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For well over a half century the highly
respected firm of Duhamel
& Singer, and its successor, H. Duhamel & Sons Co. served as
Brooklyn's
premier source for high class carriages and funeral vehicles. They
successfully
made the transition to motorized hearses, albeit in a small way,
surviving into
the late 1930s as a full service auto body repair facility.
The firm was founded by a French Canadian
immigrant named Hilaire (aka
Hilary) Duhamel (wife Mary) who learned the trade from his father Isaac
H.
Duhamel, a well-known wagon builder/blacksmith who was born in St.
Hyacinthe
County, Quebec – a small community located 35 miles east of Montreal in
1818.
According to the 1851 Census of Canada East (Quebec), Canada West, New
Brunswick and Nova Scotia, our subject, Hilaire Brasseur Duhamel, was
born in July
1840 in St. Hyacinthe County, Quebec to Isaac H. and Louise (Maurier)
Duhamel.
Mary and Hilaire B. Duhamel's union was
blessed with the
birth of one daughter and five sons, three of whom (Louise, Nazaire and
Omaire)
later occupied positions of importance in the firm. The 1910 US Census
list his
year of immigration as 1862 and he's listed in the 1866 IRS Tax
Assessment List
for New York City as follows:
"Hillary Duhamel 201 3d street factory –
income $92"
The 1869 New York City Directory list him as
a blacksmith:
"Duhamel Hilaire, smith, 1594 Third av."
Shortly thereafter he entered into a
partnership with
Medartus (aka Medard) Singer (b. Oct. 15, 1834 - d. Oct. 5, 1895) a
Bavarian-born carriage maker, who's listing in the 1867-68 New York
City
Directory follows:
"Medard Singer (coach mkr) h. 171 Allen"
Medartus Singer was born October 15, 1834 in
Schwarzwalduskreis,
Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, to Johannes and Marianna [Klotz] Singer.
Naturalized in
1872, his occupation on the application being 'carriage maker', his
address 221
Christy St. Witness was Carl Ernd Schwarnd, whose occupation was also
carriagemaker. Singer married Magdelena - aka Lena - (Roth) and their
union was
blessed with the birth of two children; a daughter, Pauline (m.
Brighton - b.
1869 – d. 1924) and son, Albert (b. 1889) Singer.
The 1876-1877 Brooklyn Directories list
Singer as follows:
"Medartus Singer, carriagemkr, h. 196
Wilson."
The 1878 Brooklyn Directory officially
mentions the
partnership for the first time, however it is believed they joined
forces
several years earlier:
"Medartus Singer, carriagemkr, h. 89 Wythe
av"
"Duhamel & Singer, carriage makers,
169-171 Clymer
St."
The 1880 annual census of factory
inspections in New York
State provides the following statistics for the partnership:
"Duhamel & Singer, of 169 Clymer
street,
employ 16
hands, pay nearly $10,000 for salaries and wages, and produce annually
nearly
$20,000."
Ironically, one of the Northeast's most
famous carriage
builders, James N. Brewster, of Brewster and Co., lived down the street
at the
foot of Clymer St. in the Abraham A. Remsen farmhouse from 1850-1870.
Clymer Street was named for George Clymer,
signer of the
Declaration of Independence. Constructed of hewn timber in 1759, the
Abraham A.
Remsen farmhouse stood back from the road near the end of
the street. Having
heard that the houses on the Isle of Cuba were painted a blue color,
Brewster decided
to paint the cedar shingles blue, which contrasted nicely with the
wisteria
vine that covered most of the house (which was torn down in 1879
to make
room for a factory).
The Duhamel family's (& Singer's)
listings in the1881-1884
Brooklyn Directories follow:
"Hilary Duhamel (carriage mkr) 169 Clymer,
h. 25
Gwinnett
"Isaac H. Duhamel (wagon bldr) h. 25
Gwinnett
"Duhamel & Singer (Hilary Duhamel
&
Medard
Singer) carriage mkrs, 169 Clymer
"Medard Singer (carriage mkr) 169 Clymer
h.196
Wilson"
By that time Duhamel & Singer
were well-known
for their elaborate funeral coaches, one of which was pictured in the
April
1882 issue of the Hub:
"No. 8. FULL-SIZE HEARSE.-Scale, one-half
inch.
