July 30, 1863 - April 7, 1947 Inventor and capitalist businessman, Henry Ford installed the first moving assembly line in his Highland Park, Michigan factory on December 1, 1913. The time to produce a Model T was reduced from slightly over twelve hours to 93 minutes. Ford, paying significantly higher wages than competitors and reducing the workday to eight hours, was labeled a socialist while reinventing capitalism. In November 1915 he organized the "Ford Peace Ship," a group of pacificist who sailed to Europe to attempt mediation. In 1918, he lost a campaign for the Senate. His editorials in The Dearborn Independent only confirmed the label of "ignorant idealist" given him by the Chicago Tribune. By 1940, Ford had amassed a fortune in excess of one billion dollars, much of which he gave to charity through his philanthropic foundations. Raised: November 28,1894 Palestine Lodge No. 357, Detroit, MI Member: Zion Lodge No. 1
I had never heard about the other two Fords masonry contact. The Battle Creek lodges (3 meeting in one building) have a picture of Ford and WK Kellogg, who was a member of the lodge in Battle Creek. I was cleaning out some storage just yesterday, and ran across the 1921 Grand Lodge meeting in Battle Creek. It would be nice if GL would consider such a venue now. The income would be so welcomed to the lodges that could accommodate the attendees.
Both Benson & William Clay are Henry Ford's great grandon's. Their father was "Hank the Deuce"; Edsel's son. I saw an interview of the recently departed William Clay. On his pinky finger he wore a masonic ring.
I mentioned the Battle Creek lodge building, which now houses three lodges. They had a very serious fire nearly 2 years past. It was determined that the fire started from a multiple plug extension cord. Nothing was running at the time. They have a suggested life of 3 or 4 years. The lodge has been repaired, and should open soon.
