Henry Ford: America's Industrialist

The brilliant man behind mass production.

Henry Ford was easily one of the most influential men of the entire 20th century. The American industrialist revolutionized modern life with his methods of mass production. The public accessibility of cars is largely the product of his life’s work. 

Birth of a legend

When Ford was born in 1863, the Civil War was still raging. His upbringing was an austere farm life, marked by hours of chores and hard manual labor. His only respite was his limited education at the local schoolhouse. He was devastated by his mother’s untimely death in 1876. Henry was a naturally curious individual. From an early age, he showed a precocious aptitude for mechanics and engineering. At the age of 16, he left the family farm in search of a better life. He walked nine miles into Detroit. There, he found a job at the Dry Dock Company, which produced iron boats. It gave Ford a chance to work on motors, and served as a practical education for the future industrialist. After three years as an apprentice, Ford took up another machine-based job. He was hired by the Westinghouse Company, where he demonstrated and repaired machines throughout southern Michigan. During this period, Henry met a young friend of his sister Mary. Her name was Clara Bryant. For him, it was love at first sight. Although she initially showed no interest in him, this changed with time. The couple got married in 1888. Ford built a small farm home for his new wife. But a rural existence simply could not contain Ford’s ambitions. 

Age of industry 

The Industrial Age was dawning in the cities of America, and Ford was eager to join the action. On a trip to Detroit, Ford grew interested in the gasoline-powered automobile. In 1891, Ford and his wife moved to Detroit, where he took a job with the Edison Illuminating Company. The young genius quickly swept up the ranks, reaching the high-paying level of chief engineer. The extra income was helpful, and the Ford couple had their first child in 1893. In 1896, Ford invented his first gasoline car. He was immediately promoted as the Edison Company’s mechanical superintendent. Despite Ford’s successful innovation, he had not yet perfected the mass production that would grace his name. After a short-lived automobile venture, he turned his attention toward building a racer. Racing helped to promote Ford’s automotive expertise, and it convinced investors to back what became the Ford Motor Company. Determined to overcome the production problems of the past, Ford set up an auto shop staffed by hired assemblymen. In July of 1903, he sold his first car line, called the Model A, to a Chicago dentist. By the following, Ford had sold over 500 cars. The 40-year-old entrepreneur followed up his success with the Model B. 

Model T

At the time, most auto producers were interested in making what were essentially horseless carriages. Those early cars were designed as luxury vehicles for the wealthy. But the democratic Henry Ford wanted to take the car to the masses. What ensued was the legendary Model T. The Model T was a simple and reliable design. It was uniquely capable of crossing over rugged terrain. This was especially useful at a time when roads were still poorly paved. Best of all, Ford’s car was cheap and affordable to the average person. Ford’s Model T was a staggering success. It went on sale in October of 1908. Within a few months, Ford was forced to announce that the company could not accept any more orders. The factory was already swamped, trailing behind by months. Faced with this enormous demand, Ford’s production methods were inadequate. Only about 25 Model Ts were being produced a day. So Ford and his engineers developed a revolutionary new concept in auto production: the moving assembly line. In 1913, Ford introduced the use of a chassis, which slashed production time in half. Ford’s methods of mass production had the dual effect of satisfying consumer demand for affordable cars, as well as providing the nation’s workers with high-paying industrial jobs. Working in Ford’s factories was a tedious and mind-numbing job. So to compensate, the auto industrialist paid his workers almost twice the minimum wage. It called the five-dollar day. As a result, new workers flocked to the factories. 

First World War

When the First World War broke out in Europe, Ford tried his hand at international politics. The peace-loving capitalist hated all the bloodshed, and was determined to negotiate a global peace. Ford attended an anti-war meeting in New York. He attached his reputable name to a delegation sent to the warring governments. However, Ford grew discouraged by the apparent inability to stop the war. Back at home, the auto tycoon received a hero’s welcome. When the US entered World War One, Ford stood by his nation. He opened up his facilities to the American government. Model Ts were deployed as ambulances and staff cars. With German submarines harassing American merchant ships, the Navy commissioned Ford to build a submarine chaser. Only a handful managed to be delivered by the war’s conclusion. Irritated by the meddling in his company, Ford proceeded to buy out all the stockholders. Now the majority stockholder, the world-changing innovator was at full liberty to pursue his dreams. He began to experiment in designing tractors and airplanes. The wealthy philanthropist generously sponsored the founding of schools and museums. These were intended as monuments to the American spirit of innovation. The greatest of these works was a plant built along the Rouge River. At the time, it was the world’s largest industrial complex. 

