Henry Ford revolutionized the American automotive industry and forever changed transportation. Born on the morning of July 30, 1863 in a patch of Michigan woods, Henry Ford matured into the founder of the Ford Motor Co. that made the Ford name famous. The Ford Motor Co. would develop American automotive icons that continue to make a lasting impression.Henry's ancestors came to Michigan from Ireland in hope of a new life in a New World. His parents, William and Mary found success in America, unfortunately Mary died a tragic death after complications of the birth of her eighth child (Lacey 11). At the young age of fourteen Henry is already interested in industry and mechanics, he sees his first steam engine that gave him newfound enthusiasm to continue with his interest. Without hesitation Henry immediately gets out into the exciting working world and starts his own business with friend James Flower in 1879 called the James Flower And Brother Machine Shop. Soon moving to Detroit, Henry uses his skills from his company to get hired at the Detroit Dry Dock Company where he meets a major inspiration, a construction engineer by the name of Frank Kirby (Lacey 24). Kirby taught Henry to "Stick in his toenails" and to work hard if he wanted to succeed, Henry took him very seriously. Many years later Henry shows his respect to Frank when he decides to place the names of the world's greatest inventors and scientists on his engineering laboratory in Detroit. The names included Copernicus, Edison, Newton and Kirby. Henry had been working very hard lately and took a break from his industrial career to venture back to the family farm where he married Clara Bryant on April 11, 1888 (Lacey 32).On a quest to continue his dream of the automobile Henry, now married moved back to Detroit where he witness to the most significant development to the automobile in this century and to Ford's empire, the internal combustion engine. Henry and Clara ha...
