Biography of Charles and Frank Duryea
From birth to death, the Duryea brothers have changed history by creating the first automobile in the United States. These brothers changed the way people looked at travel. Even though their success didn’t last long, Charles and Frank affected todays world when by inventing automobiles.
Charles and Frank Duryea, two brothers from Illinois changes history and how people travel today. Charles was born on December 15, 1861 in Canton, Illinois. His brother Frank was later born on October 8, 1869 in Washburn, Illinois. There father and mother were George Washington Duryea and Louisa Melvina Turner. After high school, Charles moved to Washington D.C. to work in the bicycle business, and Frank shortly followed after.
One day in 1886, Charles had seen a stationary gasoline engine that he saw able to power a carriage or wagon. This gave him an idea and put him to work to design an automobile. In 1991 Charles finished the design and he and his brother Frank went to work on building the automobile. When they were finished, the completed car was the first car to be driven down the streets in Springfield, Massachusetts on September 22, 1893.
In 1895 the brothers created their company that was know as the Duryea Motor Wagon Company. Soon after this accomplishment, Charles and Frank went on to improve this model and later on copied it and sold 13 more copies. This improves version won races in 1895. But the company soon failed and the brothers went in different directions. Charles still continued to make other vehicles. This included some three-wheeled ones. But as for Frank, he continued on to make bicycles. He soon developed the Stevens-Duryea Company.
Even with all their success, sadness hit when Charles died on September 28, 1938. Frank still continued to work with automobiles till February 15, 1867 when he passed away. Even with their passing their ideas traveled to others who improved and followed those of the duryea brothers, and to this day has changed the way people travel.
-"Charles E. Duryea and J. Frank Duryea". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 23 Oct. 2013
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1345837/Charles-E-Duryea-and-J-Frank-Duryea>.
-“Auto inventor Charles Duryea dies.” 2013. The History Channel website. Oct 24 2013, 10:06 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/auto-inventor-charles-duryea-dies.
Charles and Frank Duryea, two brothers from Illinois changes history and how people travel today. Charles was born on December 15, 1861 in Canton, Illinois. His brother Frank was later born on October 8, 1869 in Washburn, Illinois. There father and mother were George Washington Duryea and Louisa Melvina Turner. After high school, Charles moved to Washington D.C. to work in the bicycle business, and Frank shortly followed after.
One day in 1886, Charles had seen a stationary gasoline engine that he saw able to power a carriage or wagon. This gave him an idea and put him to work to design an automobile. In 1991 Charles finished the design and he and his brother Frank went to work on building the automobile. When they were finished, the completed car was the first car to be driven down the streets in Springfield, Massachusetts on September 22, 1893.
In 1895 the brothers created their company that was know as the Duryea Motor Wagon Company. Soon after this accomplishment, Charles and Frank went on to improve this model and later on copied it and sold 13 more copies. This improves version won races in 1895. But the company soon failed and the brothers went in different directions. Charles still continued to make other vehicles. This included some three-wheeled ones. But as for Frank, he continued on to make bicycles. He soon developed the Stevens-Duryea Company.
Even with all their success, sadness hit when Charles died on September 28, 1938. Frank still continued to work with automobiles till February 15, 1867 when he passed away. Even with their passing their ideas traveled to others who improved and followed those of the duryea brothers, and to this day has changed the way people travel.
-"Charles E. Duryea and J. Frank Duryea". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 23 Oct. 2013
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1345837/Charles-E-Duryea-and-J-Frank-Duryea>.
-“Auto inventor Charles Duryea dies.” 2013. The History Channel website. Oct 24 2013, 10:06 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/auto-inventor-charles-duryea-dies.