Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

Moffat St. Clair

Male 1880 - 1958  (78 years)


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  • Name Moffat St. Clair 
    Born 8 Feb 1880  Saint Marys, Blanshard Twp., Perth Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Male 
    Business Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Canadian Motors Limited 
    Galt-CanadianMotorsLimited.jpg
    Galt-CanadianMotorsLimited.jpg
    Invention Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    World's first hybrid car 
    • Patented July 6, 1915.

      Application filed September 23, 1912. Serial No. 721,782. I

      To all whom it may concern:

      Be it known that I, MOFFAT ST. CLAIR, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, resident of Galt, in the Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Internal-Combustion Engines; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,- such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

      Figure 1 'isv a side view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same taken centrally through the cylinder. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of one of the rings seated in perforations of the crank shaft heads. Fig. 5 is a detail sec- 7 tional view of one of the crank chamber heads, showing the oil chamber in plan View. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the annulus seated in a groove of one of the crank chamber heads. Fig, 7 is a detail sectional view of one of the bushings of the crank shaft. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of this bushing. Fig. 9 is a detail side view of the screw connecting said annulus with the wrist pin. Fig. 10 is a detail plan View of the lever for regulation of the throttle of the carbureter, and of the parts in immediate, connection therewith. Fig. 11 is a detail side view of the fork in which is seated the adjusting nut of the rod through which the throttle lever has connection with the throttle. Fig. 12 is a detail face view of the compression ring. Fig. 13 is a detail top plan view of the gas receiver and exhaust deflector. Fig. His a detail bottom plan view of the same.

      The invention has relation to internal combustion engines, having for its object to provide an improved two-cycle motor of'increased efiiciency and durability.

      Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

      Patent US1145814 - Internal-combustion engine.. (2017). Google Books. Retrieved 22 April 2017, from https://www.google.com/patents/US1145814
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    Galt-HybridCar1914.jpg
    Galt-HybridCar1914.jpg
    The Canadian Galt's gasoline engine ran a generator that supplied electricity to an electric motor that propelled the car. Extra power produced by the generator was stored in batteries found beneath the floor. The batteries could be used to provide extra power at peak times or to operate the car with the gas engine turned off. This car is one of only two ever built and appeared 13 years after Ferdinand Porsche developed the world's first gas-electric hybrid, the Semper Vivus.

    1914 Galt | Petersen Automotive Museum . (2019). Petersen Automotive Museum . Retrieved 9 October 2019, from https://www.petersen.org/1914-galt?fbclid=IwAR32uC9UI30BMNscisVhF4Ryl68S-vvFmeEudQsRqp9JTJtD0W7yPpY6X4M
    Residence 1912  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Residence 1935  Olean, Cattaraugus, New York, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Residence 1940  Olean, Cattaraugus, New York, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-189149 
    Died 29 Sep 1958  Olean, Cattaraugus, New York, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Buried Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Person ID I189149  Generations
    Last Modified 7 Nov 2024 

    Family 1 Helen Christina "Ellen" "Christine" Rutherford,   b. 4 Mar 1881, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1957  (Age 75 years) 
    Married 28 Apr 1923  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Last Modified 12 Nov 2024 
    Family ID F53920  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Maggie Sophia "Margaret" Tolton,   b. 17 Oct 1883, Eramosa Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 20 May 1919, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 35 years) 
    Last Modified 12 Nov 2024 
    Family ID F270494  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    St.Clair,Moffat-hybridCar.jpg
    St.Clair,Moffat-hybridCar.jpg

  • Notes 
    • A made-in-Cambridge hybrid car makes a comeback, 100 years later

      CAMBRIDGE - A good technology sometimes fails because it is ahead of its time. Then it can make a comeback, even 100 years later.

      In Cambridge, a hybrid car, the Lexus RX 450h, is now coming off a Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada production line.

      The hybrid has been produced in Japan but with the growing popularity of hybrids, it is also being made here, and Toyota was all set to introduce it as "the first full hybrid car to be manufactured in Canada."

      But wait. Not so fast.

      One hundred years ago, a couple of entrepreneurs over on Dickson Street in Cambridge, which was then Galt, beat them to the punch.

      Moffat St. Clair and Eddy Fleming purchased the remnants of a failed car company, Canadian Motors Ltd. which made the Galt Touring car in 1911. They renamed it the Galt Motor Company.

      They built and sold some gas-powered cars to generate some money to fund a new car that was based on their improved gas-electric hybrid design.

      In 1914, they introduced the Galt Gas-Electric car to the world. It used a combination of gasoline and kerosene to power a Westinghouse generator that was coupled to a gasoline engine. The engine turned a turbine that generated electricity that could be stored in batteries beneath the floor.

      It only had a top speed of 30 miles an hour (48 km/h). So it wasn't quite as powerful as gasoline cars of the time. But it was efficient. It was advertised as being able to travel a distance of 70 miles (112 kilometres) on a gallon of gasoline. It could travel for 15 miles (24 kilometres) on the electric charge alone, reducing the impact of running out of gas (a big risk in the days before there were gas stations at every corner). They described it as a "coast-to-coast storage gas-electric car."

      Two of the Galt gas-electric vehicles were built in 1914, but only one still exists. It has been at the Canadian Automotive Museum in Oshawa....

      Simone, R. (2014). A made-in-Cambridge hybrid car makes a comeback, 100 years later | GuelphMercury.com. GuelphMercury.com. Retrieved 22 April 2017, from https://www.guelphmercury.com/news-story/4503820-a-made-in-cambridge-hybrid-car-makes-a-comeback-100-years-later/

  • Sources 
    1. [S2096] Census - U.S. Census Population Schedule, 1940 16th Census, Moffat Stclair, Ward 4, Olean, Olean City, Cattaraugus, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 5-47, sheet 3B, line 56, family 74, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the.

    2. [S2858] z Vit - ON - Birth Registration, Birth Certificate 026698 (1880).
      Name:Mofit St Clair St Clair Date of Birth:8 Feb 1880 Gender:Male Birth Place:Perth, Ontario, Canada Father's name:Elias St Clair Mother's name:Jane Near

    3. [S2697] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge, Mount View Cemetery Internet Link.
      St CLAIR/ Moffat St Clair/ 1880-1958/ Margaret Tolton/ beloved wife of/ Moffat St Clair/ 1883-1919/ his beloved wife/ E Christina/ Rutherford/ 1881-1957 /

    4. [S2488] aaa Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, marriage certificate 022337 (1923).
      Name:Moffat St Clair Gender:Male Age:42 Birth Year:abt 1881 Birth Place:St Marys, Ontario Marriage Date:28 Apr 1923 Marriage Place:Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Father:Elias St Clair Mother:Jane Near Spouse:Christina Rutherford

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 8 Feb 1880 - Saint Marys, Blanshard Twp., Perth Co., Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBusiness - Canadian Motors Limited - - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsInvention - World's first hybrid car - - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1912 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 28 Apr 1923 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1935 - Olean, Cattaraugus, New York, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1940 - Olean, Cattaraugus, New York, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 29 Sep 1958 - Olean, Cattaraugus, New York, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth