Türkçe ansiklopedi, sözlük, genel başvuru ve bilgi sitesi   
  		  Yardım
  Rastgele    

Edsel Ford

Edsel Bryant Ford (November 6, 1893 – May 26, 1943), son of Henry Ford, was born in Detroit. He was president of Ford Motor Company from 1919 to 1943.[1] [2]

Life and career

As the Fords' only child, Edsel was groomed to take over the family business, and had grown up tinkering on cars with his father. He became secretary of Ford in 1915 and married Eleanor Clay, niece of department store owner J. L. Hudson, on November 1, 1916.[3][4] Together they had four children: Henry Ford II, Benson,[5] Josephine (1923-2005),[6][7] and William Clay.[8][9] They made their home at 2171 Iroquois St, in the Indian Village neighborhood of Detroit.[10]

The younger Ford showed more interest than his father in flashier styling for automobiles. He indulged this proclivity in part with the purchase of the Lincoln Motor Company in 1922. His affinity for sporty cars was demonstrated in his personal vehicles: Edsel bought the first MG motorcar imported to the United States. In 1932 he had a V-8 boat-tailed speedster custom-designed for him, and two years later had another car designed, this one a low-riding aluminum-bodied speedster. The latter two cars he kept for the remainder of his life and inspired the design of the Lincoln Continental.

After becoming president of Ford, Edsel long advocated the introduction of a more modern automobile to replace the Model T, but was repeatedly overruled by his father. Flagging sales and dwindling market share for the company, however, finally made introduction of a new model inevitable.

During the design phase for the Model A, Henry Ford assured mechanical quality and reliability, leaving it to his son to flesh out the body design. This the younger Ford accomplished with the help of designer Jozsef Galamb. Edsel also prevailed upon his father to allow the inclusion of four-wheel mechanical brakes and a sliding-gear transmission on this model. The resulting Model A was a commercial success, selling over four million during four years of production.

As president, Edsel Ford was often at loggerheads with his father on major decisions, but he nevertheless managed to accomplish several lasting changes. Edsel Ford founded and named the Mercury division, and significantly strengthened Ford Motors' overseas production. He was also responsible for the Lincoln Zephyr and Lincoln Continental.

Like his father, Edsel's reputation is clouded over associations with Nazi Germany. Questions linger regarding what degree of control Edsel maintained over Ford plants in Germany and Vichy France during World War II, and concerning to what extent Ford shareholders profited from the forced labor the Nazis used at those plants. A U.S. Treasury Department investigation of Edsel for alleged violations of the Trading with the Enemy Act (12 U.S.C. § 95a) ended shortly after his death in 1943. Ford Motor Company maintains that it lost control of the plants immediately after Germany declared war on the U.S. in 1941, while admitting that some limited profits were received.

Death and legacy

Edsel Ford died in 1943 in Grosse Pointe Shores of cancer at age 49.[1] His father, Henry, resumed the presidency of the company and all of Edsel Ford's nonvoting stock was donated through a codicil in his will to the Ford Foundation, which he had founded with his father seven years earlier. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Each Ford child inherited a large amount of shares in the Ford company and the three sons all worked in the family business. Henry Ford II succeeded his grandfather as president of Ford on September 21, 1945.<ref name"fomoco">Henry Ford & Family. Ford Motor Company. Retrieved on 2007-04-11. He is generally credited with rescuing the company after World War II.

Edsel Ford was one of the most significant art benefactors in Detroit history. As president of the Detroit Arts Commission, he commissioned the famous Diego Rivera Detroit Industry mural contained within the Detroit Institute of Arts. He was an early collector of African art and his contributions became part of the core of the original DIA African art collection. After his death his family continued to make significant contributions.

Edsel Ford also helped to finance exploratory expeditions, including Admiral Richard Byrd's historic flight over the North Pole in 1926. Byrd, in his Antarctic expeditions, also financed by Edsel, in gratitude named the Edsel Ford Range of mountains for him. Other Antarctic homages include Ford Massif, Ford Nunataks, and Ford Peak.

