The Hesse Group, a beverage truck body and trailer builder headquartered in St. Jean Sur Richelieu, Quebec, Canada can proudly boast that they are North America’s longest-lived coachbuilder. They are direct descendants of a firm originally founded by William G. Hesse (b. July 5, 1838-d. Dec. 10, 1907), a German blacksmith and wagon builder who established his first shop in Leavenworth, Kansas in 1857. During the next century and a half, Hesse and its successors manufactured horse-drawn vehicles and coachwork first in Leavenworth, Kansas and in later years, Kansas City, Missouri. The firm that survives today was a Canadian partnership, Parco-Hesse that dates to 1983. Now controlled by the Cambli Group, the Hesse facility in St. Jean Sur Richelieu, Quebec, Canada manufactures a complete line of beverage bodies and trailers, whose manufacture commenced in its Kansas City, Missouri plant, approximately one century ago.

In 1903 Otto H. Hesse, Joseph Falk (foreman of the painting department of the William G. Hesse & Son Mfg. Co.), William K. Miller (Kansas City carpenter), and Emil F. Haas (Kansas City blacksmith and wagon maker) formed the Hesse Carriage Co., acquiring the assets and property of the bankrupt Grand Avenue Carriage Co., 1704-06 Grand Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri. It first appeared in the Kansas City Directory in 1904 as follows:

“Hesse Carriage Co., 1704-06 Grand Av. O.H. Hesse, pres.; Jos Falk, v-pres.; W.K. Miller, sec.; E.F. Haas, treas.”

The Grand Avenue Carriage Co. was a recent incorporation, having been announced to the trade in the January 1902 issue of the Hub as follows:

“KANSAS CITY - The Grand Avenue Carriage Co. of Kansas City, capital stock $6,000. Incorporated by J.L. Mayers; S.J. Jarvis and F. Jarvis.”

The firm was organized in 1900, and is listed in the 1901 Kansas City Directory as follows:

“Grand Avenue Carriage Co., The - 1704 Grand Ave., J.I. Mayes, S.J. Jarvis.”

Its 1902-03 Kansas City Directory listing being:

“Grand Avenue Carriage Co., The - 1704 Grand Ave., Frank Jarvis, president & treas.; S.J. Jarvis, sec.”

Although the Hesse Carriage Co., shared officers, directors and stockholders with the William G. Hesse & Son Mfg. Co., the two firms were corporately unrelated.

Otto was awarded 5 US patents during his lifetime, the first being short-turning vehicle gear, which was found on the short tongue ‘Hesse Patent’ short tongue Ludlow spring wagon which could turn around in a six-foot circle.

The patriarch of Leavenworth's Falk family was Joseph Falk (born 1830 - died April 30, 1895, aged 65 in Leavenworth) a shoemaker who emmigrated from his hometown of Baden-Württemberg, Germany in 1860. The 1870 US Census lists the family in Leavenworth as follows:

“Joseph Falk (b. 1830 Baden-Württemberg, Germany); occupation boot maker. Wife Annie (b.1837 in Baden-Württemberg, Germany); children Mary (b.1855 in Baden); Louisa (b.1858 in Baden); Carrie (b.1862 in Kansas); Annie (b.1863 in Kansas); Louis (b.1864 in Kansas); Lena (b.1868 in Kansas) Otto (b.1870 in Kansas), Joseph (b. 1871 in Kansas) and Walter (b. 1878 in Kansas).”

The 1895 Leavenworth directory reveals that his two youngest sons worked for the city's two largest carriages makers, W.G. Hesse and Bayer Bros:

“Joseph Falk, shoemaker; Joseph M., carriage painter w/ Bayer Bros.; Louis, cigar maker w/ A.C. Girard; Otto, cigar maker w/ John Werly; Walter, blacksmith w/ W.G. Hesse & Son Mfg. Co.”

Joseph M. Falk's listing in the 1900 US Census follows:

“Joseph M. Falk (b. Sep 1871 in Kansas) occupation, carriage painter, Bayer Bros., ; Ella (Ford - b. Aug 1875); children: Joseph M. jr. (b. April 1896) Falk.”

