First Shop Force

With a surge in automobile purchases in the early 1900’s, and an equal amount of car accidents and breakdowns, Rockville Garage began offering auto repair services as early as 1914. By the early 1900s, there were a great deal of cars on the roads, which meant that manufacturers and dealerships needed to provide drivers with the means of repairing their vehicles in the event of a collision or breakdown. To meet this demand, manufacturers started making standardized parts that could easily replace damaged components of a vehicle. Dealerships were now able to employ mechanics that were able to easily repair vehicles using the prefabricated parts provided by the manufacturers.

The First Auto Mechanics of Rockville Garage

First auto mechanics of the Rockville Garage: Lewis Reed, (first name unknown) Long and Phillip Reed.

Grafton Reed was a brother of Lewis Reed and a part of the dealership’s first shop force. Grafton started working as a mechanic at the dealership in ca. 1918. According to his U.S. World War I Draft Registration Card, 1917-1918, his occupation at the time was listed as Garage Manager, Rockville Garage. Phillip Reed, another brother of Lewis Reed, was also a part of the dealership’s first work force. Phillip came to work for the dealership in 1916 and worked as a mechanic until 1944. (click on a photo to scroll through gallery)

Alfred Fraley, Mechanic

Grafton Reed (a brother), mechanic

Lester Wilson, Mechanic and first Service Manager

Name Unknown

Name Unknown

Name Unknown

Lewis Reed hand cranking an old car. The hammer in Lewis Reed’s right hand is for straightening the hand crank. Apparently they can bend when starting big engines. The license plate is MD 10307 dated 1913.

Lewis Reed received his automotive training at the Pierce-Arrow factory in Buffalo, New York, the Dodge Hamtramck and Hudson Motor Car factories in Detroit, Michigan and the Washington Auto College.