Ketterer and related families papers
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Papers of the Ketterer and related families of New York, focused primarily on the business dealings of C. P. Ketterer Co., manufacturers of horse-drawn wagons during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Biographical / Historical
Philip Ketterer (1821–1877), a manufacturer of express wagons, did business from 90–92 Thompson Street, Manhattan. He was succeeded by his son, Charles, who operated as C. P. Ketterer Co. In addition to factories in Pennsylvania, C. P. Ketterer occupied a building at 214–216 West 17th Street The company—later reorganized as Ketterer & Kobler when Charles took his brother, Philip, and brother-in-law, S. Percival Kobler, into the firm—outgrew this space. In 1905 it purchased property at 211–215 West 19th Street, where the architects Ross & McNeil designed a five-story red brick and cast-iron factory that stands today. At the time, motorized vehicles were rapidly replacing horse-drawn delivery wagons. Although Ketterer & Kobler tried to adapt, even publishing an illustrated brochure of the commercial automobile bodies they could produce, the company soon folded. [For further information, see The Ketterer & Kobler Wagon Factory—Nos. 211-215 West 19th St. at the blog Daytonian in Manhattan.]
Philip Ketterer and his wife, Ann Margaret Kling (1828–1908), had a son, CHARLES PHILIP KETTERER (1847–1915), who married in 1873 Prudence Salome Kobler (1848–1943), daughter of Henry George Kobler (1823–1884) and Caroline Estella Jordy (1819–1904). Prudence's brother was SAMUEL PERCIVAL KOBLER (1859–1949). Charles Philip and Prudence Salome (Kobler) Ketterer had a son, PERCIVAL CHARLES KETTERER (1876–1962), who married in 1902 LETITIA HASLETT KING (1880–1924), daughter of DAVID H. KING (1822–?) and LETITIA H. THOMPSON (circa 1847–1913). Percival Charles and Letitia Haslett (King) Ketterer had a daughter, LETITITA HASLETT KETTERER (1904–2000), who married in 1951 HARRY ABRAHAM CROWN (1887–?). [Capitalized names are represented by items in the collection.]
Arrangement
The collection is organized by surname, with a map and miscellaneous photographs and ephemera following the alphabetical sequence.
Scope and Contents
Although the collection includes materials one would expect to find in any cache of nineteenth and twentieth century family papers—scrapbooks, photographs, and ephemera—the strength of the Ketterer and Related Families Papers lies in the items produced by C. P. Ketterer Co. Charles P. Ketterer, continuing the trade of his father, Philip, manufactured delivery wagons, eventually expanding in the early 1900s to include commercial automobile bodies, as the age of horse-drawn vehicles came to a close. Of chief interest are the photographs of delivery and freight wagons and automobiles constructed by the Ketterer firm (later reorganized as Ketterer & Kobler), most of which bear the names and advertisements of their commercial clients on the sides (see Box 1, Folders 11, 12, 14, and 15). The collection includes a number of mechanical drawings for these vehicles (Box 3, Folders 2–5), as well as some incorporation papers and deeds (Box 1, Folder 8).
Subjects
Organizations
Families
Genres
Access Restrictions
This collection may be stored offsite. To arrange to consult it, please go to www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org.
Preferred Citation
The collection should be cited as the "Ketterer and related families papers, MS 3213, New-York Historical Society."
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Rhonda M. James, 2020 (accession no. MS-2020-014).
About this Guide
Processing Information
Processing of this collection was begun by intern Michelle D. Novak in 2022 and completed by New-York Historical Society staff in 2024.
Repository
Crown, Harry A. (1887–?)
Photographs, circa 1900s, circa 1950s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Portraits of Harry A. Crown (1887–?).
Cornell University "Cornelliana" scrapbook, circa 1910, inclusive
Scope and Contents
"Cornelliana" scrapbook of Harry A. Crown (1887–?), Cornell University Class of 1910, containing photographs, posters, notes, newspaper clippings, invitations, and other ephemera.
Mechanical drawing blueprint for a "Converter", 1919 July 3
Scope and Contents
Approximately 21 x 18 inches.
Wedding photograph and ephemera, 1951 April, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Invitation, guest list, printed "Marriage Service" remembrance booklet (with handwritten marriage data), and photograph of the wedding of Harry A. Crown (1887–?) and Letitia H. Ketterer (1904–2000), April 29, 1951.