"We are indebted to
Messrs., Duhamel & Singer, of
Brooklyn, N. Y., for permission to publish this design, which not only
represents an individual pattern built by them, but also illustrates in
a
general way, so far as the shape of the body and moldings is concerned,
a
leading and representative pattern now popular in New York, Newark, etc.
"It will be seen, by reference to fashion
plates
previously published in The Hub that, until a few years
ago, the
side moldings of Hearses were commonly given a multiplicity of corners,
sweeps
and angles. This tendency led to a reaction, the result of which we now
see in
the endeavor to avoid all superfluities and to return to plain styles.
The
glasses shown in our cut have six corners each, and the lines of the
moldings
are as little swept as a long body will permit of without giving an
angular or
stiff appearance. Another advantage of this finish is, that the drapery
is
displayed to good advantage, and we notice that most of those firms who
make a
specialty of fine Hearses pay much attention to artistic and tasteful
trimmings, which indeed most attract the eye of the general public. The
form of
driver's-seat shown in our cut is original with Messrs. Duhamel
&
Singer, and is also used by them on Coaches. It is claimed that,
when
represented on paper, this boot does not appear to so good advantage as
on the
vehicle itself (which we can readily understand), but that customers
generally
approve of it.
"Dimensions.—The principal dimensions
are as
follow: Width of body, 39 in. Wheels, 3 ft. 5 in. and 4 ft. 1 in. Hubs,
5
3/8 x 8 in. Spokes, 1 ½
in. Rims, 1 3/4 x 1 ½ in.
Tire, 1 ¾ x ¾ in.
Axles, 1 ¾ in. Springs, 5 plates, 1 3/8 in."
The firm's lsitings in the 1885 Brooklyn
Directory follow:
"Hilary Duhamel (carriage mkr.) 169
Clymer,
h. 25 Gwinnett
"Duhamel & Singer, carriage mkrs, 169
Clymer
"Medard Singer (carriage mfr) 169 Clymer
h.196
Wilson"
Singer's listing in the 1887-1888 Brooklyn
Directory follows:
"Medard Singer (carriage mfr) 169 Clymer
h.
96
Clymer"
A reference to the firm made in the July
1, 1889 issue
of The Hub indicates the partnership was dissolved:
"Trade Booming - H. Duhamel & Co., 171
Clymer st.,
Brooklyn, N.Y., formerly Duhamel & Singer, report trade booming.
They are
behind on their ordered work owing to the continual increase in their
trade.
The firm are building quite a number of fine coaches of the latest
design to
order and claim that their work is much sought after."
Although Duhamel's address remained the same
(169-171
Clymer) the 1889 Brooklyn Directory lists a different business address
for
Singer, 245 Fourth Ave., which was approximately 4 miles southeast in
the Park
Slope section of Brooklyn:
"Medart Singer, carriages, 245 4th ave.,
h.
718 Degraw"
The 1890 Brooklyn Directory indicates that
Singer had taken
in a partner named Christian Danzer:
"Christian Danzer, carriagemkr, 245 4th
av, h. 632 President
"Singer & Danzer, wagonmfrs, 245 4th av
"Medart Singer, carriages, 245 4th ave.,
h. 619 President st."
The 1891-1894 Brooklyn Directories indicate
the partnership between Danxer and Singer was short-lived, and Medartus
Singer passed away on October 5, 1895:
"Christian Danzer, Blacksmith, 333 Nevins,
h. 632
President st.
"Medart Singer, carriagemkr / wagonmkr,
245
4th ave.,
h. 619 President st."
Two years prior to Singer's death,
Hilaire Duhamel
relocated his business to the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, the
July 1893
issue of The Hub reporting:
"H. DUHAMEL, formerly
of Duhamel & Singer, has just completed his handsome
brick
carriage factory at Wallabout and Middleton sts., Brooklyn, N. Y.
It is
one of the best equipped in that city. The dimensions are 65 x 70 feet,
four
stories high. Mr. Duhamel has a good reputation for turning out first
class
heavy work and in visiting the works some nice specimens were seen on
the
floors."
(127 Wallabout Street runs between Middleton
St. and Lee
Ave./Lorimer St.)
Hilaire Duhamel produced some of Brooklyn's
best-looking
equipages, and is recorded as having graduated from the Carriage
Builder's
Technical School in 1899. Duhamel's work continued to be featured in
the
coachbuilding trades (The Hub and Carriage Monthly), with one handsome
design
being offered in the August 1899 issue of the Hub:
"WORKING DRAFT OF HEARSE.
