George P. Harvey was a little-known independent body designer who worked in Manhattan during the pre-classic era. Harvey had spent most of his career (1870-1913) as a superintendent for Abbot, Downing & Co. the well-known carriage and stage coach manufacturer which had plants in Manhattan and Concord, New Hampshire.

Towards the end of its long history Abbot, Downing manufactured the Concord Motor Truck and used its Manhattan factory to provide its New York customers with custom-built truck bodies.

In 1913 Harvey left Abbot, Downing and established the HMS Motor Company with two partners. Organized in February of that year with $ 22,500 in capital, the name of the firm corresponded to the first initials of the three partner’s surnames: H - George P. Harvey; M - Joseph P. Meyers; and S - Charles K. Starr.  Meyer’s former profession was unknown, but Charles K. Starr was a well-known Manhattan bicycle enthusiast and was a member of the League of American Wheelmen.

The March 13, 1913 issue of The Automobile announced: 

“HMS Company founded - HMS Motor Co., New York City, recently incorporated, will deal in trucks, build bodies and repair and paint them. It is incorporated for $22500.”

The March 16, 1916 issue of The Automobile included an article written by Donald McLeod Lay called “Custom-Built Bodies Grow in Popularity” that included a number of body designs attributed to the George P. Harvey Co. New York City:

"All the bodies illustrated on these two pages, 488 and 489, are reproductions from drawings of special custom design" by the George P. Harvey Co., New York City."

Little else is known about Harvey, and his HMS partnership was short-lived.

© 2004 Mark Theobald - Coachbuilt.com

 

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