|
Post by David Sechrest on Sept 3, 2009 17:19:51 GMT -5
One of our displays this year at the 3rd Columbus Historic Celebration at Donner Shelterhouse was an original Fehring Carriage, manufactured here in Columbus. Picture of Theodore A. Fehring This wasn't the carriage on display, but a picture from a book, and the "schoolbus" of its day. It is a Fehring carriage. Here is Theodore A. Fehring's obituary, dated Oct 27, 1932: T. A. Fehring, Manufacturing Pioneer, Dies Man Who Developed Carriage Works From Smithy Passes on Theodore A. Fehring, 76, one of the city's pioneer manufacturers, died rather suddenly at 9 pm last night at his home, 225 Lafayette Avenue. He suffered a stroke of paralysis nearly five years ago, and had been in failing health since then, but apparently was as well as usual at 8 pm. Another stroke came shortly after, and affected his heart. Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2pm at the home and at 2:30 at St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran church. The Rev. A. E. Brauer will officiate. Burial will be made in Garland Brook cemetery. Mr. Fehring through his industry and ability, built a small blacksmith shop into the Fehring Carriage Company, which was one of the most important industries in the city for many years. Mr. Fehring was born March 10, 1856 at what is now 826 Fourth Street, although the house then stood in a wood. He was one of nine children of Henry and Mary Fehring, who were pioneer settlers of Columbus. His father was a charter member of St. Peter's Lutheran church. He helped erect the first church building, and was active in the erection of the two which succeeded it. Theodore Fehring spent his entire life here. As a youth, he was apprenticed to Henry Platz, a blacksmith. After he had learned the trade, he opened a small shop of his own on the corner now occupied by the Triangle filling station across Third Street from where the carriage plant now stands. This was in 1877. It was not long until his business began to expand and finally he built the big carriage works. The modest little smithy grew into a large three story brick building, to which other buildings were added to take care of the company's increasing trade. The firm built fine buggies, surreys, wagons, and harness...as well as doing repair and refinishing work of all kinds. In June, 1901, his son, Lynn C. Fehring, now of Terre Haute, was admitted as a partner and the business became T. A. Fehring and Son. On Aug 1, 1905, another son, Fred H. Fehring was taken into the partnership and it was then that the company became known as the Fehring Carriage Company. Mr. Fehring was active in civic work as well as in his own affairs. He helped organize the Citizens Building and Loan Association, and was the last survivor of the original board of directors. He also helped organize the Garland Brook Cemetery association. His marriage was on March 16,1876 to Miss Louise Knoke of the White Creek community. They celebrated their golden wedding in 1926. More to follow....
|
|
|
Post by David Sechrest on Sept 3, 2009 17:31:17 GMT -5
Here's a picture of the Fehring's at their 50th wedding anniversary, taken at their home, 225 Lafayette, with the Fehring Carriage Co. in the background (left side). So, the Fehring Carriage Co. was on the se corner of 3rd and Lafayette, or thereabout.
|
|
|
Post by David Sechrest on Sept 3, 2009 17:33:57 GMT -5
The address for Fehring Carriage Company was 601-603 3rd Street.
|
|
|
Post by David Sechrest on Sept 3, 2009 17:45:08 GMT -5
From a Fehring Carriage brochure:
In 1877, at the age of 21, Henry Christopher's second son, Theodore, opened his own blacksmith shop a the corner of Third and Mechanics (Lafayette) Street in Columbus after serving as an apprentice to Henry Platz and helping at his father's livery stable.
When the older son, Lynn was made a partner in 1901, at the age of sixteen, the business became known as T. A. Fehring & Son. Then, when the younger son, Fred, was brought into the company in 1905 when he was 17 years old, it became the Fehring Carriage Company. This gradually expanded from the small blacksmith shop into a 3 story factory building, covering over half a city block, nearly surrounding the family home at 225 Lafayette Avenue.
The company specialized in building high quality horse drawn vehicles: buggies, wagons, fully enclosed 'storm buggies,' and even school bus vans. Their business extended over the central and southeastern states, and continued to grow long after the firm became a sales agency for the new fangled Chevrolet and Buick horseless carriages.
This enterprise was the family's sole source of income until around 1923, when Lynn moved to Terre Haute as manager of a wholesale hardware company. At that time, Lynn's younger brother, Fred, became the manager of the Fehring Carriage Co.
In the late 1920's, Lynn and Fred purchased an abandoned cooperage building immediately east to the Carriage Company and converted this to small storage spaces. This formed the Fehring Warehouse and Storage Company. When the buggy business ceased entirely and the automobile agency was sold, the entire cariage company building was used for general storage and light manufacturing. Herb Adams conducted his one man auto repair shop in the old blacksmith shop on the corner. The entire parcel, including the old home at 225 Lafayette was sold and demolished in the late 50's or early 60's.
