Reply To: Business using the Pierce Arrow name

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

The owner of Pierce Manufacturing, Doug Olgivie, was a PAS member for several years in the last century and had one of the cars. If I am remembering correctly, he mentioned noticing one of the Pierce-Arrow trademarks had lapsed, the one with the name Pierce with the arrow, and revived it for his company, which he traced back to another Pierce family: it not being clear if that family is, or is not, related to George Norman Pierce. Our Pierce family is very very large; the size goes way back to the Mayflower times: George was one of seven or eight; he fathered seven or eight – there are potentially innumerable descendants possible.

Doug Olgivie and his son Dave mentioned the company’s Maryland dealer/distributor, Charlie Black, established a fire engine museum in Hebron, Maryland; it included a Pierce fire engine. There was a Florida Region member at the time who had a fire engine (we never saw it; being kept in New England), so there was more than one reason to contact Black, and a treat to find he was very much an enthusiast. Black was also involved with a historic fire engine publication called Engine,Engine. He sent me a copy with the story of Pierce Manufacturing’s history, which I sent to Bernie; it would be among his records. Bernie never put it in the Arrow, but today’s trademark/copyright discussion suggests many might find what is there of interest.

Charlie Black and Doug Olgivie are no longer with us; the Hebron museum closed in the previous decade. There is a new fire engine museum nearby in Lutherville, suggesting the possibility of bringing the story current.

Brooks