Years In Operation: 1913 Models Built: Truck and tractor were proposed Approximate Number of Cars Built: Prototype at least and possibly 20 or more trucks Factory Address: 230 South Mill Street, St. Louis MI Officers of the Company:
Dr. A.R. Wheeler: President
J.H. Whitney: Vice President
W. Lee Yost: Treasurer
D.C. Evans: Secretary and General Manager
G. Earle Porter: Factory Manager
H.oward G. Dewey: Unknown
David Harrison-Board of Directors
What can i see today?
At the present time no known examples of the Admiral exist and research is continuing to see if any vehicles or tractors were produced. The St. Louis Area Historical Society has other great history of the area as well as information on the Bollstrom truck and a 1917 Republic truck built in nearby Alma. Address: 110 E. Crawford St., St. Louis, MI 48880 Phone: (989) 875-4463 Website: https://www.stlouismi.com/1/stlouis/historical_society.asp
The factory site was located in the old St. Louis Manufacturing Company. Address: 230 South Mill Street(approximate), St. Louis MI 48880
summary
The Admiral Motor Car Company was organized early in 1913 by a group of local businessmen in hopes of bringing the emerging automobile industry to St. Louis. Headed by Dr. A.R. Wheeler, the company raised $50,000 in capital and moved into the former table factory location on the corner of Crawford and Mill with intentions to build a truck as well as a tractor. A prototype truck was built and shown around early June and more than twenty examples may have been built. The company tried to reorganize but fell into receivership around February of 1914. D.C. Evans who had been the secretary and general manager of the firm would go on to head the service department of the Goodyear Company's branch in Detroit. G. Earl Porter, who had been an initial investor in the company as well as the factory manager, would invent a window for train engineers while employed with the company. He would also go on to engineer trucks for the J.C. Wilson Company in Detroit as well as the Globe Motor Truck Company in Northville.
Dr. A.R. Wheeler
The story
1913
february
The Admiral Motor Car Company was organized in February of 1913. The goal was to make commercial vehicles concentrating on a 1000-pound delivery wagon and a light farm tractor. Capital was raised by local investors in the amount of $10,000 with $50,000 being the initial investment...
6th
13th
20th
The business was formed with $10,000 raised in local capital with $50,000 being the initial investment...
march
6th
week of march 13th
The Admiral Motor Car Company is incorporated...
april
july
31st
august
30th
october
16th
november
20th
december
11th
1914
january
february-march
5th
It was in this time frame that the company went into receivership according to records. It was stated that the remaining orders would be filled but it is unclear if that actually occurred...
may
D.C. Evans had left by May of 1914 and headed up the Detroit branch of Goodyear...
august
1915
february
4th
1916
G.E. Porter eventually left the company. He had helped design the Globe Motor Truck Company of Northville, MI which was later sold and relocated to St. Louis, MO...
