Asa Viccellio and His Early Automobile

From the collection of John Shannon Viccellio, grandson of Asa Viccellio. Descriptive notes are by Henry H. Mitchell.

Asa Viccellio and Friends with Early Automobile

In a photograph from around 1905 or earlier, Asa Viccellio and friends pose with his remarkable car. From left to right are Walter Davis, John Dixon, Rupert Lewis, Asa Viccellio, an unidentified individual, and John Dillard.

Local aficionado of automotive history Dave Roach suggests that the car may be a Haynes-Apperson. Haynes-Apperson vehicles were built from 1894 to 1905, and typically sold for $1500 to $2000. The exact identity of this car is not determined, but it does resemble a turn-of-the-century-era Haynes-Apperson runabout. In an article ca. 1967, Preston Moses, editor of the Chatham Star-Tribune, described the Viccellio vehicle as “. . . said to be the first [automobile] in Pittsylvania County.”

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