Selden Truck Corporation

The Selden Motor Vehicle Company was established by George Selden in 1906. The company began to manufacture automobiles in 1907. Truck production began in 1913. Finding the truck market more favorable, the last automobiles were produced in 1914. Selden produced nearly 4000 Liberty trucks during World War 1. In 1919 the company was reorganized by merging with the independent Selden Truck Sales Company. This merger resulted in the Selden Truck Corporation.

The company produced trucks of 1 to 7 tons capacity. Selden trucks were used by some fire apparatus manufacturers including Buffalo and  Hahn.

George Selden died in 1922 and the company was acquired by the Hahn Motor Truck Corporation in 1929.

Selden Patent
George Selden was a patent attorney and inventor. In 1895 he was awarded a patent for a "road engine". Broad interpretation of the patent and aggressive enforcement allowed Selden to seek royalties from the manufacture of any automobile using a gasoline engine. Several small automakers led by Henry Ford refused to pay these royalties in 1903. The case went to trial and Ford won on appeal in 1911 effectively voiding Selden's patent. Selden's patent was set to expire in 1912, but the case resulted in numerous changes to U.S. patent law.

External Link to additional information on the Selden Patent
The Selden Wagon