Ford Motor Company was incorporated in June of 1903. It's founder Henry Ford
was 40 at the time. Twelve investors put up a total of $31,000 to launch Ford Motor Co. Most notable of the investors
were
John and Horrace Dodge who would later start their own Car Company.
The first Model T was made in 1908, and 18,000 "Tin Lizzies" were made in the first
year. The last Model T was made in 1927, a model run of 15 Million Vehicles.
Henry Ford introduced the moving assembly line in 1913, which made production
of the Model T eight times faster.
In 1914 Ford introduced the $5.00 a day wage, outraging his Detroit competiters.
They questioned his sanity. The claimed NOBODY could
pay $5.00 a day and stay in business. Henry Ford proved them wrong, and by 1921 was
cranking out over a Million Fords a year.
Lincoln was aquired in 1921, and Mercury was established in 1938.
Henry Ford Died in 1947. He was 83.
An interesting footnote :
In 1909 Billy Durant made an offer to Henry Ford to buy his Company to be a part of
General Motors. Durant offered G.M. stock, Ford wanted cash.
