1. John Mohler Studebaker was the Pennsylvania Dutch co-founder and later executive of what would become the Studebaker Corporation automobile company.
14 Facts About John Studebaker
1. 2.
John Studebaker was the third son of the founding Studebaker family, and played a key role in the growth of the company during his years as president, from 1868 until his death in 1917.
3.
The site of John Studebaker's business is number 142 of California's Historic Landmarks.
4.
In December 1901, at the age of 68, John was the last survivor of the founding family and, after a visit to a motor show in Chicago, he began to accept the urging of his son-in-law Fred Fish that electric cars, initially, would be the future of the Studebaker company.
5.
In 1904 he and John negotiated a deal with Garford of Elyria, Ohio to put Studebaker bodies on gasoline-powered chassis, creating the Studebaker-Garford brand name.
6.
In 1911 the company refinanced and reincorporated as the John Studebaker Corporation, producing gasoline-driven automobiles, discontinuing electric vehicles but retaining production of wagons and carriages.
7.
John Studebaker was still serving as honorary president when he died.
8.
John Studebaker was buried at the Studebaker family mausoleum at South Bend City Cemetery.
9.
John Studebaker's name was added to the Automotive Hall of Fame.
10.
John Studebaker's dream was to mine for gold and became aware of the gold rush taking place out west.
11.
John Studebaker built a custom carriage and traveled to California, which took five months.
12.
John Studebaker decided to build wheelbarrows for miners, and sold wheelbarrows for ten dollars each.
13.
John Studebaker saved and invested $8,000 in his first company which built carriages.
14.
The John Studebaker Company operated seven plants in South Bend, Detroit, Chicago, and Walkerville, Ontario, with a net profit of $30,126,600.