Anyone remember this place?
|
|
|
Post by David Sechrest on Sept 3, 2009 17:47:58 GMT -5
I know some will remember this person: William P. (Dutch) Fehring was the grandson of T. A. Fehring and the son of Lynn and Ivy Thompson Fehring. From wikipedia: Born in Columbus, Indiana, Fehring attended Purdue University, where he starred in football, basketball, and baseball, one of only two Purdue athletes to letter nine times. Fehring helped the Boilermakers win two Big Ten titles in football and a national championship in basketball in 1932, where he was the traveling roommate of John Wooden. Fehring was inducted into the inaugural class of the Purdue University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994. After graduating from Purdue, Fehring chose to play his favorite sport, baseball, where he excelled as a catcher. He was signed by the Chicago White Sox, and in his only Major League appearance on July 25, 1934, Fehrig tagged out Lou Gehrig at the plate as Gehrig was attempting an inside-the-park home run. Fehrig's tag, however, gave Gehrig a triple, and with his other hits on the day, it was the first time Gehrig ever hit for the cycle. After his baseball career ended, Fehring returned to Purdue and became their head baseball coach and assistant football coach from 1936 to 1942. After serving in World War II, Fehring was an assistant football coach for two years at Oklahoma and for one year at UCLA, where he recommended his college friend John Wooden for the head basketball coaching vacancy. In 1949, Fehring was hired as an assistant baseball and football coach at Stanford. He took over as head baseball coach in 1956, and coached for 11 years, culminating in a College World Series semifinals appearance in 1967. Along with his football coaching role in the 1952 Rose Bowl, Fehring has the unique distinction as a coach in both a College World Series and a Rose Bowl. Fehring retired as head baseball coach in 1967, but remained at Stanford as director of intramurals and club sports until 1977. Fehring died in Stanford, California in 2006 at the age of 93. Fehring is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, the Purdue University Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame.
|
|
|
Post by ZWM 6Q C F on Sept 3, 2009 20:37:04 GMT -5
I remember the warehouse at 3rd and Lafayette. I delivered the Indianapolis Star there in about 1951 or 52. They didn't ever seem to be very busy there. When I would go there to collect each week there were always a couple of elderly men sitting in some well worn chairs talking to each other.
|
|
|
Post by David Sechrest on Sept 19, 2009 14:51:12 GMT -5
We've been discussing the 1903/04 Bartholomew County directory in the 1800's Thread this past week.
I did run across this item in the Directory:
Fehring's Hall, (dancing), 601 3rd St. This must have been located on the 2nd floor of the building(?)
Dutch Schultz wrote a letter to the owner of the Fehring Carriage on display at our Historic Columbus Celebration at Donner Shelterhouse this past June. I didn't copy and add that letter in this topic, as it was too difficult to read, but I do remember him saying that he couldn't remember what was on the 2nd floor of the building, or what they did there. It could also be the dance hall was located on the 3rd floor of the building...
|
|
|
Post by David Sechrest on Sept 19, 2009 15:10:45 GMT -5
There are several Fehring's listed in the 1903/04 Directory:
Fehring, A. H. (Christiana, wife), druggust, 609 Washington St. Home--832 4th Street.
Fehring, Emma, b (business) 827 4th St. (Does not designate what the business was).
Fehring's Hall (dancing), 601 3rd St.
Fehring, Fay, student, b (business) 838 4th St.
Fehring, Fred, student, b (business) 225 Mechanic (Lafayette) St.
Fehring, Frederick, W. (Anna M., wife) grocery, 201 Washington St. Home--811 Pearl St.
Fehring, Matilda, b (business) 826 4th St. (business is not designated)
Fehring, Gertrude, bookkeeper for John Stobo, b (business) 225 Mechanic St.
Fehring, Henry C., retired, home 826 4th St.
Fehring, John B. (Anna, wife), letter carrier, home--838 4th St.
Fehring, Leonard, painter, T. A. Fehring, b (business) 225 Mechanic St. (This was also the home address of T. A. Fehring)
Fehring, Louise, bookkeeper, Oscar Figenbaum, home 826 4th St.
Fehring, Theodore A. (Louisa M., wife) blacksmith and buggies, 601 3rd St., home 225 Mechanic (Lafayette) St.
