Automotive History Online

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1903- Present*

With countless books and newpaper, magazine articles written over the last 100 years, there is no way I could bring something new or exciting to the story of  Henry Ford or the Ford Motor Company. The following pages are but a brief look into the history of  Henry Ford ,husband, father, automaker I hope you enjoy it!

Henry Ford was born on July 30,1863, in Dearborn, Michigan, to successful Irish-immagrant farmer William Ford and his wife, Mary. Henry migrates to near-by Detroit in December 1879 to obtain a career as an mechanical engineer. After he gained his mechanical apprenticship he returned to Dearborn in 1882 to farm. In 1885 Henry Ford met a petite, attractive, lively 18 year old with hazel eyes and dark hair. Her name was Clara Jane Bryant, she was intrigued by Henrys watch which he designed himself.  After the dance the Clara told her parents of a keen minded young man. On April 11,1888 three years later the pair were wed. Henry often refered to Clara as "The Beliver".  In 1891 Henry and Clara leave the farm life behind and go to Detroit; Henry serves as an engineer for the citys's electric utility. November 6,1893 the Fords  give birth to there only child, A son Edsel. A month later Henry builds his first experimental engine. March  1896 Henry witnesses his friend Charles King's test of the first "horseless carriage" in Detroit. In the wee hours of June 4,1896 Henry Ford conducted the first virtually secret test of his car on the streets of Detroit. Henry Fords first car the Quadricycle was powered by a water cooled, four stroke, two cylinder engine. The little engine made about four horsepower with a top speed of 20 MPH in the city. A pulley acting on a transmission belt served as a make shift clutch. So he could finance the building of a second car Henry Ford sold the Quadricycle for $200. 18 months later Ford showed  the new and improved Quadricycle with its leather dash, fenders, and running boards, a padded carriage seat and twin front oil lamps to a wealthy Detroit businessman, thus spurring the creation of the Detroit Automobile Company the first one. 

By 1901 the Detroit Automobile Company had been desolved, but some of Fords backers were willing to try it again. The result was the Henry Ford Company. Ford stayed with Henry Ford Company for three months. Engine manufacturer Henry Leland was brought in as a consultant, but he and Henry Ford clashed. After Ford left the firm was reorganized, first as the Detroit Automobile Company again, then as Cadillac. In 1903 Detroit coal dealer Alexander Y, Malcomson and Henry Ford along with a group of 10 investors formed the Ford & Malcomson Company Limited. The organization eventually came to be known as the Ford Motor Company.  Let the journy begin here.
 

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* This is a work in progress we hope you check back to see how we are doing comments are always welcome!

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