Coachbult.com - Troy Wagon Works Co.



Troy Wagon Works Co. - Troy Trailer & Wagon Co.- 1884-1930s - Troy, Ohio

Troy Wagon Works Co. – Troy, Ohio – early maker of heavy-duty trailers

"oldest and largest manufacturer of trailers making possible highest grade construction at lowest cost" - 1919 ad in Saturday Evening Post

Troy Trailer Ad - 1918 Troy Trailer ad showing telephone poles being carried on 2 separate units & a truck bed the same way, The Troy Wagon Works Co , Troy Ohio

The Troy Wagon Works

The Troy Wagon works was organized as such May 8, 1891. In 1884 the Beedle & Kelly company sold out to the Troy Wagon company, which later became the Troy Wagon Works company with in original incorporation of $50,000. The Troy wagon became famous throughout the country and was seen in every state in the union and has always had ail immense patronage in spite of the sternest kind of competition. The stock of this company was subsequently increased to $1,600,000. The company became builders of farm wagons, dump wagons and slow speed hauling wagons. From 1911 to 1914 a great deal of attention was devoted to the creation of a superior auto trailer and this later became the most important feature of this business. The first contract for motor truck trailers was secured from the government of France in 1915 and this contract continued until the signing of the armistice in 1918. During the duration of the world war ninety per cent of the manufacturing capacity of this plant was devoted to war work. In 1892 the Troy Wagon company was absorbed by the Troy Wagon works and is now occupying the building formerly used by the Troy Wagon company. The officers of the Troy Wagon works are: President, C. A. Geiger; vice-president, C. N. Peters : secretary-treasurer, G. R. Harris; directors, C. C. Hayner, R. C. Sykes and A. O. Brown.

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formerly the Troy Wagon and Wheel Works

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Of the business interests of Troy, there is none that has contributed more largely to the general welfare and prosperity of the community than the Troy Wagon Works, and the success of this extensive concern is due in a very large measure to the capability of the foremen of the different departments. For the past fifteen years Mr. Coble has been superintendent of the wood department and enjoys the unqualified regard of the members of the corporation who recognize his ability and fidelity. A native of York county, Pennsylvania, he was born, March 4, 1854, a son of John K. Coble, who was also a native of the same locality. The mother bore the maiden name of Sarah Campbell and was a daughter of Peter Campbell, also of York, Pennsylvania. In 1865 the father removed with his family to Troy, where he followed his trade, that of contracting and building, for a number of years. His death occurred in 1891, but his wife still survives, and yet makes her home in this state. Mr. Coble had one brother who served in the civil war.

The subject of this review was a lad of only eleven years when brought by his parents to Ohio, and in the schools of Troy he completed his literary education. On putting aside his text-books he learned the carpenter's trade, developing considerable mechanical ingenuity. In 1888 he entered the shop of the Troy Wagon Works Company, and since that time has been foreman in the wood department. For three years prior, he was foreman of the Corn Planter & Rake Factory, which, in 1888, was merged into the wagon factory. In his career of fifteen years as superintendent of his department he has shown himself to be a skillful mechanic who thoroughly understands the business both in principle and detail and well merits the confidence and trust reposed in him.

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Beautifully engraved certificate from the Troy Wagon Works Company issued in 1911. This historic document was printed by The Broun-Green Company and has an ornate border around it. This item is hand signed by the Company's Vice President and Secretary ( Cyrus T. Brown ) and is over 93 years old. This is the first time we have had this certificate for sale.

Cyrus T. Brown was secretary and treasurer of the Troy Wagon Works Company and a director and vice-president of the First National Bank of Troy, Ohio.

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Daily News, Springfield, OH on Monday, October 8, 1928

Bring Body Of Auto Victim To Springfield

Brother of Judge GEIGER to be Buried from Home of Sister

The body of Charles A. GEIGER, 69, former Springfield manufacturer and brother of Judge Frank W. GEIGER of this city, who died at 2 p.m. Sunday in Mansfield, O., from injuries sustained when struck by an automobile a hour previously, will arrive in Springfield late Monday or Tuesday. It will be taken to the home of his sister, Miss Alice GEIGER, 469 Woodlawn av. Mr. GEIGER was visiting his son, Tracy GEIGER, in Mansfield when the accident occurred. he will be remembered by the older residents of Springfield as one of the city's most prominent business men at the time when he lived here. He was born in Springfield and received his education in the schools here. He was a graduate of Wittenberg College with the class of 1879. Following his graduation from college Mr. GEIGER entered the industrial world and became a member of the firm operating the Springfield Machine Co. In 1893 he went to Troy, O., where he organized the Troy Wagon Works of which he was president and general manager. He remained in Troy until the World War when he went to new York and later to England in the interest of his firm which was supplying wartime materials to the United States and Great Britian. After the war he returned to new York where he established a Charles A. GEIGER Co., importers and exporters and represented the American manufactories in foreign trade. Mr. GEIGER leaves his widow, Mrs. Frances GEIGER; two sons, Russell and Tracy; three daughters, Rose of Troy; Mrs. Benjamin WORRELL and Mrs. Kenneth WILLIAMSON of West Palm Beach, Fla; three sisters, Miss Alice GEIGER and Miss Ella GEIGER and Mrs. A.D.HOSTERMAN, of this city; and two brothers, Judge Frank W. GEIGER or Springfield, and Harry M. GEIGER of Detroit Mich.

For more information please read:

Memoirs Of The Miami Valley - Vol II (3 volumes, published 1920)

G.N. Georgano & G. Marshall Naul - The Complete Encyclopedia of Commercial Vehicles

Albert Mroz - Illustrated Encyclopedia of American Trucks & Commercial Vehicles

Denis Miller - The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Trucks and Buses

Tad Burness - American Truck Spotter's Guide, 1920-1970

Tad Burness - American Truck & Bus Spotter's Guide, 1920-1985

Robert M Roll - American trucking: A seventy-five year odyssey

David Jacobs - American Trucks: A photographic essay of American Trucks and Trucking

David Jacobs - American Trucks: More Colour Photographs of Truck & Trucking

John Gunnell - American Work Trucks: A Pictorial History of Commercial Trucks 1900-1994

George W. Green - Special-Use Vehicles: An Illustrated History of Unconventional Cars and Trucks