Henry Ford (Biography) (By Ethan Nobles) |
The Life Of Henry Ford - Video Below...
|
The man that would change our lives, history and the world, Henry Ford, was introduced to us all on July, 30th 1863 in Greenfield Township, Michigan. While growing up, Henry Ford loved taking things apart and rebuilding them. He liked machines and showed a lot of interest in them. Henry, with the motivation of his loving wife Clara Bryant, would eventually make the the first successful automobile, open his own factory, pay his workers five dollars a day, invent the assembly line, and mass produce an affordable car. Even failing three times and people telling him it would never work, he persevered and was extremely successful.
Early Adulthood & Family
Henry Ford was born on July, 30th 1863 in Greenfield Township, Michigan. His mother and father was William and Mary Litogot Ford. His brothers and sisters was William Jr., Robert, Margaret and Jane Ford (biography.com). Henry’s childhood was on a farm (PBS.com). While Henry was young, he always loved taking things apart and learning about how they worked. Eventually his neighbors would give him things such as clocks and watches to fix. When he was only 13, his father gave him a pocket watch and Henry took it apart and put it back together (Biography.com). When he was 13, Henry’s mother Mary died. When Henry turned 16, he left his farm home to find machinery work in Detroit. He found a job at the Flowers Brothers Machine Shop where he shaped brass valves on a milling machine. His pay for a week was $2.50. Henry loved machines and enjoyed making them.
On April 11th, 1888, Henry married Clara Ala Bryant. In 1893 they then had a son Edsel Ford. After Clara having her child, Henry decided to move back to the farm life to support his new family. But not for long, Henry then got a new job as an engineer at the Edison Illuminating Company. Later Henry became chief engineer as a promotion in 1893.
Education, Career and failed attempts
Henry went to college at the Detroit Business Institute. Whenever Henry wasn’t working at the Edison Illuminating Company, he was at home in his shed working on his first gasoline powered engine, or ‘horseless carriage.’ While he was working on this machine, Henry went to show Thomas Edison his idea. Since Edison himself was a inventor, thought that Henry really had something going and that he should keep working on it. Finally in 1896, Henry revealed his first vehicle, the ‘Quadricycle.’ It was a simple frame with four bicycle wheels and a ethonol-powered engine. He then then had to remove a wall from his shop in his backyard to take the machine out. Then he rode rode it through the streets of Detroit. While he rode through Detroit, Henry’s partner, Alexander Malcomson, would have to stay ahead of Henry to tell people to move out of the way because his Quadricycle didn’t have breaks (History.com). Thomas Edison was not the only person who was tentative about Henry’s work and first car, Henry started to get investors. Some people like Thomas Edison knew that if this really did work, that it would be revolutionary. In 1898, Henry’s first investor was William C. Maybury. That same year (1898), Henry had already made three cars. In 1901, to get more supporters for his company, Henry entered a race at Grosse Point with his racing car. He won the race. Eventually he received more investors, that gave him $150,000 to open the Detroit Automobile Company in August of 1899. Henry then quit his job at the Edison Illuminating Company. In 1900, only its second year, the Detroit Automobile Company closed. Although this business failed, Henry’s wife and investors encouraged him to keep trying and to open another company. Henry then agreed to try again, this new business would be Henry Ford Company. This time he wanted to build a cheap car that people could afford. But this company too, closed after only four months.
The Ford Motor Company
Once again, Henry’s investors put faith into him to open one last company. The third and final company, The Ford Motor Company opened on June 16th, 1903. This company was a success. In only a month, the company was producing cars with two-cylinder engines, eight- horsepower and with top speeds of thirty miles per hour. This car was the famous “Model A.” Over the next few years the business was booming. From 1903 to 1908, The Ford Motor Company had produced Models A, B, AC, C, F, K, N, R, and S. The most popular of those was said to be the model N. But another model, one of the most popular and in high demand produced by the Ford Motor Company at that time, was also built. The model T was created.
