The Kermath was an automobile built in Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

 by the Kermath Motor Car Company from 1907-08. They built a small four-seater runabout

Runabout (car)

Runabouts were a popular car body style at the beginning of the 20th Century. They were small, inexpensive, open cars. Most runabouts had just a single row of seats, providing seating for two passengers. Many also had a tonneau at the rear to provide optional seating for four or five...

with a tear-drop shaped radiator and bonnet. It was offered with a 26 hp, four-cylinder engine with a three-speed transmission and shaft drive. The front axle was tubular.

Kermath family

The Kermath car was built by James Kermath, who immigrated to the Detroit area from Toronto, Canada and from Scotland to Canada. His great grandchildren still live in the Detroit area, Joan, Jeff and Linda.

Other direct descendants in the Detroit area as well as out of state of James Kermath are Lorne R. Kermath III, Hollace L. Kermath-Vick, Craig A. Kermath (deceased), Cosette J. Rowland (Kermath-Bolvari), Jeffrey J. Kermath, Virginia B. Nakozy (Kermath-Marosi), Christian C. Kermath, Brian M. Kermath, Diane A. Vedder (Kermath), James C. Kermath.

Marine engines

Kermath Marine Engines produced engines from sometime in 1910 until sometime in the 1950's in models from single cylinders to V-12's. The Kermath slogan was "a Kermath always runs". Many engines were ahead of their time, with various models having one or more of the following features: Overhead camshafts, 4 valves per cylinder, and dual magnetos.

Kermath Marine engines were commonly used by Garwood, Chris Craft, and Matthews as well as many other boat builders of the period. During WWII the Army Air Corps used the Kermath V-12 550 horsepower Sea-Raider to power 104 foot rescue boats out of Sagstad. The Kermath marine engine is highly collectible today.