Home

In 1929 the Ford family moved into their new home, designed by Albert Kahn on shores of Lake St. Clair in Grosse Pointe Shores. Edsel Ford died in this house in 1943 and his wife lived there until her death in 1976. It was her wish that the property be used for "the benefit of the public." The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House is now open to the public for tours. Located on 87 acres at 1100 Lake Shore Road Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan 48236, the house has a fine collection of original antiques and art, and beautiful lakefront grounds. The house currently hosts special events, classes and lectures, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[11]

Edsel Ford's name continues in two of the three local high schools in Dearborn: Edsel Ford High School and Fordson High School. Fordson was the brand name of a line of tractors and was originally started as a separate company, Henry Ford & Son, later absorbed into the Ford Motor Company. Interstate 94 in the Detroit Metropolitan Area is named the Edsel Ford Freeway.

In 1958 Ford started a new car division called Edsel. The Ford family opposed using Edsel's name for the line; however, the company was no longer entirely owned by the family. The Edsel is remembered as an enormous failure, even though the car sold moderately well in its first year. The Edsel line was discontinued after the 1960 model year.

See also

References

1. ^ "Edsel Ford Dies in Detroit at 49. Motor Company President, the Only Son of Its Founder, Had Long Been Ill.", Associated Press, May 26, 1943, Wednesday. Retrieved on 2007-07-21. “Edsel Ford, 49-year-old president of the Ford Motor Company, died this morning at his home at Grosse Pointe Shores following an illness of six weeks. 
2. ^ "Edsel Agonistes", Time (magazine), Friday, September 7, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-21. “Edsel was a first name before it was ever a car name. But it was never a very popular thing to call a child: according to the Social Security Administration--which has time for this sort of thing--the name Edsel has ranked only as high as 400th on the top 1,000 names for boys, and that was in 1927. More popular names that year included the soaring Kermit, Buford and Elvin.2007"> 
3. ^ Henry Ford Estate: The Ford Family. HenryFordEstate.org. Retrieved on 2007-04-11.
4. ^ "Henry Ford's Only Son Marries.", New York Times, November 2, 1916, Thursday. Retrieved on 2007-07-21. 
5. ^ "Benson Ford, 59, Dies; Grandson Of Pioneering Car Manufacturer; Principal Reason for Decision Criticism Over Dismissal Elected Vice President", New York Times, July 28, 1978, Friday. Retrieved on 2007-07-21. “Benson Ford, a grandson of the automobile pioneer Henry Ford and a vice president and director of the Ford Motor Company, died early today of an apparent heart attack aboard his yacht, which was docked in the Cheboygan River in Michigan. He was 59 years old. 
6. ^ "Josephine Clay Ford, 81, a Philanthropist, Dies", Associated Press, June 3, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-07-21. “Josephine Clay Ford, a philanthropist who was the sole granddaughter of the automotive pioneer Henry Ford, died on Wednesday. She was 81 and lived in suburban. Her death was announced in an e-mail message to Ford Motor Company employees by the company chairman, Bill Ford Jr., a nephew. The message did not give a place or cause of death. Mrs. Ford, known as Dody, established a foundation with her husband that donated millions of dollars. Mrs. Ford was born in 1923, the third of Edsel and Eleanor Ford's four children. Edsel was Henry Ford's only son. Grosse Pointe Farms.2005"> 
7. ^ "Josephine C. Ford is Wed in Michigan. Granddaughter of Founder of Motor Company Is Married to Walter B. Ford 2d, U.S.N.R.", New York Times, January 3, 1943, Sunday. Retrieved on 2007-07-21. 
8. ^ 1930 US Census for Detroit, Michigan
9. ^ "Martha Parke Ford Makes Debut", New York Times, June 17, 1967, Saturday. Retrieved on 2007-07-21. “Martha Parke Ford, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Clay Ford, made her debut tonight at a reception at the Ford home on Lake Shore Road in nearby Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan 
10. ^ Zena Simmons. Detroit's historic Indian Village. Detroit News. Retrieved on 2007-04-11.
11. ^ Edsel and Eleanor Ford House. National Park Service. Retrieved on 2007-04-11.
12. ^ Henry Ford. Retrieved on 2007-02-14. “The years between the world wars were a period of hectic expansion. In 1917, Ford Motor Company began producing trucks and tractors. In 1919 a conflict with stockholders over the millions to be spent building the giant Rouge manufacturing complex in Dearborn, Michigan led to the company becoming wholly owned by Henry Ford and his son, Edsel, who then succeeded his father as president. After Edsel Ford passed away in 1943, a saddened Henry Ford resumed the presidency. Henry Ford resigned for the second time at the end of World War II. His eldest grandson, Henry Ford II, became president on Sept. 21, 1945. Even as Henry Ford II drove the industry's first postwar car off the assembly line, he was making plans to reorganize and decentralize the company to resume its prewar position as a major force in a fiercely competitive auto industry. Henry Ford II provided strong leadership for Ford Motor Company from the postwar era into the 1980s. He was president from 1945 until 1960 and chief executive officer from 1945 until 1979. He was chairman of the board of directors from 1960 until 1980, and remained as chairman of the finance committee from 1980 until his death in 1987.