The 1900-1903 Leavenworth directories reveal that Joseph was now working alongside his younger brother Walter at the Hesse works:

“Joseph M. Falk, carriage painter w/ W.G. Hesse & Son Mfg. Co.; Louis, cigar maker w/ Arthur Simmons; Otto, clerk w/ Robert Beller; Walter blacksmith w/ W.G. Hesse & Son Mfg. Co.”

By the end of 1903 the business of the recently-organized Hesse Carriage Co. had increased to the point where expansion made sense, and the partners purchased a 105’ x 124’ plot located at the corner of Oak and Seventeenth streets, upon which they erected a four-story, mill constructed, brick building. When the new factory was completed in 1904, their old 1704-1706 Grand Ave. building became the home of the Mellinger Tire & Rubber Co.

The 1910 US Census reveals another addition to the Falk family:

“Joseph M. Falk (b. Sep 1871 in Kansas) occupation, carriage manufacturer; Ella (Ford - b. Aug 1875); children: Joseph M. jr. (b. April 1896) Charles T. (b. Aug 1909) Falk.”

Like many early automobile body builders the firm had an entire floor (the 4th) devoted to the storage of winter bodies and summer bodies although the introduction of the all-weather top in the mid-teens soon made the practice obsolete. Hesse Carriage also offered custom-built tops and seat-covers but like most metropolitan vehicle builders, constructing commercial vehicle bodies eventually became the firm's main line of work, although an occasional custom body was produced for one of Kansas City's numerous millionaires.

Although it never became a major part of their business, Hesse Carriage Co. built a small number of buses during the teens and twenties as evidenced by a February, 18th 1915 article in the Kansas City Star:

“Eleven Busses are Building

“One of the New Passenger Vehicles Will Seat Twenty Persons.

“Eleven new busses are now in the course of construction at two of the shops prepared to build homemade bodies. The Hesse Carriage Works, Seventeenth and Oak streets, is at work on eight of the new carriers and the Holcker-Elberg Manufacturing Company, Sixteenth and McGee streets, is building three. One of them is to have a seating capacity of twenty passengers. The roof is high enough for passengers to stand and they will hang on straps in the rush hours.

“The bus bodies are to be on new chassis of different types, according to the preference of the several owners for the respective kinds of engine and chassis construction.

“‘We expect a new kind of transportation to be evolved from the jitneys,’ Mr. Holcker said.”

Further details of the firm's motor coach work was included in the following article published in the March 4th, 1915 issue of the Kansas City Star:

“ENTER THE BUS DE LUXE, COUNTRY CLUB AND ROCKHILL TO BE LINKED BY A NEW LINE.

“Now comes a bus de luxe with a 10-cent fare and á route through the Rockhill and Country Club districts to Fifty-ninth and Main streets. Each bus is to carry twenty passengers on pneumatic tires and is to be drawn by a 60-horsepowcr 6-cylinder engine on an Oakland chassis. The equipment is to be new in its entirety.

“Three young men are to launch an enterprise calling for an investment of $10,000 in four such ornate busses. The first of the four is now undergoing the eighth coat of paint in the shop of the Hesse Carriage Company at Seventeenth and Oak streets. If all goes well it will roll into the streets Saturday morning.

“The other three busses will follow as soon as they can be constructed, which probably will be April 1.

“E. G. Bieg, In the light fixture business; J. A. Daniels, with the Bell Telephone Company, and S. P. Daniels, a director and teller at the Traders’ National Bank, are the investors.

“Here are some of the features of the bus de luxe:

Deep leather cushions which, in the summer time, will have clean white seat covers to protect women’s dresses.
A liveried driver with a clean white collar every morning.
A rubber rug on the floor which will be washed and cleaned every day.
Electric lights.
Every night the bus will undergo a thorough cleaning Inside and out and will appear on the street every morning bright and shiny.
Rubbers and shock absorbers to re-enforce the springs in producing easy riding.
Electric heaters for winter and curtains to be taken off in warm weather so it will be an open car.
The top high enough for women to enter without crushing their hats.
Pay you enter at the side near the driver.
Pneumatic tires.
Rapid transit, express service and courtesy to the passenger.”

