The building currently utilized by today's Schultz Autoworks can trace its beginnings to the mid-Twenties when Emil A. Schulze (b. July 24, 1885-d. July 23, 1947) started his own commercial body shop.

Emil A. Schulze was born in July 24, 1885 to two German immigrants; August (b. April 1848) and Henretta Schulze (b. April 1859). The 1883 Utica City Directory lists August Schultz, shoemaker with a residence at 6 Faass Ave.

To the blessed union were born four children; Emil A. (b. Jul 1885), William (b. Sept 1883), Minnia (Minerva?) (b. Aug 1887), George (b. Oct. 1889). The 1900 US Census lists William's occupation as Cotton Doffer, Emil's occupation as Mill Laborer.

Apparently Emil A. Schulze married for the first time sometime prior to 1907 as the 1910 census lists a 2-year old son, Stanley G. Schulze, born Sept. 25, 1907, but does not list a mother, so it's assumed she died shortly after giving birth.

Emil remarried in 1911, wedding Grace M. Higgs (b. Apr 4, 1887-d. Mar. 1966), the daughter of Charles and Frances (VanAllen) Higgs on October 25, 1911. To that blessed union was born a son, Howard A. Schulze (b. Feb. 13, 1913-d. Jun. 1971), who joined his 5-year-old stepbrother Stanley G. Schulze.

After a public education Stanley G. Schulze (b. Sept. 25, 1907-d. Feb 14, 1998) joined his father Emil in the family's body shop which was subsequently conducted under the style of E.A. Schulze & S.G. Schulze Body Shop. In addition to collision work the firm specialized in building custom truck bodies for Oneida County businesses.

Pictured to the left is a 1932 Studebaker productmobile, built by the Schulzes for the Beech Nut Packing Co. of Canajoharie N.Y. The novel vehicle was pictured in a 1932 issue of Dupont Refinishers News. At that time the firm was located a couple of blocks away from their present building in a large wood-framed one-story garage located adjacent to Utica's famous woodcarvers, Reinhold Pietsch & Sons, who were located at 902 Shaw Street, Utica, New York.

Also pictured to the left is a circa 1944 picture of the firm's proprietors. Stanley G. Schulze is setting on the rear bumper of the Iseneker's Dairy truck on the left and his father, Emil A. Schulze, is leaning on the ladder. The rear fender of the Hameline's Dairies truck on the right is masked off in preparation for a little restoration work. By this time the firm had relocated to a spacious new one-story brick manufactory located at 1006 Thorne St.

The Thursday, July 24, 1947 Syracuse Herald-Journal announced the death of the firm's founder Emil:

"Final Rites For Schulze

"Utica - The funeral of Emil A. Schulze, 61, a native of Utica, who died Wednesday in his home, 1404 Burrstone Rd., will be conducted at 10 A.M. Saturday from the home, and at 10:30 from the Church or the Holy Communion, with interment to be in Forest Hill Cemetery.

"He was born July 24, 1885, a son of the late August and Henrietta Schwartz Schulze, On Oct. 25, 1911, he married Grace M. Higgs. He was a member of the Church of the Holy Communion, Utica Lodge 47, F. and A. M., and the Craftsman Club.

"At one time he and his son, Stanley, conducted the Schulze Body Works in this city.

"Besides his wife and son, Stanley, he leaves two brothers, William and Herbert Schulze; three sisters, Mrs. August J. Zemenz; Mrs. Carl Albicker, and Mrs. Charles Fritch; two half-sisters, Mrs. Catherine Teal, and Mrs. George Stanley; and three grandchildren, all of Utica."

Stanley G. Schulze remained in the auto body business for the next three decades after which the business was sold off. Stanley passed away on February 14, 1998 at the age of 90.

Surpisingly, the very same factory used by Emil and Stanley Shulze is back in the auto body business. It's owned by Mark A. Schultz, a member of another branch of Utica's Shulze family. His branch of the family changed the spelling of their last name to Schultz sometime between the 1900 and 1910 US Census. It is derived from the German Dorf-Schulz(e) which means constable, magistrate or policeman.

Mark's great-great-grandfather, Jacob Schulze, was born in Oneida County, New York in September of 1872 to two German immigrants. After a public education he was apprenticed to a local carriage-shop where he learned the trade of blacksmith. The 1900 US Census lists his address as 14 Martin Street, Utica, NY, his occupation, blacksmith.

In late 1894 he married married Minnie ???? (b. Sept. 1879), the daughter of a German-born father and Empire State-born mother. To the blessed union were born eight children. Charles J. (b. 1895); Mabel M. (b.1897); Florence M. (b.1900) LaVern C. (b.1902); Jacob W. (b.1906); Walter H. (b.1907); Leroy G. (b.1909) and William (b. 1914).

After toiling for a number of Utica-based firms, Jacob established his own commercial body works in 1916 and during the next two decades trained his six sons, Charles J, LaVern C., Jacob W., Walter H., Leroy G. and William in the tricks of the trade.

Walter H. Schultz, the grandfather of Schultz Autowork's founder, Mark A. Schultz, was born on July 31, 1907. Just like his brothers, young Walter was educated in the Utica public schools after which he worked alongside his father in the family's body works. Just prior to the start of World War II, Walter relocated to Rome, New York where he established his own body shop at 319 West Park Street. Walter bore a striking resemblance to the Beer Baron of the Bronx, Dutch Shultz, and decided to take advantage of the gangster's notoriety, naming his business, Dutch's Body Shop.

Although the firm did some collision work, their specialty was commercial bodies, and eventually became Rome's largest commercial body works. After Walter retired in the late 1960s he turned over the business to his son, Bruce H. Schultz (b.1947), passing away just shy of his 82nd birthday on July 5, 1989.

Located on Rome's West side, Dutch's Body Shop continued to prosper under Bruce's leadership, and his son, Mark A. Schultz  (b.1966) was brought into the business following his graduation in 1984.

For many years Mark had been a fan of Porsche automobiles which resulted in the establishment of his current operation, Schultz Autoworks which is located at 1006 Thorne St, in downtown Utica. The building he acquired for his business was well-known to him as it was the former bodyworks of his cousins Emil & Stanley Schulze.

Today Mark's award-winning Porsche restoration and maintenance shop, Schultz Autoworks, continues to follow the standards of fine craftsmanship practiced by his family for over 100 years.

© 2004 Mark Theobald - Coachbuilt.com with special thanks to Mark Schultz

 

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