A Biography of Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, best known for his pioneering
achievements in the automobile industry. From humble beginnings he was able to
create a company that would rank as one of the giants of American and World
industry long after his death. There is no doubt that Henry Ford was a successful
business man. The Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford's legacy, has left its mark
on every continent in the world. However, Ford didn't gain his success solely on
his innovation in the automobile industry. He was a friend to the middle class
public as well as the workers in his factories. For this he was rewarded with
financial success by the same people he looked out for. Moreover, he repeatedly
gave back to society through donations, philanthropic foundations, and the
creation of organizations that would help to educate and benefit the people.
Henry Ford was a man who gained world-wide business success through his
innovative ideas, brilliant management skills, and down-to-earth tactics.
Henry Ford was born on a farm near Dearborn, Michigan, on July 30,
1863, and educated in district schools. He became a machinist's apprentice in
Detroit at the age of 16. From 1888 to 1899 he was a mechanical engineer, and
later chief engineer, with the Edison Illuminating Company. In 1893, after
experimenting for several years in his leisure hours, he completed the construction
of his first gasoline engine. His first automobile was completed in 1896. The
body was a small crude wooden box, it had a single seat, a steering tiller, bicycle
wheels, and an electric bell on the front. In 1903 he founded the Ford Motor
Company.
At first, like his competitors, he made cars that only the wealthy could
afford. But later he came to believe that...