Frederick S. Duesenberg - Indianapolis, IN - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

Frederick Duesenberg and his brother August were just young children when their family emigrated from Germany in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Having settled in the American Midwest, the brothers became fascinated with racing bicycles and before long, were attaching gasoline engines to them making early motorcycles. This led to the brothers’ life-long pursuit of motorsports.

Both brothers showed a natural inclination toward engineering and by the early twentieth century, Fred Duesenberg had secured several major patents on automobile engines, including the inline 8-cylinder engine that would power the classic Duesenberg cars of the “roaring 20s.”
During the first several decades of the twentieth century, the Duesenbergs dominated auto racing events, initially as drivers but later as sponsors. Duesenberg-designed automobiles won the Indianapolis 500 three times and also the Grand Prix in Le Mans, France: the first American automobile to do so.

Capitalizing on their racing success, the brothers began to manufacture engines and automobiles for sale to the general public. In these enterprises, Fred served as chief engineer while his brother Augie managed the business affairs. These early endeavors, named the Duesenberg Motor Company and later, the Duesenberg Automobile and Motor Company, were not entirely successful. It wasn’t until Frederick Duesenberg teamed up with E. L. Cord of the Auburn Automobile Company in 1926 that the Duesenberg brand became the premier luxury automobile of the day.

A 1935 Duesenberg model SSJ Speedster was featured on a 1988 U.S. postage stamp. The SSJ was a “real Duesy” as only two were made: one for Gary Cooper and the other for Clark Gable. (I believe the Clark Gable version is the one actually depicted on the stamp.) Unfortunately, Fred didn’t live long enough to see the SSJ as he died in 1932, ironically, due to injuries received in an automobile accident. Apparently, Fred never got over the racing “bug” as it seems he was driving his Duesenberg at a speed of over 100 mph at the time.

Frederick S. Duesenberg is interred in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis along with his wife, Isle.
(Source: Wikipedia)

Description: See Long Description above. Date of birth: 12/06/1876 Date of death: 07/26/1932 Area of notoriety: Other Marker Type: Monument Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

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