Further reading

External links

Preceded by
Henry Ford		Chief Executive Officer of the Ford Motor Company
1919–1943[12]		Succeeded by
Henry Ford
November 6 is the feast day of the following Catholic Saints:
  • St. Leonard of Noblac
  • St. Winnoc
  • Dominican Republic - Constitution Day (1844)

  • ..... Click the link for more information.
    • 18th century - 19th century - 20th century
    1860s  1870s  1880s  - 1890s -  1900s  1910s  1920s
    1890 1891 1892 - 1893 - 1894 1895 1896

    :
    Subjects:     Archaeology - Architecture -
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    May 26 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    Events


    ..... Click the link for more information.
    19th century - 20th century - 21st century
    1910s  1920s  1930s  - 1940s -  1950s  1960s  1970s
    1940 1941 1942 - 1943 - 1944 1945 1946

    Year 1943 (MCMXLIII
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was the founder of the Ford Motor Company and father of modern assembly lines used in mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    City of Detroit

    Flag
    Seal
    Nickname: Motor City, Motown, Rock City, The D
    Motto: "Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus"
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism.
    If you are prevented from editing this page, and you wish to make a change, please discuss changes on the talk page, request unprotection, log in, or .
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Joseph Lowthian Hudson (October 17 1846 – July 5 1912) also known as J. L. Hudson, was the merchant who founded the Hudson's department store in Detroit, Michigan.

    Hudson also supplied the seed capital for the establishment, in 1909, of Roy D.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    November 1 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    Events


    ..... Click the link for more information.
    19th century - 20th century - 21st century
    1880s  1890s  1900s  - 1910s -  1920s  1930s  1940s
    1913 1914 1915 - 1916 - 1917 1918 1919

    Year 1916 (MCMXVI
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Henry Ford II (September 4, 1917 — September 29, 1987) – commonly known as "HF2" and "Hank the Deuce" – was the son of Edsel Ford and grandson of Henry Ford.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    William Clay Ford (born March 14, 1925) is the youngest of the four children of Edsel Ford and a grandchild of Henry Ford.

