Throwback Thursday: W. H. McIntyre Co. in the John Martin Smith Collection

Willennar Genealogy Center’s collection is full of Throwback Thursday potential, so let’s get our #TBT on!

Today, let’s take a look at one of DeKalb County’s lesser known automobile companies: the W. H. McIntyre Company.

The story begins in 1887, when W. H. Kiblinger bought out the buggy-manufacturing business of I. N. Cool in Auburn, Indiana. The business thrived under Kiblinger’s direction—in 1891alone they produced over 4,000 vehicles. Unfortunately, Kiblinger died in 1894, likely of lung cancer. Upon his death, the company’s assets were purchased by W. H. McIntyre and S. C. Snyder.

By 1901, McIntyre had control of the company, and in 1906, began to produce automobiles, simple vehicles that were essentially buggies with engines. After a lawsuit in 1908, the company’s name was changed from Kiblinger to McIntyre.

Over the years, McIntyre vehicles became more sophisticated and less buggy-like. Eventually, a series of trucks were added to the lineup, some of which could carry a capacity of up to 5 tons.

From 1913-1914, McIntyre joined the “cyclecar craze” with the creation of the Imp, a low, narrow automobile which was advertised as being small enough to be driven through a garden gate. During those two years, McIntyre produced 50 of these cars per month.

Unfortunately, the company folded in 1915. The assets were purchased by the DeKalb Manufacturing Company.

To see more, click here and search for “Kiblinger” or “McIntyre.”