Henry Ford's Life
Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863. He was the first child of his parents, William and Mary's, six children.
Henry Ford grew up to be a farmer, after all, that is what his father wanted him to become. He disliked farming but he loved to make and fix things with the tools in his shed.
His first "work" was when his father gave him a pocket watch at the age of 15. He would take it apart and put it back together and show all of the neighbors. He gained the reputation of a watch repairman. Then, in 1879, he left home to go to Detroit to become an apprentice machinist. Ford would occasionally come and help out with the farm and then, 3 years later, he came back home.
At age 25, in 1888, Ford married Clara Ala Bryant. He did end up supporting his family by farming and running a sawmill. Then, 5 years after his marriage he had a first and single child named Edsel Ford.
In 1891, Ford became an engineer at Edison Illuminating Company in Detroit. In 1893, he became Chief Engineer which gave Ford enough money and time to try some experiments with combustion engines.
At age 30, the genius engineer, created his first working engine on Christmas Eve. Then, 3 years later, on Thursday, June 4, 1896, at 4:00am., he completed his first horseless carriage, called the Quadricycle, that he built from scratch. His first engine, although, was a single cylinder, four horse-powered engine, it was still one of the greatest creations ever made. That creation is what revolutionized, reacted and reformed America and transportation.
In 1896, Henry Ford had a meeting with Thomas Edison who approved of his vehicle experiments. Ford's encouragement from Edison had him create a second vehicle, which he completed in 1898. Which, then, got him an Automobile industry in Detroit on August 5, 1899. The vehicles produced were lower quality and higher cost, which he didn't approve of, which made the business tumble and dissolve in 1901.
Later that year, Ford got extremely interested with racing cars. He raced a car with 26-horsepower. Then he went back to Detroit and created a Henry Ford Company, but then his banker, Murphy, brought in a new consultant which, then, made Ford leave in 1902. Murphy then changed the name of the Company to Cadillac Automobile Company.
Ford then teamed up with the racer, Tom Cooper. Ford, then, produced the 80+ horsepower automobile. Ford eventually met up with an old acquaintance named Alexander Malcomson and created a partnership called "Ford & Malcomson, Ltd." to manufacture automobiles. Ford went to design an inexpensive automobile and leased a factory and contracted a machine shop owned by John and Horace E. Dodge. The Dodge Brothers supplied $160,000 worth of parts for Ford. A crisis arose because sales were slow and when the Dodge Brothers demanded the payment for their first shipment. Times went rough for Henry Ford but he still didn't fulfill his dreams and finish his achievements.
In 1919, Henry Ford chose to make his son, Edsel Ford, the president of the Ford Motor Company.
In 1939, for the war, Ford mobilized his factories and produced bombers, Jeeps, and tanks for World War 2.
Eventually, in 1926, Henry Ford started to focus on air transportation and develops the Tri-Motor airplane. Then, 6 years later, he build the first V-8 Ford Car.
1943 was a tragic year for Ford. His only child and son, Edsel Ford, died before him at age 49 from stomach cancer.
2 years, after his sons death, Ford named his Grandson, Henry Ford II, president of the Ford Company due to his illness. He retired and left the company to his Grandson, then ,in 1947, Henry Ford dies at his own home.