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John and Horace Dodge known as "The Dodge Brothers" [Daniel (6), Ezekial (5), William (4), Robert (3), William (2), William (1)] |
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The Dodge brothers, worked in their father's machine shop before opening their bicycle shop and then
their own machine shop called Dodge Brothers in Detroit
in 1901. They made parts for the Olds Motor Works and the
Ford Motor Company. When Ford refused to buy them out in
1914, the Dodge Brothers produced their own automobile
and by 1920 produced around one-half million cars. In
1917 they sold their Ford stock to Ford for
$27,000,000.00. John F. Dodge was a businessman and an organizing and administrative genius. Horace Elgin Dodge was a technical and mechanical genius. Perhaps the reason they worked well together was their differing abilities and the realization that each one needed the other's talents. The National Cyclopedia of American Biography said "they were almost inseparable in matters of importance. Neither acted without the other's approval..." Horace was born May 17, 1868, and died December 10, 1920 in Palm Beach, Florida. In 1868, he married Anna Thompson . Their children were Delphine Ione (wife of James H. R. Cromwell) and Horace Elgin, Jr. John Francis was born October 25, 1864 and died January 14, 1920 in Manhattan, N. Y. He married Ivy S. Hawkins of Detroit, Michigan on September 22, 1892 who died in 1901. Their three children were Isabel Cloves, Winifred, wife of William J. Gray, Jr. and John D. Dodge. He married Matilda Rausch, December 10, 1907 and their children were Frances M., Daniel George and Anna Margaret. Both John and Horice were born in Niles, Michigan and their efforts not only made them rich men but boosted the economy of their native state. |