Amos Northup

Amos Northup (October 23, 1889 in Bellevue, Ohio – February, 1937) American automotive designer

Northup was employed by cabinet maker C. J. Wadsworth in Painesville, Ohio early in his career. Then he worked as a designer for automaker Wills Sainte Claire under Childe Wills. Northup joined Murray Corporation of America in 1924 where he was in charge of regular production bodies and Ray Dietrich designed their custom bodies. Murray did a lot body design work for their client companies that didn't have internal design departments. The 1928 Hupmobile Century Eight was one of the first designs that Northup influenced at Murray. Northup designed the 1931 REO Royale Eight. He was appointed Art Director and Chief Designer for Willys-Overland in March 1928, he was considered a leading automotive stylist of the day. He designed the 1929 Whippet lines and 1929 Willys-Knights and the 1932 Graham Bluestreak which was viewed as a revolution in automotive design with more enclosed fenders and a backward sloping grill and radiator cap moved to under the hood. These features were widely copied. He was working on a successor design for the Graham Blue Streak when he died in 1937.

Family
Amos Earle Northup was the son of Hiram R. Northup (April 1845 in New York – 1914) and Louise Bannister (February 1861 in Ohio – 1923). Hiram B. Northup (November 1885 – ?) was his older brother. Amos married Leeta Helen Adams (November 11, 1892 in Lake Co., Ohio – December 30, 1958 in Los Angeles, California) daughter of Abraham L. Adams and Mary Nichols. Amos and Leeta had one daughter Dorothy Helen Northup (October 24, 1927 in Pleasant Ridge, Michigan – October 20, 1996 in Ventura, California). Amos died in February, 1937 after fracturing his skull in a fall on an icy sidewalk.