Lord Auto Company: Graham-Paige Dealer
Charles A. Lord. Born in Illinois, Lord moved to Salem, Neb., as a child
and moved to Lincoln in 1909 to start a successful career in the automobile
business.
In 1928, Lord ended his affiliation with Hudson/Essex and became a distributor of the Graham-Paige line. His distribution area reached to distant small towns and villages in outstate Nebraska.
Lord was also a "progressive Democrat" and personal friend of William Jennings Bryan. He was a delegate to three Democratic conventions, owned two farms, a fruit orchard near Peru and raised livestock. Lord served two terms on the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce board before unsuccessfully running for mayor in 1923. Following Bryan's death, he was one of the pallbearers and helped raise funds for a Bryan memorial. The Lord family also lived the Graham-Paige philosophy of "giving back to the community." Lord, ironically, died in an auto accident in 1936.
The Lord Auto building still stands at 1640 O St.; the name, carved in stone, is boldly readable. His home, nicknamed Sheridorn for its location near Sheridan and Van Dorn, still stands at 3035 Sheridan Blvd. [PICS: building left, building right]
Text and b/w images borrowed from the April 6, 2000, Lincoln Journal Star.
Burke Casari's 1929 Graham-Paige Sedan
This car has logged a mere 16,500 miles, and has its original parts, including the fabric and chrome!
Burke's father, Herman, worked as a service manager and mechanic for the Lord Auto Company from 1926 through 1940.
If you have any information about the Lord Auto Company, please contact Burke at lcasari@juno.com.