Huber
The Huber Manufacturing Co. of Marion, Ohio, can trace its origins
back to 1874 when Huber Mfc Co. was formed after Huber bought out his partners.
The company started with a patented Hay
rake designed by Huber and other agricultural products. The company then
moved into the early tractor business and building threshers. Latter they
switched to the construction industry building Road
Rollers.
History
The Firm was founded by Edward Huber (born 1837), in Dearbourn Co., Indiana.
Then in 1863 he patented a wooden hay rake. Huber then Married a miss Elizabeth
Hammerle, and Joined the Kanable Brothers planing mill to build the Hay rakes in
1865. With partners he then bought out Kanable and formed Kalwark, Hammerle,
Monday and Huber. According to the October 2010 article Huber
Tractor history and toystory in "the Fence Post" the firm of Kowalke,
Hammerle, Monday and Huber was formed in 1866 (note the difference in spelling
for Kalwark, correct spelling is unverified). It appears that a May 2005 article at farmcollector.com refers to this same
company as Kowalke & Hammerle Planing Mill, of which Huber as
superintendent.
In anycase everyone agrees that this partnership lasted only until 1870 when
it was reorganized as Huber & Gunn Co.
In 1874 Huber then formed the Huber Manufacturing Co. and stated
building Steam
Engines and Threshing
machines. Followed by a Road scraper in 1875. By 1878 was building a
Portable engine for powering threshers, and then 2 years later a Steam Traction
engine in 1880.
Huber then started manufacturing a patented for George W King. who than with
Henry Barnhart formed the Marion
Steam Shovel Company. They contracted out manufacture of the first 4 shovels
to Huber.
In 1886 introduced a Steam Road Roller based on a Traction engine.
By 1894 Huber was experimenting with a Gas tractor engine, and in 1898 bought
the rights to a Gas tractor engine designed by Van Duzen, and built 30 Gas
tractors. Edward Huber Died in 1904, aged 67.
Tractor
production
A range of new tractors appeared starting in 1911 with the 2-cylinder 15-30
and 30-60 prairie tractor which was soon re-rated as a 35-70. The 20-40
4-cylinder followed in 1914, followed by the Light Four Cross Motor a 12-15
model in 1920. A 15-30 Super Four was then launched.
Introduced High speed automotive engined rollers in 1923
In 1931/32 Huber built/sold 266 tractors to Avery.
Tractor production ended during WW II when production shifted to road
construction machinery.
In the 1950 a new model was built to re-enter the tractor market. The Huber
Global B.
ATO took over Huber in 1969, and moved the firm to Charleston, North
Caroliner in 1977, then shut the division down in 1984.
A Huber
Museum was opened in 1989, and a Huber machinery Museum later in 1996 opened
at the Marion County Showgrounds.
Model range
Tractors
- Huber
15-30 - 1911
- Huber
30-60 - 1911 rerated to 35-70 in 1912
- Huber
20-40 - 1914
- Huber
12-15 (light Four Cross tractor) - 1920
- Huber
Super Four tractor> 15-30 - 1921-24, replaced by the 18-36 rated version
for 1925
- Huber
Master Four Tractor 25-50 Cross motor - 1923 (dropped soon after)
- Huber
Super 18-36 a inline 4-cylinder add ed in 1927
- Huber
Super Four 20-40 - 1927, rerated to 32-45 in 1929
- Huber
Super Four 25-50 - 1927, rerated to 40-62 in 29 produced till 1942.
- Huber
Light Four 20-36 - 1930, built til 1943, also in HK and HS versions.
- Huber
Modern Farmer - 1931 a light model with Waukesha engines.
Rollers
- Huber
Rollers - 1942 produced under direction of War Dept.
