557-292-1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Marion G. Weeber (Welsh), Christian F. Weeber’s able to the public. In 2013, John Hart, Director daughter, through preservation of artifacts, records of Research and Collections and head of museum and knowledge, made possible this book docu­ publications, reviewed the manuscript and chose menting portions of her father’s life as an inventor to move forward with it. and entrepreneur. In the early 1930s, Marion iden­ Jennifer Lemak, senior historian, became man­ tified Christian Weeber artifacts given to the State ager of the book project. Bridget Enderle, a his­ Museum. She remained dedicated to preserving tory technician at the museum, served as graph­ the Weeber history through a bequest in 2000. As a ics coordinator. John Yost, from the museum, pho­ former curator at the New York State Museum, I re­ tographed the artifacts and scanned historical pho­ main grateful, having learned much from Marion tos. Mary Yamin-Garone served as editor, and Weeber during my contacts with her over a quarter Scott Cardinal provided the layout. Leigh Ann century. Smith, museum graphic artist, designed the cover. I encountered Weeber artifacts early in my career The author is grateful to all who made Christian at the State Museum. In 1970, I contacted Marion Weeber’s biography possible. I apologize for any and her sister, Gretchen, to see if I could learn more names that may have been overlooked during the about Christian and to ask about other artifacts many decades of research, conservations of Wee­ that might have survived. From that point, the ber artifacts, opening of several Weeber exhibits Weeber museum collection grew with additional at the State Museum and preparing the current artifacts and information about Christian. Later in preparation for Weebermobile: Christian F. Weeber, Jr. my years at the Museum, I contemplated a Chris­ – Inventor, Entrepeneur, and Manufacturer. tian Weeber biography. The writing of this book began after Marion’s death in 2000. Geoffrey N. Stein Interns and volunteers at the museum assisted in New York State Museum the research. In 2006, Eric Zenker, a State Univer­ June 2015 sity at New York at Albany student, checked Chris­ tian Weeber’s automotive work in the 1910s; and Emily Wright, a Barnard College student, looked into Weeber’s automobile inventions and enter­ prises. In 2007, Danielle N. Brignola, also a Uni­ versity of Albany student, checked local newspa­ pers to learn more about Weeber’s automobile ac­ tivities. She also assisted in cataloguing an exten­ sive collection of Weeber advertising electrotypes and stereotypes. In 2007 and 2008, Myra Rynder­ man, a State Museum volunteer, continued to look at Albany newspapers and subsequently read an earlier version of this manuscript. When I retired as a curator from the New York State Museum in 2010, this manuscript had not yet been published. Since then, I have been a volun­ teer historian consultant at the museum, where I learned that museum publications were now avail­ able on its website. I asked my colleagues if the Christian Weeber biography might be made avail­ v CHRISTIAN WEEBER, JR. TIMELINE 1872 Christian F. Weeber, Jr., born July 15, 1872, in Albany, New York, to Christian F. Weeber, Sr., a butcher, and Dorothea Ammon Weeber. 1878 Christian Weeber, his parents and siblings move to a farm in Watervliet (now Loudonville in the Town of Colonie). 1880’s Attends Albany High School. 1893 Graduates from Pratt Institute with an engineering degree. 1895 Works at the General Electric Company in Schenectady and resides with his brother, Louis F. Weeber. Christian begins developing an internal combustion engine and an airplane. 1896 Weeber opens a bicycle shop on Central Avenue in Albany. 1898 Weeber begins to fabricate an automobile. 1900’s Weeber begins to invent, fabricate and manufacture automobile components. 1900-1905 C.F. Weeber Manufacturing Works manufactures internal combustion engines for station­ ary applications. 1902 Weeber leases a facility for the C. F. Weeber Manufacturing Works on Sherman Street in Albany. 1902-1910 Weeber muffler manufactured and sold. Weeber steering and braking device manufac­ tured. Separate steering gear. 1903 Surviving Weebermobile fabricated. 1904 Weeber key plug switch advertised. 1904 Weeber marries Pauline Paul on June 29, 1904. Couple rent two-family home on 272 West­ ern Avenue in Albany. 1905 Marion Gladys Weeber born; married surname Welsh; dies in 2000. vi 1906-1907 Weeber gives up plans to manufacture automobiles. Instead he partners with Willard J. Sutherland, Sr., of the Central Automobile Company, to sell Maxwell and Ford automo­ biles. 1906 Weeber moves his Weeber Works facility from Sherman Street to a new building on Central Avenue. 1908-1910’s Weeber Manufacturing Works sells automobiles, parts and repairs. 1906-1911 Weeber advertises shock reliever; Fletcher Battershall invention. 1907-1910 C. F. Weeber Manufacturing Works terminates its connection with the Central Automobile Company, but continues to sell and distribute Ford cars. 1907-1908 Creates valve tool and wheel puller. 1909-1920 Weeber Manufacturing Works sells Ohio, Chase and Allen, Standard, American, and Mais automobiles. 1910-1920 C. F. Weeber Manufacturing Works sells the Haynes automobile line, the longest- lived of Weeber ’s automobile agencies. 1911-1915 C. F. Weeber Manufacturing Works acquires Studebaker line; first sold as E-M-F and Flan­ ders cars. 1909-1910 Builds house on Manning Boulevard in Albany. 1913 Ruth Gretchen Weeber born; dies in 1984. 1916-1920’s Acquires a building adjacent to the C. F. Weeber Manufacturing Works facility for operat­ ing his Albany Storage Battery Company. 1910’s-1920’s Develops new inventions including rails (railroad), traction device for motor vehicle wheels, tire carrier for motor vehicles and chains for motor vehicle tires. 1920 Abandons the sale of cars. Rents the first floor of the manufacturing