Francis (1849-1918) and his twin brother Freelan (1849-1940) Stanley were born June 1, 1849 in Kingfield. They formed the Stanley Dry Plate Company in 1883 to manufacture dry plates for the photographic process invented by Francis. After 22 years, they sold the company to Eastman Kodak in 1905. Their interest had turned to steam-powered automobiles.
The brothers had invented the “Stanley Steamer” in 1896, the first steam motorcar in New England, and formed the Stanley Motor Company to manufacture them with Francis as president. To promote their machines, they actively competed in auto races, pitting their steam power against gasoline-fueled engines, often winning. The “Stanley Steamer” achieved fame when brother F. E. Stanley did a mile in 2:11 on a dirt track with a 30 degree incline. They set a world record in 1906 for fastest mile, 28.2 seconds or 127 mph.
George Eastman bought the rights to the Stanleys’ earlier photographic patents, supplying the brothers with capital to manufacture 200 standing orders for the Steamer, which eventually became the “Locomobile.” By the time Henry Ford incorporated the Ford Motor Company in 1903, the Stanleys’ plant already employed 140 workers.
The Stanleys sold the business in 1918, having manufactured more than 10,000 “Steamers.”
Their sister, Chansonetta, was a gifted photographer, whom they supported financially from the wealth generated by their inventions.
Francis died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident in 1918. Freelan died on October 2, 1940.
Additional resources
Dacey, Karen H. The Stanleys of Newton: Yankee Tinkerers in the Gilded Age. Kingfield, Me. Stanley Museum, Inc. 2009.
Griffin, Nancy. The Remarkable Stanley Brothers: and Their Amazing Cars. Portland, Me. Guy Gannett Publishing. c1987.
Jackson, Robert B. The Steam Cars of the Stanley Twins. New York, H. Z. Walck. 1969.
Library of Congress. American Memory. “The First American Automobile Race.” http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/today/nov28.html (accessed May 26, 2008)
Pickering, James H. Mr. Stanley Of Estes Park. Kingfield, Me. Stanley Museum; Estes Park, Colo. Susan S. Davis, editor, 2000.
The Stanley Museum, Kingfield, Maine. http://www.stanleymuseum.org/ (accessed May 26, 2008)
“Stanley brothers.” World Book Encyclopedia, Vol. 18., p. 838. Chicago. 1990.