Although some very early Ford trucks were sold with commercial bodies, Ford discontinued the program in 1913. For the next ten years Ford literally gave away their truck body business to independent builders such as Hesse who offered a complete line for Ford's Model T and TT chassis.

In 1915 the firm constructed a satellite facility located down the street at 1730-1732 Oak Street, in order to handle their increasing commercial body business, theApril 12, 1915 issue of The Automobile reporting:

“Hesse Co. Adds — The Hesse Carriage Co., Kansas City, Mo., in the past few months becoming large manufacturers of automobile bodies, is erecting a two-story building on 50 by 133 adjoining their present quarters, the steel being designed to carry five stories. The addition will cost $25,000.”

At the start of 1919, founding member William K. Miller sold his share in the firm  to Joseph M. Falk, the January 26, 1919 eidition of the Kansas City Star announced his new business venture:

“W. K. Miller Establishes New Firm:

“W. K. Miller, connected with the Hesse Carriage Company the last sixteen years, has sold his interest in that firm and established the W. K. Miller Autotop and Painting Company at 317-319 Southwest Boulevard.”

The production of aftermarket Model T bodies fell off dramatically in the years following the debut of a new 'fully equipped' Ford Motor Co. Truck sales program which commenced with the 1924 model year. Although Hesse Carriage offered a complete line of commercial bodies, a niche market developed for their beer and soft drink bodies and trailers which by the mid-thirties had become their most-popular line, with sales extending to all parts of the midwest.

The Depression marked a downturn in business and the firm survived through its service department which offered not only painting and body repair, but complete mechanical overhauls. They also consolidated their operations into their 1700 Oak Street facility, a classified ad in the April 15, 1930 issue of the Kansas City Star offereing to let their 1730 Oak St factory:

“For Lease — Building 1730 Oak with electric freight elevator, sprinkler and daylight on 3 sides; deal direct with owner. Harrison 3718, Hesse Carriage Co., 311 East 17th.”

With no direct heirs to take over his Leavenworth-based business operations, Otto H. Hesse formally retired in 1930, at which time he sold all of his Leavenworth, Kansas properties. However he did retain a financial interest in the Hesse Carriage Co., which was corporately unrelated. The Hesse’s celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on October 10, 1937, and Otto passed away in 1942 at the age of 77. Upon his passing, control of the firm passed to the Falk family. (When Joseph M. Falk passed away in 1957, Joe M. Falk Jr. and Charles T. Falk became sole owners of the Hesse Corp. / Hesse Carriage Co.)

Classified ads in various issues of the Kansas City Star during 1939 indicate the firm was doing a big beverage body business at the time:

“Nine double-deck soda water bodies. These are used bodies but in excellent repair. Can be bought cheap. Hesse Carriage Company, Seventeenth and Oak street, Kansas City, Mo.

“Ten double deck beverage bodies, perfect condition: fit 1- to 3-ton chassis: at your price; need room. Hesse Carriage Co., Seventeenth and Oak street, Kansas City, Mo.”

The July 28, 1939 issue of the Kansas City Star reveals that Hesse Carriage Co. had recently relocated across the street to 312-314 East Seventeenth street:

“Benard Company Leases 4-Story Buildings at 17th and Oak.

“The Benard Linoleum and Rug company of St. Louis today leased, in an expansion, the 4-story and basement building at the Southwest corner of Seventeenth and Oak streets, for many years housing the Hesse Carriage company, and at the same time sold its 5-story and basement building at 704-06 Broadway.

“In the new quarters, the company will have 10,000 square feet of space, which will be remodeled with a display room in a onetime blacksmith shop. The Broadway Structure being sold contains about 30,000 square feet and the company occupies 12,000 square feet at Seventeenth and Walnut streets. Brooks Ball, with Mosely & Co., arranged the transaction.

“The Broadway building, acquired when the St. Louis firm bought the Negbaur & Sons business, is being sold to the Oak Realty company, owner of the Oak street property. The purchased price is being deducted from the rental during the early years of the 10-year lease. Otto Hesse of Leavenworth, Joe Falk and Joseph M. Falk are owners of the realty company.

