Hale & Kilburn

Hale & Kilburn factory in Philadelphia

The Hale & Kilburn company of Philadelphia was a furniture manufacturing company founded by Warren Hale and Cheney Kilburn. The Hale & Kilburn company's primary business was the production of railroad car seats for the greatly expanding American railroad companies.

History

Founding

Hale, Kilburn, & Co. was organized in 1867 by Warren Hale, Cheney Kilburn, two of Hale's sons and Artemus Kilburn, brother of Cheney Kilburn.[1][2] It was incorporated as the Hale & Kilburn Manufacturing Company in 1876 with Cheney Kilburn serving as its first president and Warren Hale serving as vice president. Warren Hale's son, Henry S. Hale, became president after him.[2]

Edward Budd

Edward Budd started his career working at the American Pulley Company as a machinest. The American Pulley Company's main purpose was to make steel pulleys for railway cars vs the traditional iron pulleys. The American Pulley Company also supplied stamped seat pedestals to Hale & Kilburn. In 1902, Budd joined Hale & Kilburn for twice his salary, and shortly after he rose the ranks to become general manager. Once Hale & Kilburn went under new ownership, Budd left the company in 1931 as the new owners didn't agree with him.[3]

J.P. Morgan Bud& Co.

The Hale & Kilburn company was sold to J.P. Morgan & Co. in 1911 for $9 million.[4]

American Motor Body Company

The Hale & Kilburn company was reorganized in 1920 as the American Motor Body Company, a corporation founded by the American Can Company to merge Hale & Kilburn and the Wadsworth Manufacturing Company (Detroit, Michigan).[5][6] In 1923, Charles M. Schwab purchased the American Motor Body Company.[5] On September 4, 1925, Walter Chrysler announced the Chrysler Corporation's purchase of the Detroit plant of the American Motor Body Corporation.[5][7] In 1926, the American Motor Body Corporation and its Safeway Six-Wheel subsidiary were sold to the American Car and Foundry Company.[5][8]

References

  1. ^ "Death of Mr. Kilburn". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 1894-04-04. p. 4. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  2. ^ a b The Street Railway Review. Chicago, IL: Kenfield Publishing Company. 1905. p. 683. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  3. ^ www.autos.ca https://www.autos.ca/motoring-memories/motoring-memories-pioneer-of-the-all-steel-automobile-body-edward-g-budd/. Retrieved 2024-11-09. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ Theobald, Mark (2004). "Edward G. Budd Mfg. Co". Coachbuilt. Harold M. Cobb, contributing. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  5. ^ a b c d Theobald, Mark (2004). "American Motor Body Co". Coachbuilt. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  6. ^ "Read Made Receiver for Hale & Kilburn". Reading Times. 1931-05-07. p. 18. Retrieved 2021-03-27 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "American Body Plant is Purchased by Walter P. Chrysler". Pittsburgh Daily Post. 1925-09-27. p. Section 7, Page 4. Retrieved 2021-03-27 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Company Control May Pass". The Boston Globe. 1926-05-01. p. 8. Retrieved 2021-03-27 – via Newspapers.com.