First Model-T Sold in Boone County, Indiana

Description:	Dr. Otis Higgins driving a Model-T. Caption on back: Dr. Otis C. Higgins / son, Eugene; dau. Ocie / 1st Model T ford sold in Boon Co. / Pict. taken in June, 1908Accompanying caption: First Model T Ford automobile sold in Boon eCounty. Was sold by the late elmer A. Brenton, who had just obtained the Ford agency, the first Ford dealer in Boone County. Car was sold to the late Dr. Otis C. Higgins around May 20, 1908. Brenton and Dr. Higgins went to Indianapolis to take delivery of the car, driving it back to Lebanon. Brenton had not yet moved into his small cement block garage building at the alley intersection back of the old city building site. Dr. Higgins was a Lebanon physician. Dr. Higgins is at the wheel in the accompanying photograph, with his son, Eugene, by his side, and his daughter, Ocie, in the back seat. The picture, now a prized possession of Eugene Higgins, chairman of the board of the Citizens Bank & Trust Co., was taken in June 1908, on E. Washington St., just west of the Oak Hill cemetery entrance.Henry Ford had produced other models prior to 1908, but in that year began manufacture of the Model T. Evidently, Ford began making Model Ts in early 1908, but officially began production of the model on October 1, of that year. By the time the model was discontinued on May 26, 1927, 15 milliions of these low priced and popular automobiles had come off the assembly line. The Model T was succeeded in late 1927 by the Model A.The missing glass in the left headlamp (facing the picture) was due to a mishap that occurred some three or four weeks after Dr. Higgins bought the car. He was passing a buggy was forced to stop because the horse had become frightened, and the skittish animla [sic] backed a corner of the buggy into the front end of the automobile.Eugene O. Higgins died Apr. 21, 1977 (Born Jan. 7, 1902) Dr. Otis C. Higgins died Dec. 28, 1950. Buried in Oak Hill.
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16066coll4/id/3226
Collection:	Boone County Heritage
Copyright:	This item may be used for non-commercial educational or private uses. For other uses, please contact the Lebanon Public Library.
Subjects:	Ford Model T automobile

Further information on this record can be found at its source.