The Richter brothers were seven, and each one had a Hupmobile. All in a row shown here are from the left, Bill, Henry, Fred, Otto, Ed, Tink (Simon) and Augie. Fred, third from the left, was the father of Freeporter Marie Richter. Two of the brothers, Ed and Augie, sold Hupmobiles in Illinois and Wisconsin. The photo was snapped on a lane lined with trees in Freeport about 1930. At that time the Hupmobile wsa the auto of choice of many and certainly of the Richter brothers.

The Hupmobile jumped into public favor with a light four-cylinder Model "20" in 1910 and averaged about 10,000 cars per year through 1921. During this period, Hupmobile built four-cylinder cars exclusively, and then added al ine of straight-eights in 1922, skipping over the six. Production rose to 34,000 cars in 1922, we were told, but Hupp could not achieve the top 10, due to the large corporation's expansionary moves at that time. They finally added a six-cylinder model for 1926 and phased out the fours, departing the low-prized field where they had won their first success.

Output in 1928 was 66,000 cars. In 1929 Hupmobile took over the Chandler Motor Car Co. and its subsidiary, the Cleveland Motor Car Co. and further expanded the range of Hupmobiles. However the firm did not fare well during the depression and production figures were distrously low in 1933 and 1934. The Hupp Motor Car Co. had a $9 million plant in Detroit and was debt-free but lacked operating capital. Production was suspended in 1936, Hupp tried to make a comeback in 1938 but finally discontinued all automotive operations in 1941. Then the general public and younger generations sort of forgot about the Hupmobile in the intervening years.

Marie followed the whole Hupmobile "Around the table" discussion, which started with a bit of monetary trivia. It is the Hupmobile that is pictured on the back of a $10 bill. Then Dr. Ballesteme waxed mellow about the family's Hupmobile in Ecuador. It was a seven seat convertible - a beautiful American car. "In my family we were 10. My father could get all of us in that car for family rides. I liked that car. I'll never forget it. It was a light blue color." Later Wilma McNess came up with the Hupmobile slogan; No hill too steep, no grad to deep for the Hup, Hup, Hupmobile. It was the only kind of automobile my grandfather would buy. I remember going to auto shows with him in Chicago with Bernice Dikkers of Freeport. She remembers him having three different Hupmobiles during her growing up years. One of them, she said, had isinglass windows. As she was sorting family memorabilia, Marie came across the magnificant photograph (above) of all of her Richter uncles and her dad. Its a classic that she wanted to share.

We found that back in 1908 the Hupp Motor Car Corp. was based in Detroit Mich. and Cleveland Ohio. Robert and Louis Hupp were the founders. The first light runabout was two bucket seats sold for $750. It was j oined in 1911 by a touring car with three forward speeds and a longer wheelbase. This was listed at only $900. The Hupmobile, like Dodge and Chevrolet, adhered to the four-cylinder unit for many years and made nothing else until 1924. Though hit hard by the depression, they made it through. The next two years in 1932 and 1933, they made some very handsome cars. The last cars were completed in July 1940, and were sold as 1941 models. The Richter family still talks about the wonderful Hupp cars that each of hte brothers ownded and at family gatherings they reminesce about the wonderful car and the Sunday outings.

From the Journal Standard date unknown - Contributed by Fred Richter. (Fred's Website)