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Birth of Henry Ford
Henry Ford was born in Springwells Township, Michigan, located nine miles outside of Detroit on a farm. -
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Life of Henry Ford
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Henry Pursues Machinery
Henry moves to Detroit to pursue his interest in machinery leaving his family farm behind. One of his first jobs was at the Flowers Brothers Machine Shop where he earned a salary of $2.50 a week shaping brass valves on a milling machine. -
Henry Marries Clara Bryant
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The Quadricycle
After years of experimenting, Henry Ford makes his first vehicle and the beginning of his legacy, the quadricycle. -
Detroit Automobile Company
With the attention he has attracted from his quadricycle, Ford, with the help of financial backers, starts the Detroit Automobile Company opens as superintendent in charge of production. The company then failed 1 year later because while Henry couldmake the cars, he couldn't make them quick enough. -
Ford Racing
Ford enters his car into a 10 mile race, which he wins causing Ford to attract attention in the automotive business. He then built a more powerful racer called the 999, whcih went on to set an American speed record of five miles in five minutes 28 seconds. -
Advent of Model T
Beofre the model T was made, 9 other models were made: Models A, B, AC, C, F, K, N, R, and S. Model N was the most successful of these cars. -
Ford Motor Company is started.
Henry and his partner Alexander Malcomson, Detroit's larger coal dealer, incorporate the Ford Motor Company with $28,000 in cash aling with $21,000 in promised funds from 10 other investors. -
First Car Sold
Model-A, to Dr. E. Pfennig becomes the first car sold by Ford Motor Company for $850. -
Model T "Tin Lizzie"
The Model T nicknamed "Tin Lizzie" was released and sales became so high, Ford put new orders on a hiatus. -
Assembly Line
Ford's Highland Park factory begins working the first automotive assembly line. -
$5/day wages at Ford
Ford Motor announces the $5/day wage for an eight-hour work day. Replacing the previous pay rate of $2.34 for a nine-hour day. -
Ford Films
With its own fleet of modern 35mm cameras and a film processing and editing lab at Highland Park. Ford's first film, How Henry Ford Makes One Thousand Cars a Day, would be released that summer. -
Lawsuit against Ford
2 of Ford's original investors file a lawsuit against the directors of the Ford Motor Company charging that the company violated the interests of its stockholders. Ford receives an injunction forbidding him from using company funds to build the new plant. -
Henry Ford's Resignation
Henry Ford suddenly resigns from the presidency of the Ford Motor Company. His 25-year-old son Edsel is elected to the role, and assumes the presidency on New Year's Day, 1919. -
Henry Ford's Trick
Ford declares that he is coing to start a rival company which will procuce a stripped down version of the model T for $250-$300. This excites the public but the investors panic for the threat of losing sales causing them to sell their stocks. Ford then announces that it was a trick and there will be no rival company, and while Henry's son, Edsel may be president in name, Henry still retains power. -
Ford files a suit
Ford takes the stand in a suit he brought against the Chicago Tribune. Ford had sued the Tribune for libel after the paper called him an "ignorant idealist … and an anarchist enemy of the nation." Ford then won the trial. -
Announcement of new car
As the 15 millionth model T rolls of the assembly line, Ford announces the company will begin producing a brand new vehicle -- the Model A. -
Prep. for Model A
Highland Park is shut down for six months to prepare for production of the new vehicle, the Model A. Nearly 75% of existing equipment needs to be scrapped. It would cost about $250 million and 60,000 workers would be laid off before the first Model A was built. -
Rubber Plantations
Henry Ford purchases land in Brazil to establish rubber plantations in what would become known as "Fordlandia." -
Ford Emplyees Refuse to work
Outside the Rouge, 50,000 Ford employees refuse to work until Ford agrees to meet union demands calling for higher wages, overtime pay, and job security. Ford declares he would rather shut down his factories than give in to the union. -
Ford signs with the union
Ford finally signs an agreement with union officials. He gives the UAW everything it wants and more -- a union shop, wages equal to the highest in the industry. -
Edsel Dies
Henry's son Edsel dies from stomach cancer and Henry is re-elected president of Ford in early June -
Ford Suffer Stroke
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Henry Dies
Henry Ford dies at age 83.