The Model T
In 1907 Henry Ford meet with Charles Sorensen to discuss producing a new car. Henry wanted it to be cheap, so the average person could afford it. He wanted parts for it mass-produced, so it could be cheaply and easily repaired. He wanted it to be simple, so it would be light and easy to drive. This would be the soon-to-come “Model T.” Ford’s most famous and mass-produced car. But how could you make a car so cheap and powerful? By making it efficiently. That’s when he thought of the assembly line, or moving chassey, on December 1st, 1913. Each person would have a certain job to do as part of the car passed by them, they would do that over and over again all day long. For example, one person inflates the tire, the next one puts it on the axle, the next one puts on the bolts. But after a while, that got a little boring for people.
The Model T, or “Tin Lizzie” was a wonderful success for Henry Ford. People loved everything about it. Nice cars would ‘bog down’ in the mud on dirt roads, but the “Tin Lizzie” was light, so it didn’t. Henry wanted people to like this car because of its benefits, and people did.
The $5 Day & Factories
Henry Ford started his “$5 Day” to increase his sales. This is when he would pay his employees $5 per day. But how could higher wages increase his sales, by his employees earning enough money to purchase the cars they were making (Forbes.com). Emploees were then more motivated to work the assembaly line. It also helped him from closing another factory. Henry’s Factories were the: Ford Piquette (Avenue) Plant - Built in 1904 - in Detroit, MI. Highland Park Plant - Built in 1910 - in Highland Park, MI. In 1915 Ford bought land for the Rouge Plant along the River Rouge.
Late Life & Death
On November 1st, 1916, Henry and Clara move to Fair Lane estate in Dearborn, Michigan. The estate is 1,300 acres big (pbs.com). Henry Ford resigns from presidency of the Ford Motor Company on December 30th, 1918. His son Edsel replaces his father’s presidency of the company. On June 1st of 1943, after the death of Edsel in May because of incurable stomach cancer, Henry becomes president again.
One of the world’s most well known and admired inventors, Henry Ford, died at age 83 in Fair Lane, MI.
Impact On History
Everyone can pretty much see his impact; it’s everywhere. Because cars are almost everywhere. Henry Ford speed-up the world. He impacted mail service and shipping. Because of him we have, and need, car washes, drive-throughs, gas stations, stoplights, garages, it’s why we have roads in the first place. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t need any of that. His vehicles even helped us in World War II.
Work Cited:
Early Adulthood & Family
Henry Ford was born on July, 30th 1863 in Greenfield Township, Michigan. His mother and father was William and Mary Litogot Ford. His brothers and sisters was William Jr., Robert, Margaret and Jane Ford (biography.com). Henry’s childhood was on a farm (PBS.com). While Henry was young, he always loved taking things apart and learning about how they worked. Eventually his neighbors would give him things such as clocks and watches to fix. When he was only 13, his father gave him a pocket watch and Henry took it apart and put it back together (Biography.com). When he was 13, Henry’s mother Mary died. When Henry turned 16, he left his farm home to find machinery work in Detroit. He found a job at the Flowers Brothers Machine Shop where he shaped brass valves on a milling machine. His pay for a week was $2.50. Henry loved machines and enjoyed making them.
On April 11th, 1888, Henry married Clara Ala Bryant. In 1893 they then had a son Edsel Ford. After Clara having her child, Henry decided to move back to the farm life to support his new family. But not for long, Henry then got a new job as an engineer at the Edison Illuminating Company. Later Henry became chief engineer as a promotion in 1893.