One addition here. John Stobo is listed as a real estate and insurance agent, home address--1129 Franklin Street.
|
|
RER
HCI Forum Board Member
"Democracy & Freedom"
Posts: 2,462
|
Post by RER on Dec 6, 2009 14:10:45 GMT -5
Fehring Carriage Company225 Layfayette Street/Avenue (former Mechanics Street) Note: This address is obsolete behind county jail area.Columbus, Indiana Business Started: 1905 (not sure of age see below at bottom) Comment: This is a Fehring one seat carriage, made in Columbus Indiana. It was sold at an aution in Iowa within the last year or so. Go Here For 5 Pictures Of Fehring & Auction Site Bidding: www.proxibid.com/asp/LotDetail.asp?ahid=2502&aid=13954&lid=3614164&aiid=2#topoflotDouble Click Each Picture To Enlarge_____________________________________ Another Fehring Family Business Before The Above 1890s:Note: The address is not the same but on the same area off Third Street. The most famous Fehring was Dutch Fehring the sports wonder of basketball and baseball. 1890sThe Fehring family had a drug store and grocery store, plus the businesses above:
|
|
RER
HCI Forum Board Member
"Democracy & Freedom"
Posts: 2,462
|
Post by RER on Dec 24, 2009 16:23:26 GMT -5
Fehring Carriage Company225 Lafayette Street/Avenue (former Mechanics Street) Note: This address is obsolete behind county jail area.Columbus, Indiana Comments: The Fehring family apparently started the carriage and buggy construction in the 1890s and expanded further with sons during 1905. Luxury Carriages and all weather Carriages were part of their construction efforts. I have discovered that the business was recognized in New York, Washington DC among other states. It seems that government VIPs may have had Fehring Carriages for their use in transportation at many locations. Here is a Fehring "Storm" Buggy as titled. Apparently, it was designed and enclosed to protect the passengers from foul weather. It was constructed in Columbus Indiana and shipped by railroad to various purchasing agencies. Note: Caption at bottom of picture says Fehring Carriage Co. Columbus IndianaSources: Carriage Builder's National Association publication 1914. Trade New Publishing Co. New York year 1914.
|
|
RER
HCI Forum Board Member
"Democracy & Freedom"
Posts: 2,462
|
Post by RER on Dec 24, 2009 17:05:35 GMT -5
Fehring Carriage Company Teams With Reeves Pulley CompanyYear: 1896 The Event: During the 1890s the Reeve's brothers began experimenting with horseless carriages. During the the summer of 1896, Mr. Milton Reeves built a "MotoCycle" horseless carriage with a two cylinder, two cycle, 6 horsepower Sintz engine. The body or carriage coach was built by Fehring Carriage Company of Columbus Indiana. Here is the Reeves "Motocycle" in January 1950: Time/LIFE Photo Picture URL Link Address (Time Inc Standard): images.google.com/hosted/life/l?q=columbus+indiana&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcolumbus%2Bindiana%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D525&imgurl=0619a87630c6000e Fehring Carriage Company BodyThe above colored picture is not a Time/LIFE pictureSource of picture(s): Date taken: January 01, 1950 Photographer: Francis Miller © Time Inc.This black and white photo was take from the Time Inc/LIFE Photos Archive. Permission was granted March 16, 2009 to post selected pictures and our discussions relative to the pictures.. Time Inc. approval was given to the Columbus Historical Message board.. The photos are for personal use and not for commercial use per Time Inc. Additional Sources: Historic American Engineering Record (IN-15), Department of Interior Washington D.C., United States Library of Congress.
|
|
RER
HCI Forum Board Member
"Democracy & Freedom"
Posts: 2,462
|
Post by RER on Sept 30, 2010 14:10:25 GMT -5
Fehring Carriage Company225 Layfayette Street/Avenue (former Mechanics Street)Note: This address is obsolete behind the present county jail area. Columbus, Indiana Company In Business: During the 1890s and early 1900s in Columbus. Picture: This is a Fehring Carriage below made in Columbus Indiana. Year of making is unknown. Comment: These Fehring Carriages made in Columbus are very hard to find, including the pictures. The carriage above is in excellent condition. Source: Found picture and company that made the carriage on the net.
|
|
|
Post by polaraligned on Oct 27, 2013 8:08:32 GMT -5
Hi,
I am the owner of the carriage in the picture above. I currently have it for sale if anyone is interested. It is on E-bay and has more pictures.
If Columbus has a museum this may be a great addition. I much prefer it go to a home where it will be most appreciated. The buckboard wagon in the background of that picture, I sold for less money than a previous offer because it was going to the Baltimore Police Museum. E-mail address is below.
Thank you. Scott
Polaraligned - enter the "at" symbol here - Optonline.net
|
|