"Scale, 3/4 inch to the foot.
"Designed by H. Duhamel.
"The working draft given this Month is
that
of a hearse
of modem design and finish, from a design by H. Duhamel, an 1899
graduate of
the Carriage Builders' Technical School, from which hearses have been
built by
H. Duhamel, of Brooklyn, New York. The proportions and general features
of this
hearse are strong recommendations, and reflect credit upon the designer
and
builder. Fig. 1 shows the side elevation, giving location and form of
pillars,
boot, front and back end extensions of the body, the layout of the
moldings,
draping of the curtains, and location of the urns. Fig. 2 shows one-
half view
of the front end of the body, with corner and center lights and short
pillars,
the boot outline being shown by dotted lines. Fig. 3 shows the half of
the rear
end, with doors, center pillar, and rear suspension. The pillars are
interchangeable.
"The dimensions of the body are: Length of
the body,
from toe-board to back of moldings, 11 ft. 6 in. Height, 3 ft. 9 in.
over all;
from bottom of sill to crown point of the roof, 3 ft. 9 in. Extreme
width,
outside of moldings on the top, 4 ft.
"Width of table, in. Length of table, 6
ft.
6 in.
Height of body from the floor, 33 in. Pillars, 4'/2 x 2 in. Top
moldings, 6 in.
square. Bottom moldings, 51/2 x 2 in. Sweep of back end, 131/2 in.
Front sweep,
14 in. Urns, 111/2 x 5½ in. square. Width across the front of the boot,
34 in.
Wheels, front, 36 in. and 46 in. Hubs, 71/2 in. long, 61/4 in.
diameter. Depth
of felloes, 1/4 in. Tread of felloes, 1% in, Spokes, 1% in. Number of
spokes,
twelve and fourteen. Tires, rubber, 13/4 in.
"Springs, front, 37½ in. long from center
to
center,
four plates, 1½ in. steel, 101/2 in. open over all; main plate No. 2,
other
plates 2, 2 and a, clipped on. Back springs, 37½ in. long, center to
center,
111/2 in. open over all; 11/2 in, steel; main plate No. 2, other plates
2, 2,
and 3. Back cross spring, 38 in. long from center to center, 3½ in.
open, out-to-out;
11/2 in, steel, four plates; main plate No. 2, other plates Nos. 2, 2,
and 3.
Axles, full Collinge, for 5½ in. hub. Fifth wheel, 20 in, in diameter.
Track, 4
ft. 8 in.
"Seat rail, handles, pole crab,
whiffletree
tips, hub
bands, cap and rollers and pins on the table hand plated, as are also
the
lamps.
"Painting with a set of black pillars and
urns, which
are made changeable.
Trimming: Draperies, broadcloth of black,
white and purple.
The best of white trimming leather for the seat. The moldings and
carvings are
handwork."
The 1906 Trow Directory of Directors in the
City of New York
indicates his sons had joined him in the management of the Wallabout
Street
works:
"DUHAMEL, HILARY, 127 Wallabout
Street, Brooklyn. H. Duhamel & Sons, President,
Treasurer and Director.
"DUHAMEL, L. J., 127 Wallabout Street,
Brooklyn. H. Duhamel & Sons, Director.
"DUHAMEL, O. J., 127 Wallabout
Street, Brooklyn.
H. Duhamel & Sons, V. Pres. and Dir."
The October 1, 1912 edition of the Brooklyn
Daily Eagle
announced the passing of the firm's founder at the age of 71:
"DUHAMEL – On Sunday, September 29, 1912
at
Lakewood,
N.J., HILAIRE DUHAMEL, aged 71 years. Funeral from his late residence,
61 Lynch
St., on Wednesday, October 2, at 9 a.m.; thence to the Church of St.
Louis,
Ellery St., near Nostrand Av., where a solemn mass of requiem will be
offered
for the repose of his sole. Interment in St. Joh's Cemetary."
His obituary in the October 2, 1912 edition
of the New York
Times mentions he was a manufacturer of automobiles, no doubt referring
to the
firm's early motorized funeral cars:
"Hilaire Duhamel, of the firm of H.
Duhamel
& Sons,
manufacturers of automobiles in Brooklyn, died on Sunday at Lakewood,
N.J.,
aged 71. He left five sons and a daughter."
