The Ford Motor Company, the world's largest family-controlled business, was founded by Henry Ford, who was born into a farming family in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit. Fascinated by mechanics from a young age, Ford left home at 16 to work in a mechanical shop in Detroit. Despite initial tensions with his father, Ford's passion for mechanics led him to develop the Ford Motor Company. His vision was not just to create a vehicle, but to make it accessible to the masses. Despite several business failures and disagreements with investors, Ford's persistence and innovation eventually led to the success of his company. His story is a testament to the power of determination, vision, and innovation in the face of adversity.
Born on July 30, 1863, in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit, Henry Ford, the son of industrious farmers William and Mary, grew up to become the visionary behind the world's largest family-controlled business. Henry's early life was marked by his fascination with mechanics, particularly ignited by a steam engine he saw at age 13. Despite his father's desire for him to take over the family farm, Henry's passion for mechanical pursuits led him to seek employment in Detroit's machine shops at 16. On December 1, 1879, Henry began his apprenticeship at the James Flower & Brothers Machine Shop, later working at the Detroit Dry Dock Company. By 20, he was a qualified mechanical engineer. Although he left the farm, Henry returned annually to help during harvest, which led to a job with Westinghouse, maintaining steam engines for farmers. Henry married Clara Bryant in 1888 and settled on his farm, but a visit to Detroit revealed a new internal combustion engine that inspired him to move to the city in September 1891 to pursue the idea of a self-propelled vehicle. While Henry Ford is not an inventor, his contribution to the automotive industry is indisputable. His name is synonymous with the motorcar, much like Bell with the telephone, Edison with the light bulb, and the Wright brothers with the airplane. As Robert Lacey notes, Ford's achievement was built on the work of others, but his impact on the world is undeniable.
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