Crown, Letitia H. (Ketterer) (1904–2000)
Photographs (1 of 2 folders), circa 1900s-1940s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Miscellaneous black and white photographs of Letitia H. (Ketterer) Crown (1904–2000) as primary subject.
Photographs (2 of 2 folders), circa 1900s-1940s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Various loose photographs where Letitia H. (Ketterer) Crown (1904–2000) is the primary subject. With minor ephemera.
Veltin School scrapbook, circa 1921, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Commercially-produced scrapbook—"A Girl's Graduation Days: A Chronicle arranged by Elizabeth Furlong, illustrated by J. T. Armbrust (Chicago: Jordan & Company, 1921)—given to Letitia H. (Ketterer) Crown (1904–2000) by her mother. Contains handwritten notes, cards, and ephemera documenting Letitia's days at the Veltin School for Girls, a private preparatory school at 160 West 74th Street, Manhattan, from which she graduated May 25, 1921.
Address book, late 20th century, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Small, commercially produced address book most likely owned by Letitita H. (Ketterer) Crown (1904–2000).
Ketterer, Charles P. (1847–1915)
Photographs, circa 1880s-1900s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Two cabinet card portraits of Charles P. Ketterer (1847–1915), one showing him wearing a Royal Arch Masons sash. With an additional cabinet card photograph of Ketterer with two male workers, two children, and "Bill" the goat, taken 1882 outside 90-92 Thompson Street, Manhattan, the shop of "Philip Ketterer Express Wagon Manufacturer."
Ketterer, C. P. Co. (later Ketterer & Kobler), wagon manufacturers
Business papers, 1901-1915, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Miscellaneous business papers of C. P. Ketterer Co. (later Ketterer & Kobler), including a letter of resignation from Philip H. Ketterer (1902); canceled checks signed by S. Percival Kobler, treasurer (1904, 1908); agreement (1906) and deeds (1915) for property on West 19th Street, Manhattan; and a certified copy of the New Jersey certificate of incorporation for C. P. Ketterer Company (1913).
Railroad stock certificates, 1885-1886, 1944, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Stock certificates for The Staten Island Rapid Transit Co. (1885-1886) and the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis Railroad Co. (1944).
Photographs, fire wagon and fire automobile, circa 1900s-1920s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Two black-and-white photographs of a C. P. Ketterer Fire Wagon (circa 1900s) and one black-and-white photograph of a C. P. Ketterer Co. Fire Vehicle (circa 1915).
[See also Box 3 (oversize), Folder 2, for two mechanical drawings which may be of a fire wagon.]
[Note: The building seen behind the vehicles in many of the photographs is either the C. P. Ketterer Co. factory located at 214-216 West 17th Street, Manhattan, or 211-215 West 19th Street, Manhattan. The lot for the West 19th Street building was purchased in 1905.]
Photographs, horse-drawn delivery wagons, circa 1900s-1910s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Black-and-white photographs of C. P. Ketterer horse-drawn delivery wagons, most bearing names of commercial clients on the side, including
• Eickelberg (951 Fifth Avenue)
• C. Shayne & Co., Furriers (126 West 42nd Street)
• Champion Laundry (106-108-110 Seventh Avenue & 346 Columbus Avenue)
• Dunlap's Hats
• Express Company General
• Fleischman, Florist (Hoffman House)
• Fleischman, Roses (25th Street & Broadway)
• Follmer, Clogg & Co., Umbrellas & Parasols (114-116 Fifth Avenue)
• Franklin Simon & Co. (5th Avenue, 37th & 38th Streets)
• Friedlanders (43-45-47 West 33rd Street)
• Hecht Bros. (259-261 Sixth Avenue)
• James McCreery & Co.
• Merchants Express Company
• M. T. Keenan, Florist, Decorator (410 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn)
• Passavant & Co. (80, 82, 83 & 85 Greene Street)
• Phenix Cheese Co. (345 Greenwich Street)
• P. L. Bogart, Florist (970 Sixth Avenue)
• Revillon Furriers (34th Street near Fifth Avenue)
• Styles & Cash, Printers & Stationers (135 West 14th Street)
[Note: The building seen behind the vehicles in many of the photographs is either the C. P. Ketterer Co. factory located at 214-216 West 17th Street, Manhattan, or 211-215 West 19th Street, Manhattan. The lot for the West 19th Street building was purchased in 1905.]
