Henry Ford
Early Life
William Ford (1826-1905) and Mary Litogot Ford (1839_1876) gave life to a baby boy on July 30, 1863 on a farm in Greenfield Township, Michigan. This baby boys name was Henry Ford. But Henry wasn't there only born child, they also had Margaret Ford (1867-1938), Jane Ford (1868-1945), William Ford (1871-1917) and Robert Ford (1873-1934). Henry Ford showed a great interest in mechanical works at a very young age. At 15 years old, Ford recieved a pocket watch from his father as a present, and promptly dismantled and reassembled it. Neighbors were so impressed with Ford that they would requested that he fix their timepieces too. He also made it very obvious that he was unsatisfied with farm work, so Ford left home the next year, at age 16, to take an apprenticeship as a machinist in Detroit.
In 1882, Ford returned to Dearborn to work on the family farm, where he became adept at operating and servicing the Westinghouse portable steam engine. Also during this period Ford studied bookkeeping at Goldsmith, Bryant & Stratton Business College in Detriot. After settling in, Ford meets Clara Ala Bryant (1866-1950) and they get married in 1888. Soon after they have their only child Edsel Ford (1893-1943). All the while Ford is Chief Engineer for the Edison Illumination Company he also developed his plans for a horseless carriage, and constructed his first model in 1896. Henry Ford called it the Ford Quadricycle. Not to long after he also presented his automobile plans to Thomas Edison while attending a meeting with Edison executives.