Education, Career and failed attempts
Henry went to college at the Detroit Business Institute. Whenever Henry wasn’t working at the Edison Illuminating Company, he was at home in his shed working on his first gasoline powered engine, or ‘horseless carriage.’ While he was working on this machine, Henry went to show Thomas Edison his idea. Since Edison himself was a inventor, thought that Henry really had something going and that he should keep working on it. Finally in 1896, Henry revealed his first vehicle, the ‘Quadricycle.’ It was a simple frame with four bicycle wheels and a ethonol-powered engine. He then then had to remove a wall from his shop in his backyard to take the machine out. Then he rode rode it through the streets of Detroit. While he rode through Detroit, Henry’s partner, Alexander Malcomson, would have to stay ahead of Henry to tell people to move out of the way because his Quadricycle didn’t have breaks (History.com). Thomas Edison was not the only person who was tentative about Henry’s work and first car, Henry started to get investors. Some people like Thomas Edison knew that if this really did work, that it would be revolutionary. In 1898, Henry’s first investor was William C. Maybury. That same year (1898), Henry had already made three cars. In 1901, to get more supporters for his company, Henry entered a race at Grosse Point with his racing car. He won the race. Eventually he received more investors, that gave him $150,000 to open the Detroit Automobile Company in August of 1899. Henry then quit his job at the Edison Illuminating Company. In 1900, only its second year, the Detroit Automobile Company closed. Although this business failed, Henry’s wife and investors encouraged him to keep trying and to open another company. Henry then agreed to try again, this new business would be Henry Ford Company. This time he wanted to build a cheap car that people could afford. But this company too, closed after only four months.
The Ford Motor Company
Once again, Henry’s investors put faith into him to open one last company. The third and final company, The Ford Motor Company opened on June 16th, 1903. This company was a success. In only a month, the company was producing cars with two-cylinder engines, eight- horsepower and with top speeds of thirty miles per hour. This car was the famous “Model A.” Over the next few years the business was booming. From 1903 to 1908, The Ford Motor Company had produced Models A, B, AC, C, F, K, N, R, and S. The most popular of those was said to be the model N. But another model, one of the most popular and in high demand produced by the Ford Motor Company at that time, was also built. The model T was created.
The Model T
In 1907 Henry Ford meet with Charles Sorensen to discuss producing a new car. Henry wanted it to be cheap, so the average person could afford it. He wanted parts for it mass-produced, so it could be cheaply and easily repaired. He wanted it to be simple, so it would be light and easy to drive. This would be the soon-to-come “Model T.” Ford’s most famous and mass-produced car. But how could you make a car so cheap and powerful? By making it efficiently. That’s when he thought of the assembly line, or moving chassey, on December 1st, 1913. Each person would have a certain job to do as part of the car passed by them, they would do that over and over again all day long. For example, one person inflates the tire, the next one puts it on the axle, the next one puts on the bolts. But after a while, that got a little boring for people.
The Model T, or “Tin Lizzie” was a wonderful success for Henry Ford. People loved everything about it. Nice cars would ‘bog down’ in the mud on dirt roads, but the “Tin Lizzie” was light, so it didn’t. Henry wanted people to like this car because of its benefits, and people did.
The $5 Day & Factories
Henry Ford started his “$5 Day” to increase his sales. This is when he would pay his employees $5 per day. But how could higher wages increase his sales, by his employees earning enough money to purchase the cars they were making (Forbes.com). Emploees were then more motivated to work the assembaly line. It also helped him from closing another factory. Henry’s Factories were the: Ford Piquette (Avenue) Plant - Built in 1904 - in Detroit, MI. Highland Park Plant - Built in 1910 - in Highland Park, MI. In 1915 Ford bought land for the Rouge Plant along the River Rouge.
Late Life & Death
On November 1st, 1916, Henry and Clara move to Fair Lane estate in Dearborn, Michigan. The estate is 1,300 acres big (pbs.com). Henry Ford resigns from presidency of the Ford Motor Company on December 30th, 1918. His son Edsel replaces his father’s presidency of the company. On June 1st of 1943, after the death of Edsel in May because of incurable stomach cancer, Henry becomes president again.
One of the world’s most well known and admired inventors, Henry Ford, died at age 83 in Fair Lane, MI.
Impact On History
Everyone can pretty much see his impact; it’s everywhere. Because cars are almost everywhere. Henry Ford speed-up the world. He impacted mail service and shipping. Because of him we have, and need, car washes, drive-throughs, gas stations, stoplights, garages, it’s why we have roads in the first place. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t need any of that. His vehicles even helped us in World War II.
Work Cited: