Grout
The three Grout brothers, Carl, Fred and C.B. made a few experimental cars, both steam and petrol powered between 1898 and 1900, when they were set up in business by their father, William H. Grout as the Grout Brothers Automobile Company of Orange, Massachusetts. He had made a fortune in the manufacture of sewing machines, originally in partnership with Thomas H. White who had moved to Cleveland and also set his sons up in steam car manufacture (see Thomas). The first Grout steamers left the factory in the summer of 1900: they were typical of their kind, with 2 cylinder engines under the seat, single chain drive, tiller steering and bicycle type wheels. A more distinctive model was the coupe of 1901, this had a completely enclosed body so tall that it looked like a mobile sentry box. All the early Grout steamers were called New Home, after the name of the Grout sewing machine company.
In 1903 the runabouts were joined by a larger 4 seater tonneau with double chain drive, a bonnet and a large locomotive-type cow catcher which acted as a bumper bar. This model only lasted one or two years and in 1904/05 Grouts had circular bonnets with a single headlamp mounted in the centre. Weekly output in 1904 was 18 cars, but in spite of this the Grouts felt that steam had had it's day and the 1905 12/18hp side entrance tonneau was the last steamer. The same year they offered a 20hp 4 cylinder petrol driven car and followed this up with larger cars of 30/35hp and 40/45hp. They were of conventional design with shaft drive, but did not sell as well as the steamers, doubtless because of the enormous competition. In 1907 William Grout, dissatisfied with the way his sons were running the company, took it over from them. They were so angry that they left Orange altogether. William Grout died in 1908 and the company was reformed as the Grout Automobile Company of Orange , Massachusetts. Production dwindled from then onwards and the company ceased to trade in 1912.
The earlier steamers were sold in England as the Weston.