    Ford served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps during World War II. He married Martha Firestone, the granddaughter of Harvey Firestone on June 21, 1947.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Indian Village is a historic neighborhood located on Detroit's east side bound to the north and south by Mack Avenue and East Jefferson Avenue, respectively, along the streets of Burns, Iriqouis, and Seminole.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    automobile (from Greek auto, self and Latin mobile moving, a vehicle that moves itself rather than being moved by another vehicle or animal) or motor car (usually shortened to just car) is a wheeled passenger vehicle that carries its own motor.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Lincoln

    Luxury division
    Founded 1917
    Headquarters Dearborn, Michigan, USA

    Key people Henry M. Leland, founder of the Lincoln Motor Company

    Area served North America
    Industry Automobile
    Products Luxury vehicles
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    MG

    Private
    Founded 1924 by William Morris and Cecil Kimber (founders)

    Headquarters Longbridge, England

    Key people Wang Hao Liang (NAC Chairman)
    Yu Jian Wei (NAC CEO)
    Wang Hong Biao (NAC-UK Chairman)
    Zhang Xin (MG General Manager)
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Lincoln Continental, an automobile produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company, began for the 1939 model year. Over the next 63 years, despite these cars sharing under-pinnings with less expensive Ford automobiles, Continental was usually a distinguishly-styled,
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Ford Model T (colloquially known as the Tin Lizzie and the Flivver) was an automobile produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from 1908 through 1927. The model T set 1908 as the historic year that the automobile came into popular usage.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Ford Model A was the second huge success for the Ford Motor Company, after its predecessor, the Model T. First produced on October 20, 1927, but not sold until December 2, it replaced the venerable Model T, which had been produced for 18 years.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    brake is a device for slowing or stopping the motion of a machine or vehicle, or alternatively a device to restrain it from starting to move again. The kinetic energy lost by the moving part is usually translated to heat by friction.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    range of input/output ratios in addition to its infinite number of possible ratios; this qualification for the IVT implies that its range of ratios includes a zero output/input ratio that can be continuously approached from a defined 'higher' ratio.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Mercury

    Near/Entry-level luxury division
    Founded 1939
    Headquarters Dearborn, Michigan, United States

    Industry Automobile
    Products Luxury vehicles
    Parent Ford Motor Company
    Slogan New Doors Opened
    Website www.mercuryvehicles.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Lincoln MKZ is a mid-size luxury car from the Lincoln automobile division of the Ford Motor Company. The MKZ is the replacement for the 2006 Lincoln Zephyr. Lincoln revived the Zephyr name in the fall of 2005 as a platform mate to the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, to
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Lincoln Continental, an automobile produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company, began for the 1939 model year. Over the next 63 years, despite these cars sharing under-pinnings with less expensive Ford automobiles, Continental was usually a distinguishly-styled,
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling.
    You can assist by [ editing it] now. A how-to guide is available, as is general .
    This article has been tagged since August 2007.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    For other uses, see Vichy (disambiguation).
    Vichy France, or the Vichy regime, was the government of France from July 1940 to August 1944. It succeeded the Third Republic.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Allied powers:
     Soviet Union
     United States
     United Kingdom
     China
     France
    ...et al. Axis powers:
     Germany
     Japan
     Italy
    ...et al.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Unfree labour is a generic or collective term for those work relations, especially in modern or early modern history, in which people are employed against their will by the threat of destitution, detention, violence (including death), or other extreme hardship to themselves, or to
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Department of the Treasury

    Treasury Seal
    Agency overview
    Formed September 2, 1789
    Preceding Agency Board of Treasury

    Jurisdiction Federal government of the United States
    Headquarters
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    The Trading with the Enemy Act, sometimes abbreviated as TWEA, is a United States federal law, , was enacted in 1917 to restrict trade with countries hostile to the United States. The law gives the President the power to oversee or restrict any and all trade between the U.S.
    ..... Click the link for more information.


    This article is copied from an article on Wikipedia.org - the free encyclopedia created and edited by online user community. The text was not checked or edited by anyone on our staff. Although the vast majority of the wikipedia encyclopedia articles provide accurate and timely information please do not assume the accuracy of any particular article. This article is distributed under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License.