Photographs, horse-drawn freight wagons, circa 1900s-1910s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Black-and-white photographs of C. P. Ketterer horse-drawn freight wagons, most bearing names of commercial clients on the side, including
• The 14th Street Store
• Adams Express Company / Southern Express Company
• Columbia Warehouses (Columbus Avenue & 67th Street)
• E. J. Denning & Co., Furniture (Broadway)
• Empire Paper Tube and Box Co. (445–453 West Street)
• Fred Macey Co. Ltd., Office Furniture (343 Broadway)
• Hilton, Hughes & Co. (Broadway, Fourth Avenue, 9th & 10th Streets)
• J. Wieman, Transfer Agent (4 East 18th Street)
• J. Weiman, Truckman (4 East 18th Street)
• Rothenberg & Co., Furniture and Carpets (West 14th Street)
• Scallon (1244 Broadway)
• Siegel Cooper Co. (Sixth Avenue, 18th & 19th Streets)
• United States Express Company
[Note: The building seen behind the vehicles in many of the photographs is either the C. P. Ketterer Co. factory located at 214-216 West 17th Street, Manhattan, or 211-215 West 19th Street, Manhattan. The lot for the West 19th Street building was purchased in 1905.]
Photographs, passenger automobile bodies, circa 1910s-1920s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Black-and-white photographs of C. P. Ketterer Co. passenger automobile bodies of various styles (roadster, sedan, etc.).
[Note: The building seen behind the vehicles in many of the photographs is either the C. P. Ketterer Co. factory located at 214-216 West 17th Street, Manhattan, or 211-215 West 19th Street, Manhattan. The lot for the West 19th Street building was purchased in 1905.]
Photographs, delivery and freight automobile bodies, circa 1910s-1920s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Black-and-white photographs of C. P. Ketterer Co. delivery and freight automobile bodies, most bearing names of commercial clients on the side, including
• A. Vantine & Co. (Broadway)
• Brewster & Co. (670 Fifth Avenue)
• Bush Terminal Co.
• Cammeyer Shoes (381 Fifth Avenue & Sixth Avenue at 20th Street)
• Charles Gachot, Meats (429 West 14th Street)
• Columbia Theatrical Transfer Company, Inc. (631–33–35 West 130th Street)
• David Clarke's Sons, Floral Decorators (Broadway corner 75th Street)
• Fleischman Roses (Fifth Avenue corner 42nd Street)
• G. D. P.
• The "G" Big Furniture Works (203–205 East 76th Street)
• Henry W. Boettger Silk Finishing Co. (125 Prince Street)
• Howard S. Martin, Moving Van (Newburgh, N.Y.)
• M. Knoedler & Co. (556–558 Fifth Avenue)
• M. S. Mishler (Little River, Florida)
• Schulman & Koldehofe, Wholesale Grocers (Harlem Market)
• Siegel Cooper Co. (Sixth Avenue, 18th & 19th Streets)
• Siegel Cooper Co. / Greenhut & Co. (Sixth Avenue, 18th & 19th Streets)
• Staten Island Shipbuilding Co.
• Stern Brothers
• U.S. Q. M. D. No. 1
• W. & J. Sloane, Special Delivery
• W. & J. Sloane (Broadway & 19th Street)
[Note: The building seen behind the vehicles in many of the photographs is either the C. P. Ketterer Co. factory located at 214-216 West 17th Street, Manhattan, or 211-215 West 19th Street, Manhattan. The lot for the West 19th Street building was purchased in 1905.]
Commercial Automobile Bodies brochure, circa 1910s-1920s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Printed brochure for "C. P. Ketterer Co. Manufacturers of Commercial Automobile Bodies." Loose sheets and covers and bound with cord. Contains photographic reproductions from some loose photos.
Reproductions include commercial vehicles for Bush Terminal Co., Stern Brothers, R. H. Macy & Co.; W. J. Sloane; Fulton Creamery Co. Ice Cream, and one vehicle with no customer identification.
Mechanical drawings, fire wagon (possibly), circa 1895, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Mechanical drawing for (possibly) a fire wagon design, circa 1900. Reverse inscribed (faint) "P.[C.?] Ketterer, West [6?]2nd Street." Approximately 19 x 13 inches.
Mechanical drawing showing frame design for a wagon, possibly for a fire wagon, circa 1900. No signature or date. Approximately 17 x 10 inches.
Mechanical drawings, horse-drawn delivery wagons, circa 1915, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Mechanical drawings on drafting paper for horse-drawn carriages, circa 1915. Signed "Percival C. Ketterer." Approximately 12 x 11 inches.