“The Hesse Carriage company, now operated by the Falk family, recently moved across the street to the building at 312-314 East Seventeenth street, acquired from the Eylar family.”

With no direct heirs to take over his business operations, Otto H. Hesse formally retired in 1930, at which time he sold all of his business properties in Leavenworth, although he retained his financial interest in the Hesse Carriage Co., in Kansas City, which was corporately unrelated. The Hesse’s celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on October 10, 1937, and Otto passed away in 1942 at the age of 77. Upon his passing, control of the firm passed to the Falk family. When Joseph M. Falk passed away in 1957, Joe Falk Jr. became sole owner of the Hesse Carriage Co.

When the United States started ramping up for the Second World War, Hesse Carriage was awarded a contract to supply the US Armed Forces with fire truck bodies to be used at U.S. Army and Navy air stations. The firm required more space for the government contracts, leasing additional manufactuing space at  1720 Cherry Street, Kansas City.

After the War the Falks incorporated as the Hesse Corporation, a holding company, of which the Hesse Carriage Co. became a subsidiary. They commenced plans for the construction of a massive factory to be located on a 10-acre plot located 5 miles northeast of downtown  Kansas City.

In 1948 they won another governemnt contract to supply fire apparatus beds for the US Air Force Class 530B Fire Engine, which was constructed using Reo-type M44 chassis and gasoline engines.

The 93 bodies constructed by Hesse were unsual due to the fact that the pumps and controls were housed in heated insulated cabinets that allowed the engine to be used at temperatures from 65 degrees below zero to 125 degrees above.

The bodies were amonst the first to be constructed in the firm's new 6700 St. Johns Ave. factory.

The 1954 Chevrolet Silver Book includes an ad for Hesse stand-up-drive route delivery bodies as well as the firm's popular beverage bodies which included the firm's 'disappearing panel doors'.

In the early 1960s the firm manufactured portable air compressors marketed as the 'Hesse Hornet' utilizing Kaiser Model CJ-3A 4-cylinder industrial engines with a modified head. The No. 1 & 4 fired cylinders were normal, while the No. 2 & 3 cylinders were used to compress the air. It included a heavier fly wheel to make up for having to fire on just two cylinders. General Motors elected to display an all-aluminum Hesse beferage body at its 1964-65 World's Fair exhibit in NEw York City.

During the 1960s and early 1970s Hesse Carriage Co. operated a satellite facility in Dover, New Jersey to handle the firm's expanding Northeast operations.

In December 1972, the Falk family sold a controlling interest in the Hess Corporation to Kansas City bottling executive Ray A. Maher.

In 1983 Hesse established a Canadian partnership, Parco Hesse Corp. in Granby, Quebec - aka Hess Canada and later established a Polish subsidiary, Hesse Europe in Dobczyce, Poland.) In 1996 Hesse Corp.’s North American operations were purchased by the Remcor Corp. becoming Hesse Group div. of Remcor.

Remcor shuttered the Hesse Group plant at 6700 St. Johns Ave. Kansas City in the late 2000s, consolidating operations at the Hesse Group plant in Granby, Quebec, Canada.

In 2013, Cambli Group Inc., St. Jean Sur Richelieu, Quebec, Canada purchased the Hesse Group from Remcor and relocated its operations to St. Jean Sur Richelieu, Quebec, Canada. Cambli is the largest manufacturer of armored trucks in North America – Cambli Group manufactures them in Canada and Cambli International Corp. manufactures them in Lovelock, Nevada.

To see Group Hesse's current lineup of beverage, battery and propane transportation equipment see http://grouphesse.com/

In 2007, after standing vacant for over a decade, the former Hesse Carriage Co. factory, located at 17th (317 E. 17th Street) and Oak streets (1700 Oak St.) was converted into a 46-apartment unit (8 two-bedroom apartments and 38 one-bedroom units) and added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The former Hesse Group plant at 6700 St. Johns Ave. is currently the home of the American Body Co., a firm that specilizes in the maintenance, repair, and reconditioning of truck bodies and trailers.

