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08-07-2007, 10:26 PM

How did the fire apparatus manufacturers get their names? I.E Spartan, Seagrave,Hahn, HME, Ahrens-Fox, How, E\-One, Pierce, KME, IHC, Boardman, AND every other manufacturer i lef tout cause im SURE i did.

Does anyone know how they got their names?

**Bob-Ont** · (This post was last modified: 08-07-2007, 11:12 PM by Bob-Ont.)

Seagrave is named after its founder Frederic Seagrave.

Frederic Seagrave was a Canadian who emigrated to the United States. He is interred in Windsor Ontario.

08-07-2007, 11:07 PM

E\-One was origninaly Emergency one a take off of the TV show

Darley family name.. still owned by the family. You can call there and ask for Paul or Pete Darley and most times they will take the call personally

**Bob-Ont** · 08-07-2007, 11:08 PM

American LaFrance

After a series of mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations the American Fire Engine Company and the LaFrance Fire Engine Company became American LaFrance Fire Engine Company in 1904.

08-08-2007, 09:30 AM

Sutphen is named after Henry Sutphen.

08-08-2007, 09:32 AM

Alexis Fire is Located in Alexis, Illinois, Makes sense!

08-08-2007, 07:50 PM

Maxim named after Carlton Maxim. The official title was "The Maxim Motor Company." He started out as an automobile repair garage at first and the fire trucks came later keeping the name. Still worked on locals cars into the 1950's when they decided to get rid of it and focus on fire trucks.

My BIGGEST pet peeve? Hearing it referred to as <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/machinegun.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='

' /> MAXIUM MOTORS

08-09-2007, 03:52 PM

Ward LaFrance Truck Corporation was founded by Ward (first name) LaFrance (last name)

08-09-2007, 10:27 PM

This looks like a good topic, very interesting too. <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/computer.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='

' /> <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/popcorn.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=' Popcorn

' />

**Truckman** · 08-11-2007, 12:11 AM

Peter Pirsch and Sons, was stared by Peter Pirsch, of course.

**Truckman** · 08-12-2007, 12:59 PM

Ahrens-Fox came together by Chris Ahrens and his son-in-law Charles Fox becoming partners. This was of course after Chris Aherns dissociated Ahrens Mfg. Co. from American LaFrance on December 9, 1904!!!

Ferrara fire apparatus company came from the family name of Ferrara.

Buffalo apparatus company name came for the city of Buffalo NY where they were built!

1958 F.W.D. · 08-12-2007, 07:50 PM

[quote name='Howie' post='138355' date='Aug 8 2007, 23:51 ']Maxim named after Carlton Maxim. The official title was "The Maxim Motor Company." He started out as an automobile repair garage at first and the fire trucks came later keeping the name. Still worked on locals cars into the 1950's when they decided to get rid of it and focus on fire trucks.

My BIGGEST pet peeve? Hearing it referred to as <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/machinegun.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='

' /> MAXIUM MOTORS[/quote]

LOL Thats funny, one of MY big pet peeves is hearing people refer to Seagrave as "Seagraves", even if they are referring to it in the singular, I.E. "The Ladder Truck was built by Seagraves." Drives me nuts when I see it on eBay.

Equally as annoying is when someone refers to a CUMMINS engine as a "Cummings."

**Truckman** · 08-14-2007, 11:58 PM

OREN came from a guy name Oren O. Lemon who ran a machine shop auto repair business in Roanoke, VA back in 1917. The first fire apparatus came to be about 1934.

**Rheems1** · (This post was last modified: 08-16-2007, 03:34 PM by Rheems1.)

KME was named after it's founder Jim Kovatch (Kovatch Mobile Equipment) and Pierce is also named after it's founder (whose name escapes me). Pierce started off making regular cars (the Pierce Arrow) and than eventually switched to fire apparatus. It isn't on your list but Hamerly was named after it's founder, when Les Hamerly decide to leave Hahn Motor Company he formed Hamerly Custom Productions and started making his own designs. HME stands for Hendrickson Motor Equipment (yes, the same Hendrickson that built the square cabs) and yes it was named after it's founder.

David Fritz

08-17-2007, 09:30 AM

[quote name='Rheems1' post='140855' date='Aug 16 2007, 15:29 ']KME was named after it's founder Jim Kovatch (Kovatch Mobile Equipment) and Pierce is also named after it's founder (whose name escapes me). Pierce started off making regular cars (the Pierce Arrow) and than eventually switched to fire apparatus. It isn't on your list but Hamerly was named after it's founder, when Les Hamerly decide to leave Hahn Motor Company he formed Hamerly Custom Productions and started making his own designs. HME stands for Hendrickson Motor Equipment (yes, the same Hendrickson that built the square cabs) and yes it was named after it's founder.

David Fritz[/quote]

Hey, if any names like i said are missing PLEASE put them in if you know, this is a very interesting topic <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/popcorn.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=' Popcorn

' />

**Bob-Ont** · 08-17-2007, 11:23 AM

Quote:Pierce is also named after it's founder (whose name escapes me). Pierce started off making regular cars (the Pierce Arrow)

Pierce-Arrow the car company is named after George N. Pierce. This company located in Buffalo, manufactured a truck line, some of which were used for fire apparatus. They also supplied engines to Seagrave.

Pierce from Appleton, Wisconsin is named after Humphrey and Dudley Pierce.

Other than the name there does not appear to be a relation between the two.

mnsand · 08-17-2007, 11:10 PM

[quote name='Truckman' post='140379' date='Aug 14 2007, 23:59 ']OREN came from a guy name Oren O. Lemon who ran a machine shop auto repair business in Roanoke, VA back in 1917. The first fire apparatus came to be about 1934.[/quote]

John, to take that one step further, I have heard that Oren Lemon decided to use his first name instead of his last name for his trucks, because he did not want the truck referred to as a "lemon". Wonder if that is true....makes sense.

Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

**Bob-Ont** · 08-18-2007, 12:45 PM

Thibault ... named after company founder Pierre Thibault, based in St. Francois Du-Lac, Quebec.

Pierreville ... named after town of Pierreville, Quebec where plant was situated (across the river from Thibault).

**Truckman** · 08-18-2007, 01:17 PM

[quote name='mnsand' post='141225' date='Aug 17 2007, 23:11 ']John, to take that one step further, I have heard that Oren Lemon decided to use his first name instead of his last name for his trucks, because he did not want the truck referred to as a "lemon". Wonder if that is true....makes sense.

Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA[/quote]

Mike I have heard that too, back when we were a good customer of OREN!! Beside who would by a fire truck wby the name of [color="#0000FF"]LEMON [/color]on the front of it!!

**Truckman** · 08-18-2007, 02:02 PM

[quote name='The Commish' post='138134' date='Aug 8 2007, 09:31 ']Sutphen is named after Henry Sutphen.[/quote]

Just to add on this,

Sutphen began in 1890 as a dream of C.H. Sutphen. His son, Harry, took an interest in the business and carried it on until his death.

Harry's two sons, Thomas and Robert, joined the business after World War II. They gained experience and job responsibility over the years, with Robert becoming Chairman of the Board and Thomas President of the Company.

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