Henry Ford

Henry Ford: Biography in Details

Who is Henry Ford?

Henry Ford was an American industrialist, business magnate, and philanthropist.

Henry Ford is the founder and leader of the Ford Motor Company, and is also known for pioneering a system that launched the mass production and sale of affordable automobiles to the public.

Although Ford did not invent the automobile or the assembly line, he developed and manufactured the first automobile that many middle-class Americans could afford.

Latest: As of 14th October 2019: Ford Patents Drone That Pops Out of a Car’s Trunk. Check it out!

Henry Ford: Death

Henry Ford died in peace, at the age of 83 on April 7, 1947, in  Fair Lane, Dearborn, Michigan, U.S.

Clara Ford died three years later, on September 29, 1950, at the age of 84, and was buried in Ford Cemetery, Detroit, Michigan.

Henry Ford: Birth, Family, Ethnicity, Education

Henry Ford was born July 30, 1863, on a farm in Greenfield Township, Michigan. His father, William Ford (1826–1905), was born in County Cork, Ireland and his mother, Mary Ford (née Litogot; 1839–1876), was born in Michigan as the youngest child of Belgian immigrants.

Henry Ford had four siblings Margaret Ford (1867–1938); Jane Ford (c. 1868–1945); William Ford (1871–1917) and Robert Ford (1873–1934).

Henry and all his siblings are of mixed(Anglo-Irish- Belgian-American) ethnicity.

Ford studied bookkeeping at Goldsmith, Bryant & Stratton Business College in Detroit.

when Ford was young

His father William, wanted Henry to take over the farm, but as he later wrote: “I never had any particular love for the farm—it was the mother (Henry’s mother) on the farm I loved.”

Ford stated two major events occurred in 1875 when he was 12. He received a watch, and he witnessed the operation of a Nichols and Shepard road engine, “…the first vehicle other than horse-drawn that I had ever seen.”

Now in his farm workshop, Ford built a “steam wagon or tractor” and a steam car, but thought “steam was not suitable for light vehicles,” as “the boiler was dangerous.”

A Dream Come True!

The car built by Ford was very simple to drive, easy and cheap to repair. It was so cheap at $825 in 1908 ($23,010 today), that by the 1920s, a majority of American drivers had learned to drive the Model T.

Sales skyrocketed—several years posted 100% gains on the previous year. Always on the hunt for more efficiency and lower costs, in 1913 Ford introduced the moving assembly belts into his plants, which enabled an enormous increase in production.

 Personal Victory

1918, Henry Ford turned the presidency of Ford Motor Company over to his son Edsel Ford.

After a ruse, Ford and son Edsel purchased all remaining stock from the other investors, thus keeping the ownership of the company in the family.

1921, Ford purchased Lincoln Motor Co.

Ford also introduced a new, reduced workweek in 1926. The decision was made in 1922, when Ford and Crowther described it as six 8-hour days, giving a 48-hour week, but in 1926 it was announced as five 8-hour days, giving a 40-hour week.

Henry Ford: Professional Life, Career

1893, Ford was promoted to Chief Engineer in Thomas Alva Edison’s company. In 1896, he attended a meeting of Edison executives and was introduced to Thomas Edison.

In 1898, Encouraged by Edison, Ford designed and built a second vehicle.

Awards, Recognition

1999, included in Gallup’s List of Widely Admired People of the 20th Century

1938, Ford was awarded Nazi Germany’s Grand Cross of the German Eagle

1975, Ford was posthumously inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame

1996, inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America

Henry Ford: Income, Net Worth

Today, Henry Ford’s New Worth is US200 billion (2018 dollars, inflation-adjusted). His earnings were from selling affordable cars. His car was so cheap that at $825 in 1908 ($23,010 today and the price fell every year!), almost every farm had a car in the United States!

The Life as He Lived

Ford did not believe in accountants; he amassed one of the world’s largest fortunes without ever having his company audited under his administration.

The company’s bills and invoices were reportedly guessed at by weighing them on a scale. Not until 1956 would Ford be a publicly-traded company.

Also, Ford astonished the world in 1914 by offering a $5 per day wage ($130 today), which more than doubled the rate of most of his workers.

Body Stats: Height, Weight

Henry Ford had an average height and body mass. He had light hair and light brown eyes.

Social Media

His Facebook had over 456K followers, Twitter had 28K, and Instagram had over 7,858 followers.

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Henry Ford's Anniversary Dates

Henry Ford's Birthday Dates