Mechanical drawings, passenger automobiles, circa 1915, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Mechanical drawings on drafting paper for passenger automobile bodies (10), circa 1915. Bulk signed "P. C. Ketterer, Design and Builder." Approximately 18 x 9 inches.
Mechanical drawings, delivery and freight automobiles, circa 1915, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Mechanical drawings (4) for freight automobiles, circa 1915. Signed "P. C. Ketterer" for C. P. Ketterer Co. Approximately 26 x 13 inches (3 drawings) and 18 x 9 inches (1 drawing).
Ketterer, Letitia H. (King) (1880–1924)
Photographs and ephemera, circa 1900s-1920s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Loose photographs of Letitia H. King (1880-1924). Includes multi-generational photos of Letitia H. (King) Ketterer (mother), Letitia H. Ketterer (baby), and Letitia (Thompson) King (grandmother). Among the ephemera is "The Phrenology Journal and the Phrenology Magazine" pamphlet and reading for "Miss L. H. King" dated 1901 by J. A. Fowler.
Wedding photographs and ephemera, 1902, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Family group photo (no date) of Letitia H. (King) Ketterer (1880-1924) and Percival C. Ketterer (1876-1962) holding infant Letitia H. (Ketterer) Crown (1904-2000). Includes wedding book/marriage certificate, dated 29 December 1902, and a swatch of lace.
Estate, 1930, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Legal document. Surrogate's Court, New York County (P 1395-1924, 1930) "Application for the Revocation of Letters of Testamentary, Removal of Trustee, for a Compulsory Accounting, etc." Application by Letitia H. (Ketterer) Crown (1904–2000) to remove Morris J. Werner, Esq., as a trustee of her late mother's estate.
Ketterer, Percival C. (1876–1962)
Photographs and ephemera, circa 1880s-1910s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Percival C. Ketterer (1876-1962), circa 1890s and 1920s; a copy of his 1879 New York City birth certificate; and a City of New York Air Warden Service Certificate, 1942.
Technical School for Carriage Draftsmen and Mechanics, Certificate of Progress, 1894 May 1
Scope and Contents
Issued to Percival C. Ketterer (1876–1962).
King, David H. (1822–?)
Naturalization, 1852, 1867, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Petition for U.S. Naturalization for David H. King (1822–?), 1852 April 6-7. Approximately 8 x 13 inches.
U.S. Naturalization Certificate, State of New York, for David H. King (1822–?), 1867. Approximately 18 x 19 inches.
King, Letitia H. (Thompson) (circa 1847–1913)
Photographs, circa 1880s-1910s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Loose photographs of Letitia H. Thompson (circa 1847-1913).
Naturalization, 1881 December 2
Scope and Contents
U.S. Naturalization Certificate, State of New York, for Letitia (Thompson) King (circa 1847-1913). Approximately 16 x 21 inches.
U.S. Naturalization Certificate, Superior Court of the City of New York (duplicate certificate), for Letitia (Thompson) King (circa 1847-1913). Approximately 10 x 13 inches.
Kobler, Samuel Percival (1859–1949)
Photographs, circa 1900s-1910s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Photographs of Samuel P. Kobler [S. Percival Kobler] (1859-1949) and near family members.
Map
Map of "The Green-Wood Cemetery," Brooklyn, New York, circa 1920s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Commercially-printed map of Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York with annotations in red ink mapping the route to two locations within the cemetery (significance of markings unknown).
Photographs and ephemera
Cased tintype, circa 1870s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Cased tintype, circa 1870s, in foamcore enclosure. (Conserved 2022.)
Family cabinet card album, circa 1870s-1900s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Note: Cabinet card album pages are not numbered. The page numbers [in brackets] below reflect the order of the photos as they appear in the album.
[01] "Letitia Thompson King"
[02] "Letitia Haslett King (one year)"
[03] "Letitia Haslett King (three years)"
[04] "Letitia Thompson King"
[05] "Letitia Haslett King 1898"
[06] "Letitia Haslett King (seven years)"
[07] "William (standing), John & Lizzie Thompson, Uncle William's [Thompson (1815– )] Children"
[08] [empty page]
[09] "Percival Charles Ketterer and Alice Miller" [Image shows young children in costumes of French aristocracy.]
