An 1847 (!) Studebaker hay wagon

[garyash]

I was having lunch with some friends today, and one of the guys asked me if I had a 1947 Studebaker. I explained that I didn't have one of those in spite of having two Studebaker station wagons, so he told me about a house in his neighborhood that had a lot of stuff in the front yard and a sign that said it had a 1947 Studebaker wagon, "only three left in U.S.A.". OK, so there weren't any 1947 Studebaker station wagons, except the one prototype, but it sounded like something I should check out. After lunch, I drove down to the area and found the wagon: an 1847 Studebaker hay wagon. I guess my buddy misunderstood what he had been looking at for many years, as not everyone understands that Studebaker built wagons and carriages long before bullet-nose cars.

I took a few photos, but I'll have to go back and talk to the owner. He must have some reason to think it is as old as 1847. It is outside in the weather, but it has been kept painted and is in pretty good shape. There are a couple of fiberglass horses and a sleigh to keep it company. I've seen other types of Studebaker wagons, but never a hay wagon like this. It has the curved bottom of the old Conestoga wagons.

[paul shuffleburg]

Did Studebaker produce a wagon before 1852?

[garyash]

John C. Studebaker, the father of the five famous brothers (and their five sisters - name them!), was making wagons in Gettysburg, PA from 1830 and in Ashland, Ohio from 1836-1851 before moving to South Bend. So, it's possible to have a Studebaker wagon from 1847. I want to see the documentation, however, before proclaiming this to be the oldest Studebaker in existence. One of my great-great-great grandfathers and his sons made wagons in a village near Watertown, NY in the 1830s to 1860s, but I don't have one of their wagons.

See this for a good history of the Studebaker family and company: http://www.stude100.com/index.php

[2moredoors]

I find the hay wagon interesting as all the hay wagons I am familiar with had high "racks" front and rear yet the example shown has smaller "racks" around the parameter. It must be a sign of the times they were built. Hay loaders were used before bailers and the high racks assisted this design. I believe the parameter approach was used is to assist in manual loading of loose hay. I have noticed that movies and television shows of a more recent vintage show hay as bailed hay. This wagon would not have been used for bailed hay.
Thank you for posting.

[rockne10]

All things are possible but, I don't believe there can be any documentation to put a year on this wagon, Studebaker or otherwise. It would be nice to be able to verify it a Studebaker from the original shop in Adams County, PA but, that too would be nearly impossible.

The Keystone Region Chapter maintains a small monument at the location of John Studebaker's original shop near Gettysburg in Adams County, PA. It was dedicated at the 1980 Gettysburg International meet.

I have gathered bits of charcoal and crockery from the site.

[studeclunker]

It's people like the owner of this wagon that get otherwise law-abiding folks like me put in prison. My first temptation would be to take a club and beat the moron senseless. If this wagon is even an 1887 Studebaker it certainly won't make it another five years sitting out like that. Especially with rotten hay and pumpkins stacked on it, not to mention the wheels sitting in damp/wet ground and grass. This kind of stupidity just pushes me over the edge!

[nebraska stude]

This type of (body) would be early, and is of the type I have seen in photos of British wagons. One way to determine the age of wagons, are the wheel hubs, and the axle nut, some early ones only used a big pin. These hubs are iron, am thinking but not positive they are from a later era. Hate to see it in the weather too.