© 2013 Mark Theobald for Coachbuilt.com

Appendix - Hesse Carriage Co. addresses:

Grand Avenue Carriage Co., 1704-06 Grand Ave., 18??-1898; Hesse Carriage Co., 1704-06 Grand Ave.,  1898-1903; Hesse Carriage Co., Inc., Seventeenth & 1700 Oak sts., 1903-1939; 1732 Oak Street, 1917-1930; 312-314 East Seventeenth st., 704-706 Broadway, 1939-1946; 1720 Cherry St., 1946-1948; 6700 St. Johns Ave., Hesse Corporation, 1948-1996; (In 1983 Hesse established a Canadian partnership, Parco Hesse Corp. in Granby, Quebec - aka Hess Canada and later established a Polish subsidiary, Hesse Europe in Dobczyce, Poland.) In 1996 Hesse Corp.’s North American operations were purchased by the Remcor Corp. becoming Hesse Group div. of Remcor. In 2013, Cambli Group Inc., St. Jean Sur Richelieu, Quebec, Canada purchased the Hesse Group. Cambli is the largest manufacturer of armored trucks in North America – Cambli Group manufactures them in Canada and Cambli International Corp. manufactures them in Lovelock, Nevada.

Appendix 2 - Hesse Carriage Co. Patents:

Patents:

US Pat No. 622623 - short-turning vehicle gear - ‎Filed Jan 5, 1899 - ‎Issued Apr 4, 1899 to Otto H. Hesse.

US Pat. No. 1212949 – trailer running gear - ‎Filed Apr 21, 1916 - ‎Issued Jan 16, 1917 to Otto H. Hesse.

US Pat. No. 1330805 – fifth-wheel and turning-bolster for trailers - ‎Filed May 2, 1919 - ‎Issued Feb 17, 1920 to Otto H. Hesse.

US Pat. No. 1577463 – tractor trailer - ‎Filed Jun 12, 1923 – Issued Mar. 23, 1926 to Otto H. Hesse.

US Pat. No. 1598079 – land vehicle - ‎Filed Jul 16, 1923 - ‎Issued Aug 31, 1926 to Otto H. Hesse.

US Pat. No. D102182 - Design for a salesman’s display trailer - ‎Filed Aug 24, 1936 - ‎Issued Dec 1, 1936 to ‎Charles T. Falk

US Pat. No. 2227180 – Removable automobile seat cover - ‎Filed Oct 22, 1938 - ‎Issued Dec 31, 1940 to ‎Charles T. Falk assignor to Washable Seat Cover Company, Kansas City,

US Pat. No. 2450589 - Top-stiffening tie bar for open-top trucks - Grant - ‎Filed May 28, 1945 - ‎Issued Oct 5, 1948 to Joseph M. Falk and ‎Charles T. Falk

US Pat. No. 2454438 – Holder and carrier for bottles - ‎Filed Apr 30, 1945 - ‎Issued Nov 23, 1948 to Joseph M. Falk and ‎Charles T. Falk

US Pat. No. 2495447 – Motor Truck Body - Grant - ‎Filed Aug 3, 1946 - ‎Issued Jan 24, 1950 to Joseph M. Falk and ‎Charles T. Falk

US Pat. No. 2939604 – Removable hinged covers for drums - ‎Filed Nov 17, 1958 - ‎Issued Jun 7, 1960 to Charles T. Falk

US Pat. No. 3011652 - Adjustable mast and boom for hoists - ‎Filed May 21, 1957 - ‎Issued Dec 5, 1961 to Joseph M. Falk and ‎Charles T. Falk

US Pat. No. 3319062 - Disposable nested reflectors for lighting fixtures - ‎Filed Jan 25, 1965 - ‎Issued May 9, 1967 to Charles T. Falk

US Pat. No. D204247 - Beverage body for trucks - ‎Filed Jan 28, 1965 - ‎Issued Apr 5, 1966 to ‎Eldon F. Miller assigned to Hesse Carriage Co. 

US Pat. No. 3352594 – Truck body - ‎Filed Nov 10, 1965 - ‎Issued Nov 14, 1967 to ‎Eldon F. Miller assigned to Hesse Carriage Co.

US Pat. No. D211323 – Handle for overhead door - ‎Filed Apr 27, 1967 - ‎Issued Jun 11, 1968 to Charles T. Falk

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