Nazi sympathizer?

Like many Midwestern farmers, Ford was deeply suspicious of Jews. He mistrusted the financial banking system, which was traditionally dominated by Northeastern elites. He used his power and influence to spread those anti-Semitic ideas across the country, which partly tarnished his reputation. In The Dearborn Independent, Ford blamed the Jews for everything he didn’t like. This included World War One, short skirts, cheap movies, and jazz. But pressured by the American public, as well as many personal friends, Ford eventually relented and apologized. However, Ford’s apology was of questionable sincerity. In 1938, he received the Grand Cross from none other than Nazi Germany itself. It was the highest award given by the Reich to any foreigner. 

Roaring Twenties

Although production of his Model Ts boomed into the 1920s, Ford grew increasingly uncomfortable with the modern world he helped to create. America fell in love with jazz, modern art, and alcohol. Ford didn’t like those cultural changes. He preferred the simplicity of a rural life, such as birdwatching and country dancing. The auto industry began to catch up quickly to Ford. The Model T lost its novelty, and General Motors produced its own competitor. This became the Chevrolet. To fuel popular demand, auto producers began to stylize and modernize their fashionable new cars. The Chevrolet’s massive popularity drew the Model T era to a close by 1927. It proved that consumers were looking for style, not just utility. Ford’s company fell into a crisis. Thousands of workers were laid off, as the industrial tycoon furiously drafted new plans. The 64-year-old Ford managed to revive his company with the release of a modernized Model A. 

Great Depression

With the stock market crash of 1929, millions were thrown out of work. Ford discussed how to deal with the Depression in a historic radio broadcast with Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone. The Ford Company managed to subsist through the early years of the Depression, thanks to the success of its Model A. Ford attempted to ameliorate the Depression’s effects by raising wages and lowering the price of his cars. Unfortunately, he was only able to hold out for so long. By 1931, Model A sales dropped dramatically. Competition from the Chevrolet again forced the Ford Company into mass lay-offs, wage cuts, and redrafted designs. Those problems escalated into a workers’ riot at the Rouge plant. Ford managed to quell the situation by producing the V8. It was his last major triumph. Equipped with eight cylinders, it was able to outshine the six-cylinder Chevrolet. The V8 was capable of driving up to 70 or 80 miles. With the success of his V8, Ford was able to redirect his attention toward politics. Although he hated to speak publicly, Ford gave a broadcasted endorsement of Herbert Hoover for his re-election campaign in 1932. Hoover went on to lose a crushing defeat at the hands of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Ford’s factories continued to suffer from an acrimonious relationship with labor. His facilities were staffed with ex-convicts and boxers, who kept order through brute force. Working conditions were harsh. Confrontations with labor activists sometimes turned violent. Henry’s wife Clara even threatened to divorce him if he did not settle with the unions. Ford agreed, and the company was unionized. 

World War Two

With the outbreak of the Second World War, America turned to its industrialist to aid the war effort. Ford was asked to produce wartime jeeps, trucks, tanks, and troop carriers. His most important project was the B-24 Liberator bomber. By this time, Ford was approaching age 80. His factories fell far short of production quotas. The US government even considered nationalizing the company, or at least using outside managers. Pressured by his family members, the elderly Ford relinquished control of his company. After 1945, he largely withdrew from public life. He died two years later, in 1947. Close to seven million workers paid homage to the deceased industrial genius. Through his life of American ingenuity and visionary entrepreneurship, the great Henry Ford left an indelible mark on history. The larger-than-life industrial magnate laid the foundations for modern life. 

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