[10] "Lizzie Taylor Thompson" [Elizabeth Mary Taylor (1860– )]
[11] "David Thompson" [(1855?– )]
[12] "Catherine Marshall, Mrs. William Thompson" [(1851– )]
[13] "Uncle William Thompson" [Rev., (1851– )]
[14] "Uncle James King"
[15] "Hannah Houseman (Mrs. James King)"
[16] "Eliza Thompson Irwin"
[17] "Aunt Bella" [Isabella Thompson (1867– )]
[18] "Uncle James Thompson"
[19] "S. Thompson, May 8th [18]94. Uncle Robert's daughter Sarah." [Sarah Elizabeth Thompson (1875– )]
[20] "Letitia Haslett King, 1889"
[21] "Emily Charles"
[22] "Letitia Haslett King (twelve years)"
[23] "Dr. Joseph R. Kerr. Fourth Pres. Church [1893]"
[24] [Charles Percival Ketterer (1847–1915)]
[24a] (loose photo) [Charles Percival Ketterer (1847–1915)]
[25] [Prudence Salome (Kobler) Ketterer (1848–1943)]
[26] "Kathleen & Fannie"
[26a] (loose photo) [Unidentified family and horse-drawn trap. Likely Rev. William Thompson and family, Kinglassie, Fife, Scotland. Woman (Catherine Marshall), boy (John M.), and girl (Frances E.) in horse-drawn trap/wagon with older boy (William Jr.) standing in foreground. Woman servant (possibly a nanny) stands at left, male servant (possibly a groom) holds the reins. Man (Rev. Thompson) stands in the doorway.]
[27] "Fannie Cuthbert Guthrie (two & a half years)"
[28] [Unidentified young man]
[29] "Uncle John Thompson (seated) and friends"
[30] [Unidentified group portrait]
[31] "William Thompson—with arms folded—Uncle William's oldest boy"
[32] "Great-Grandpa & Grandma J. Thompson & Uncle Harry"
[32a] (loose photo) "Letitia Thompson King"
[32b] (loose photo) [inscription] "Letitia— with love David 14/6/[18]88"
[32c] (loose photo) "[?] King"
[32d] (loose photo) "Great Grandpa Thompson"
[32e] (loose photo) "Bella Thompson Guthrie"
[32f] (loose photo) [Unidentified seated woman]
[32g] (loose photo) [Unidentified seated man]
[32h] (loose photo) [Unidentified man in early automobile/horseless carriage on dirt road, circa 1900. Possibly a Thompson family member.]
Family photograph album, 1905, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Black commercially-produced photo album (8" x 5.5") with "Summer of 1905" inscribed in ink on the first interior page. Contains various black and white family photographs mounted to pages. Most identified at a later date by Letitia H. Ketterer (1904-2000, Donor) in red ink, some photos marked as unknown.
Family photograph album, circa 1920s-1940s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Brown commercially-produced photo album (7" x 6") with miscellaneous mounted and loose Ketterer family photographs, ca. 1920-1945. Includes photographs of Letitia H. Ketterer (1904-2000, Donor) on a horse and a "Third Prize" award ribbon from the Barret County Fair, 1925.
Family photographs, miscellaneous (1 of 3 folders), circa 1880s-1940s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Miscellaneous black and white photographs of Letitia H. (Ketterer) Crown (1904-2000) and her parents, Percival C. Ketterer (1876-1962) and Letitia H. (King) Ketterer (1880-1924), as well as few photographs with extended family. Various dates and locations, including some family vacation pictures.
Family photographs, miscellaneous (2 of 3 folders), circa 1880s-1940s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Miscellaneous black and white photo portraits and cabinet cards. Some photos marked on back with names; bulk unmarked and not dated. [Card-mounted photos in seperate slings contained within folder.]
Family photographs, miscellaneous (3 of 3 folders), circa 1900s-1940s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Miscellaneous black and white photographs of Letitia H. (Ketterer) Crown (1904-2000) and her parents, Percival C. Ketterer (1876-1962) and Letitia H. (King) Ketterer (1880-1924). Photos appear to be taken at various family properties, interiors and exteriors, and on a summer 1910 trip to Northern Ireland.
Ephemera, circa 1880s-1920s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Loose family ephemera collected by Letitia H. (Ketterer) Crown (1904–2000). Among other items, contains various photographs of family members, newspaper article "Historic Scene Remembered by Heights Woman" [Mrs. Prudence Ketterer], locks of hair in envelopes (most marked), miscellaneous cards and notes, and an envelope marked "Childhood Photos" with various family photographs.