One of America’s most discussed and
collected horse drawn wagon brands is Weber.
Like many other prominent early vehicle builders, the look of Weber’s products
changed over time. That said, most
surviving Webers with sufficient paint have at least one part of their outward
appearance in common. Positioned within
the logo is the date of the firm’s beginnings – 1845. That’s about as much nineteenth century
company history as many sources ever share.
With that in mind, we decided to open up a few of the primary source
materials in our collection and pass along an overview of what was happening with
the business during some of the most exciting days of the American West. As always, all of our images, text, and works
are protected by copyright and cannot be reproduced without prior written
approval from the Wheels That Won The West® Archives.
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This well-worn logo from a twentieth-century-built Weber includes an IHC symbol (International Harvester Corporation) and the 1845 date at the top of the design. |
Born in 1822, Henry Weber set out for
America when he was eighteen. It was a
sailing voyage that lasted just over a month. (And I thought my last cross-country
trip was long!) He apprenticed as a wagon maker for three years in New York
before heading west to Detroit, Michigan.
The future ‘Motor City’ capital couldn’t hold him, though, and he soon
set his eyes on Chicago. Arriving there
midway through 1844, he immediately found work in an established wagon shop. By the following year, Weber was working on
plans for his own vehicle business. With
a $250 investment, he and partner, Jacob Gauch, hung out their shingle as wagon
makers in 1845. The slow but steady
business was not enough to hold Mr. Gauch.
With news of California’s gold strikes, wagon work seemed a slow way to
make a living. Determined to make his
fortune farther west, in 1849, he sold his share to Henry and providence began
to take root for Mr. Weber.
In less than a decade, Weber had
outgrown his humble beginnings and began to expand his operations. By the spring of 1871, the company was
expanding again. This time to a large
4-story brick building. It was one of
the few structures to survive the Great Chicago Fire in October of the same
year. Escaping one inferno, though, was
no guarantee of future getaways. Luck
ran out for Weber in August of 1887 when a fire ravaged everything but his
stock of lumber.
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Marking the year of its incorporation, this original 1883 catalog is a rare survivor. It’s filled with details of Weber’s early farm, freight, ranch, businesses, and personal vehicle offerings. |
After thirty-eight years in business, the
company finally incorporated in 1883.
With $150,000 of fresh capital to work with, they had traveled far from
the first day with just $250 and a dream.
By the mid-1890’s, the Weber Wagon
Company is reported to have been producing 16,000 wagons and bobsleds
annually. With a strong distribution
system, they were recognized throughout the U.S. as a quality and highly
desirable brand. Such was the growth that it attracted considerable attention
from buyers who wanted to purchase the entire company. In a move to compete more effectively in the
lucrative wagon market, International Harvester Corporation purchased Weber in
1904.
If you’re a
Weber fan, you can find more details on the company’s history with International
Harvester by contacting the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
