Thursday, November 01, 2012

Henry Ford - 10 Fun Facts (Businessman, Clara, Model T, Model A, Edison, Edsel, Chief Engineer)


Henry Ford - 10 Fun Facts:

  1. Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863 to William Ford & Mary Litogot on a wealthy Dearborn farm in  Greenfield Township, Wayne County, Michigan.
  2. At the age of 13, Ford's curiosity with mechanics drove him to take apart a pocket watch that his father had gifted him, then he reassembled the watch to perfection.
  3. In 1888, Henry Ford married Clara Jane Bryant. They were the parents to one son; Edsel Bryant Ford, 1893-1943.
  4. In 1893, Henry Ford was hired as an engineer for the Edison Illuminating Company and his natural talents promoted him to Chief Engineer.
  5. In 1896, Ford developed his plans for a horseless carriage and built his first model, the Ford Quadricycle, which included:
    • 2 cylinder ethanol powered engine 
    • 4 horsepower
    • Driven by a chain. 
    • 2 gear transmission: 1st gear at 10 mph, 2nd gear at 20 mph 
    • Did not have a reverse gear. 
    • Had 4 bicycle wire wheels 
    • 3 gallon (11 L) fuel tank under the seat.  (Today the original Quadricycle resides at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan).
  6. In 1903, Henry Ford established the Ford Motor Company, proclaiming, "I will build a car for the great multitude." On October 1, 1908 he did what he said, when he introduced the Model T, for $850. In the Model T's nineteen years of production, nearly 15,500,000 were sold in the United States alone.
  7. In 1913, Ford sponsored the development of the moving assembly line technique of mass production. What once took 728 minutes to assemble a complete chassis (the car frame), now only took 93 minutes. Simultaneously, he introduced the $5 per day wage ($110 in 2011), which was nearly doubling the wages offered by other manufacturers. This was a successful method of keeping the best workers loyal to his company.
  8. In 1918, half of all cars in America were Ford Model T's.
  9. Ford offered profit sharing to choice employees who stayed with the company for six months and, most important, who conducted their lives in a respectable manner. To ensure that great employees were being hired and maintained, the Ford company's “Social Department” looked into an employee’s drinking, gambling and otherwise uncouth activities to determine eligibility for employment.
  10. On April 7, 1947, Henry Ford died of a cerebral hemorrhage, at the age of 83, near his Dearborn estate, in Fair Lane, Michigan. He and his wife Clara are buried in the FORD CEMETERY. Click here to view his online memorial >>.
Henry Ford is considered one of America's leading businessmen, and is credited today for helping to build America's economy during the nation's vulnerable early years. His legacy will live on for decades to come.

Henry Ford Quotes, click here >>


Young Henry Ford

 Clara Bryant & Henry Ford's Wedding Certificate


 Henry Ford's wife Clara with their only child, Edsel Ford in 1894


Henry Ford Portrait


Henry & Clara Ford's first home


Henry Ford Estates


Henry Ford Signature
  
Henry Ford Portrait
Portrait of Henry Ford - Free Pictures at Historical Stock Photos.com  

Henry Ford sitting with good friend Thomas Edison

Henry Ford & Clara Ford riding in the Quadricycle (Ford's first car)


The FORD Model T - 1908
  

The FORD Model A - 1931 Deluxe Roadster
 
Henry & Clara Ford in the Grand Canyon


 L-R: Thomas Alva Edison, John Burroughs, and Henry Ford
Ft. Myers, Florida, 1914.
Thomas Edison, John Burroughs, and Henry Ford - Free Pictures at Historical Stock Photos.com
 
Portrait of Clara Jane Ford; wife of Henry Ford.
Clara Ala Bryant, Mrs Henry Ford - Free Pictures at Historical Stock Photos.com
 
Henry Ford During an interview in 1915.

Henry Ford During an Interview - Free Pictures at Historical Stock Photos.com
 
L-R: Edsel Ford, Clara Ford & Henry Ford at the dedication of the Edison Institute

Henry Ford is considered one of America's leading Businessman
     Henry Ford in a Suit and Tie - Free Pictures at Historical Stock Photos.com


 Henry Ford standing on the steps of the White House 

after a meeting with President, in 1927
Henry Ford at the White House - Free Pictures at Historical Stock Photos.com
 
Aerial view of the Henry Ford Rouge Plant in 1930

81,000 men on payroll - Size: 6,952,484 sq ft
Photo Credit: http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/hf/

 Henry Ford on the cover of Time Magazine, January 14, 1935.

(Copyrights on this issue were not renewed) 
Photo Credit: Wikipedia

 Henry Ford & Carla Ford are buried in the Ford Cemetery 

in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Sources:

13 comments:

  1. it was very good

    Reply
    Replies
    1. i loved it it was great and informational who ever did this website it is a 100% and 5 stars grade very cool and awsome

    2. omg he looked like a little girl when he was young

  2. I really liked it

    Reply
  3. It was good but the photos should of been split up between some wording.

    Reply
  4. me liky henry ferd

    Reply
  5. this taught me so much about henry ford's life, thank you! this is an amazing website.
    -mailliw

    Reply
  6. This is amazing information!

    Reply
  7. His genius built a mighty empire. Excellent web site

    Reply
  8. Omg he look like a little baby girl

    Reply