Help identifying this oldie?
 

I'm curious about this bike.

Any information or guesses?

Larger up close pictures here and here.

thanks!
Airwick

That's two different bikes--the first (my guess) is a schwinn --the second(?)
Both have a New Departure two speed rear hub---may be the same wheel used on a replecement frame.

I'd guess a late thirties Schwinn New World Tourist. Here's a '41 (compliments of Bob Hufford's SLDB):

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...rldTourist.jpg

Wow, I want one of these. No wonder he could pull that trailer.

Airwick :)

I think you may be looking at a Paramount tourister,or Superior.

http://www.nostalgic.net/pictures/810.htm

frameteam2003, beautiful bikes. I never thought to ask this before, but with all the knowledge at classic & vintage, has anyone ever heard of or come across information on James T Facc before? Do we have any C&V who live in or close to Ashland, Wisconsin?

I'd like to know his story.

Airwick

Can't help with Facc but on ebay is:
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-1940S-SC...QQcmdZViewItem
sam---good start on one of these--needs some peplacement of parts but frame looks good and had 3 part cranks and sturmey archer hub.

I'm working on James T. as we speak...I haven't found him in Ancestry.com yet, but I would imagine his name has been transcribed as something weird and wonderful. But not as FACC.

Edit: I've only found five FACCs total, all recent records. He can't be found in any of the Federal Censuses, at least not up through 1930. I will continue looking.

East Hill

The mileage since 1938 probably means a 1938 bike. Didn't the hand brazed frames start in 1938? The head tube joint looks hand done for sure, not quite as smooth as the electro forged models.,,,,BD

Sweet looking ride!!!

http://sheldonbrown.com/schwinn-braze.html

This is exciting,.... like looking for a lost relative. I called the Ashland, Wisconsin Historical Society but was told I had to show up in person.

Anyone on bikeforums near Ashland? Then again, he cycled so much that maybe he never made it back or found a new home.

Airwick

They don't expect you any time soon, do they :p ?

East Hill

Nope, but Ashland is on the Northern Tier route so I am working on getting someone to drop in and pay them a visit :) Too cold up there for a couple of months so hoping we get lucky and somehow make a friend in Ashland. If they have nothing, where to turn?

I don't want to find out he left this world from riding his bike,.... ;) On the flipside, do you think there is any chance James could still be around? There's a chap in Athens, Georgia that was a touring cyclist, wrote a book, and is now approximately 98. His name escapes me at the moment.

Airwick

Fred A. Birchmore, "Around the World on a Bicycle" .......................

Airwick

James is proving most elusive. The trailer in the one photo states that 32000 miles since Feb. 15, 1938...if he managed around 150 miles per day (which is probably excessive) he would be on his 213th day of riding, so approximately the end of 1938? But that photo is very different from the first photo.

1) First photo shows trailer, with Souvenir Pictures for Sale. Coast to Coast with James T. Fa?? [something?]Trailer Homes
2) Second photo shows trailer, with Souvenir [Pictures for Sale whited out]Left Crippled by Infantile Paralysis 32,000 miles since Feb. 15, 1938 Coast to Coast with James T Fa?? Ashland Wis.

The first photo would appear to be the earlier photo, but James looks younger than in the second photo.

I'm not convinced that "Facc" is James's name. On the other hand, I haven't found him as "Fagg", either.

I've looked for him as James, to be found in Wisconsin, in Ashland. No dice. Looked for James, to be found in Wisconsin. Nope. He would not be in the World War II records for the Army military records, due to the Infantile Paralysis. Too young to have been in the Great War. Still working on this...

East Hill

I noticed the miles and confess a red flag went up. No way he towed that trailer 32,000 miles. (look at the wheels) Just another reason James T's story must be told. :rolleyes:

Since he was obviously in Florida (photo) I wonder if a newspaper did a story?

I have no doubt that our East Hill will crack this egg. :)

Airwick

Here is an email I got in response to one I sent last night. I found a post card site with part of the message in the description. IT id's James as "Fagg" and a "jr".

