Walter Lorenzo Marr
| Walter Lorenzo Marr | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 14, 1865 Lexington, Michigan |
| Died | December 11, 1941 (aged 76) |
| Occupation | Automotive engineer |
| Employer | Marr Auto-Car Company |
| Children | Walter Durant Marr |
Walter Lorenzo Marr (August 14, 1865 – December 11, 1941) was the creator of the Marr Auto-Car Company from 1903-1904.[1] He was the first Chief Engineer for Buick from 1901-1902 and 1904-1918.[2] Possibly his most noteworthy achievement was building the first automobile with an overhead valve engine.[3] This he did in 1898 when he built his second car—a trike that weighed 118 pounds, and whose single cylinder had a bore and stroke of 3 inches each.[3] He brought the concept of the overhead valve engine with him to Buick in 1901, where the invention was patented to Buick's chief engineer Eugene Richard in 1904 (applied 1902).[4]
Biography
He was born on August 14, 1865, in Lexington, Michigan.[5]
He created the Marr Auto-Car Company in 1903.[1] He was the first Chief Engineer for Buick from 1901-1902 and 1904-1918.[2]
He died on December 11, 1941.[6]
Legacy
His papers are archived at Kettering University.[7] He had a vacation home at Signal Mountain, Tennessee.[8]
References
- 1 2 "Bicycle Policemen Capture Three After Long, Hard Chases.". New York Times. January 19, 1905. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
Walter L. Marr of Detroit who has a reputation as a designer of automobiles and as a racing chauffeur, and who is exhibiting machines at the Madison Square Garden for a manufacturer, was arrested while giving a prospective customer a ride up in Lexington Avenue yesterday afternoon, charged with failing to display a license number on the machine.
- 1 2 Beverly Rae Kimes & James H. Cox. Walter L. Marr - Buick's Amazing Engineer.
- 1 2 "Walter L. Marr, Buick's Amazing Engineer", 2007, Beverly Rae Kimes, Racemaker Press, Boston, www.racemaker.com
- ↑ "The Buick, A Complete History," third ed., 1987, Terry P. Dunham and Lawrence Gustin.
- ↑ "Remembering Signal Mountain's Walter Marr". The Chattanoogan. October 13, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
Born on Aug. 14, 1865, in Lake Huron, Mich., just days after the Civil War ended, he came from humble origins, In fact, Mr. Marr began working at a young age to help support his family.
- ↑ "Walter L. Marr". New York Times. December 12, 1941. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
Walter L. Marr, pioneer automotive engineer and originator of the ... Mr. Marr was born in Lexington, Mich., and began his mechanical career in 1882 as an ...
- ↑ "Walter L. Marr". Kettering University. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
- ↑ John Shearer (October 13, 2008). "Remembering Signal Mountain's Walter Marr". Chattanoogan.