Ford, Henry (1863-1947), Inventor, Industrialist

Henry Ford was born on July, 30, 1863 (the same day Lincoln read off his Gettysburg Adress!) in Dearborn, MI. His father, William Ford, was an emmigrant of Ireland because of the potato famine. His mother died when Henry was only 13, and he explained his life without his mother as a "clock without a spring." When Henry was 16, he was hired as a machinist's apprentice. In 1896, he made his first automobile, the Quadricycle. Then, in 1903, he founded the Ford Motor Company.

In 1908, Ford designed the Model T, the most famous Ford model. Then, in 1913, he started using an assembly line. Because of the assembly line, one would do one job repeatedly, causing he/she to get good at that particular job, making a good quality automobile. Also, again caused by the assebly line, because the employees are good workers, they are made fast, dropping the price$ of the cars, making it affordable for virtually anyone!

Ford's idea of the assembly line for cars, making cars affordable, fast to make, and high quality, greatly helped the development of the large auto companies today, and eased the demand for cars, cars and more cars. Also, he contrbuted to the making the Ford Museum and Greenwood Village.

--Harrison Reiser