His deather occurred in time to be mentioned
in the October
1912 issue of Carriage Monthly:
"Hilaire Duhamel, long identified with the
vehicle
industry in Brooklyn, N.Y., died September 29th at Lakewood, N.J. to
which
resort he had gone seeking a renewal of his health. Mr. Duhamel was
born near
Montreal, Can., but went to Brooklyn 46 years ago where he founded what
was
then a carriage but now an automobile factory under the firm name of H.
Duhamel
& Sons."
The November 1912 issue of the same
publication carried a more
detailed obituary:
"The Late Hilaire Duhamel In the October
number of this
journal we published a brief announcement of the death of Hilaire
Duhamel,
president of H.Duhamel & Sons, automobile body
builders, Brooklyn, N. Y. Hilaire Duhamel was long… (text missing)"
The business continued to be listed in the
various Manhattan
business directories, its entry in the 1915 edition of the Trow
Directory of
Directors in the City of New York being:
"DUHAMEL, LOUIS 127 Wallabout St Brooklyn;
H
Duhamel
& Sons, Sec & and Dir.
"DUHAMEL, NAZAIRE 127 Wallabout St.
Brooklyn; H.
Duhamel & Sons, Pres., Treas., and Dir.
"DUHAMEL, OMAIRE J. 127 Wallabout St.
Brooklyn; H.
Duhamel & Sons, V. Pres. and Dir."
An obituary in the June 1916 issue of the
Hub mentions that Charles
H. T. Gerstenberg, another early Brooklyn coach builder, got his start
at H.
Duhamel & Co.:
"Charles H. T. Gerstenberg, one of the
oldest carriage
manufacturers in the eastern district, died May 23, after a brief
illness at
his home, 96 Taylor street, Brooklyn, N. Y. Mr. Gerstenberg
moved
to Brooklyn from Manhattan 40 years ago and became identified
with
the carriage manufacturing business as a member of the firm of H.
Duhamel & Co., in Clymer street. Later he branched out for
himself and
had a factory in Bedford avenue. A few years ago he went back to Clymer
street
and remained there until his death. Lately he had confined himself
largely to
the making of automobile bodies. He is survived by his widow and two
sons."
The December 10, 1924 edition of the New
York Times included
the obituary of Nazaire J. Duhamel which indicates the family firm was
still
involved in producing automobile bodies:
"NAZAIRE J. DUHAMEL, member of the firm of
H. Duhamel, Sons, automobile manufacturers at 127 Wallabout
st., Brooklyn, died at his home, 44 Sherman Street, Brooklyn,
on
Sunday."
The Dec. 4, 1928 edition of the Brooklyn
Daily Eagle
reported on his brother Omaire's passing:
"OMAIRE J. DUHAMEL, on Dec 3, 1928,
husband
of Margaret
E. (nee Brennan) and father of J. Omer, Kevin, Stephen and Lucille.
Funeral from his late residence,
234 Seeley St., on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 9:30 am, then to the R.C.
Church of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary, where a solemn requiem mass will be
celebrated.
Interment at St. Johns Cemetery."
The firm's listing in the 1933 Brooklyn
Directory continued
to list the firm as automobile manufacturers, so it's likely a few
hearses were
being constructed at that late date, but I've found no pictures to
corroborate the listing:
"H. Duhamel & Sons, (NY cap. $25,000),
Louis J. Duhamel,
pres.-treas; Kevin F. Duhamel, v-pres.; Jos. Omer Duhamel, sec.; auto
mfrs., 127
Wallabout St."
Louis J. Duhamel's (b. Aug. 7, 1883) WWII
Draft Registration,
dated 1942, lists his employer as Rittberg & Vetter, 355 Butler
St.,
Brooklyn, New York and I could locate no listings for H. Duhamel &
Sons
after 1939. During the 1940s and 1950s 127 Wallabout was home to the
Kason
Hardware Corporation, manufacturers of commercial refrigerator
hardware. The
property was later acquired by the Sonabend-Katz, Inc., a real estate
concern,
and it was eventually razed to make way for the Bnos Spinka Elementary
School
which occupies the property today.
Interestingly a modern-day Connecticut
automobile appraisal
service started by Joseph O. and Peter J.
Duhamel claims
to have direct ties with H. Duhamel & Sons, however, their website
fails to
mention how they're connected:
http://www.duhamels.com/
© 2015 Mark
Theobald for Coachbuilt.com
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