David,

Oh yeah, Geneaology is another thing I do too. lol



"My name is Paula and I answer a lot of queries and usually not related to any of the persons I help out.



Based on one photo dated 1938 indicating James T Fagg was from Ashland, Wisconsin I find a James T Fagg born about 1908 in Wisconsin.



He was the son of James Theodore Fagg and Grace Gifford born appx 1883. James T Sr and Jr along with Sr's second wife Corinne are enumerated in Kennan, Price Co, WI 1930 census, which shows middle initial of "F" and in Milwaukee in 1920 showing middle initial of "T".



James Theodore Fagg Sr registered for WW I Draft in Oconto county, WI.



James T Jr, brother Ira C born abt 1906 and mother Grace are enumerated in Baileys Harbor, Door Co, WI in 1910 record. James T Sr is not counted with them.



Name: James Theodore Fagg
City: Not Stated
County: Oconto
State: Wisconsin
Birth Date: 2 Feb 1879
Race: White
Roll: 1674878
DraftBoard: 0

One James Fagg born 16 Jul 1908 died Mar 1975. His social was issued in KY and his last residence is listed as Richmond, Henrico Co VA. I used the social security death index on the LDS website which allows variance on year of birth. There were no others.



The LDS website has profiles on James Theodore Fagg Sr.

Born: 2 Feb 1879 Ahnapee Twp, Kewaunee, WI
Died: 6 Jul 1960 in Ashland, Ashland, WI
Buried: Maplewood, Door Co, WI
Father: William Fagg
Mother: Mary Jane Miller
Married: Grace Gifford on 27 Jun 1900 in Forestville, Door, WI
Married: Correne Adams 25 Nov 1926 Prentice, Price Co, WI
Married: Mae Kelly 11 Aug 1943

This data would correspond with the post card data indicating James T Fagg being from Ashland WI as that is where Sr died.


The data of Sr marrying Mae Kelly in 1943 may be inaccurate. Perhaps Jr married a Mae Kelly in 1943 ?

This is all I can help with."

DavidInAtl,
This is amazing! Thank you, but so disappointing to see he's dead. Now to find out his story and hopefully hear from his family.

Kudos!

Airwick

Thank you David, I suspected that the James T. Fagg Paula found for you was the one we were looking for. I had not been able to view the postcards at home, but only on my work monitor by the time I read this. I really did not think that the last name was FACC, but looked more like FAGG. I could not read the "Jr." on my work monitor.

Another mystery solved--for the moment :D .

East Hill

Nope - Now we need his story, pictures, to find out if he was married,.. If he was, her story, living relatives, and of course to document his final resting place. :)

East Hill and I call dibs on his lifestory becoming a Hollywood picture.

Airwick

I've found a member of Ancestry.com who shows a James Theodore Fagg, born 17 August, 1907, in Sturgeon, Wisconsin.

There appear to be some newspaper articles mentioning his name in the correct time frame, but I can't find his name in there!

I've sent an e-mail to the Ancestry.com member. Perhaps that person will be able to fill us in?

East Hill

Want to dig up a dead person.... call a geneaologist! :)

After all it's what we do! Now there was another forum that was looking for him too. But they were looking for "Facc". Time for us to start sharing.

More on Mr. James T. Fagg Jr. Link to vintage postcard
James Fagg

Wow! Did you see the price for that? It's as much as a new bicycle!

East Hill

Well, perhaps the note on the back is quite fascinating.

You know, a few years ago I dumpstered a manila envelope full of postcards from India, sent almost every day for 2 months by someone traveling there. That's still on my top 5 list...they were wonderful stories :) .

Perhaps! And, it goes to show that just because we collect the old bikes, there are others whose hobby is to collect the PCs which go with our hobby.

Perhaps it's got an interesting cancellation as well, or from some obscure town which no longer exists as a Post Office.

East Hill