John Studebaker
John Clement Studebaker (* 1799 in Getty's Town , Pennsylvania , † 1877 in South Bend , Indiana ) was an American blacksmith , wheelwright and entrepreneur. Together with his five sons he built from the family smithy and wheelwright the largest operation for the production of carriages and wagons in the world.
His grandfather Peter Stutenbecker Sr. was 38 years old when he emigrated with his family from the German town of Hagen in 1736 . The group also consisted of his brother Clement Sr. , cousin Heinrich (Henry Sr.) and other family members. The family was called originally perennials Becker, was for several generations in Solingen been resident and had the guild of Cutlers belongs. Peter and Clement also originally learned this trade. The rigid guild order stipulated that members wishing to emigrate had to have worked in a different profession for five years in another city. This should prevent the transfer of specialist knowledge to future competitors as far as possible. The three worked in Hagen as a blacksmith and wheelwright. The reasons for emigration were likely to have been the pursuit of personal freedom, political uncertainties and, last but not least, religious oppression, because the Stutenbeckers belonged to the Protestant fundamental movement of the Tunkers . The departure took place with the ship Harle from Rotterdam ( Netherlands ) and took the group to Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , where they arrived on September 1st.
The family changed their name to Studebaker and first settled in Huntingdon Township ( York County, Pennsylvania). In America they belonged to the Church of the Brethren . Heinrich was on March 3, 1756 by rebellious Shawnee or Delaware on his farm at Welsh Run Creek in what is now Franklin County ) and his pregnant wife abducted with three of his four children. She also died when the Indians withdrew; the children could not be released until years later.
Like his grandfather and father Peter Jr. , John Studebaker became a blacksmith and wagon builder. In 1820 he married Rebecca Mohler (1802-1887). Around 1830 he started his own business in Gettysburg , Pennsylvania. As early as 1835 he sold the land and property and moved with his family to the west. He settled in Ashland County , Ohio . The family had ten children. All five sons, Henry Jr. (1826-1895), Clement ("Clem"; 1831-1901), Jacob F. (1844-1887), John M. (1833-1917) and Peter Everest (1836-1897) taught he the Wagner trade. A joint operation by Henry Jr. and Clem Studebaker is documented in South Bend from 1852. John Studebaker had moved there with his family in 1850 or 1851. It is possible that John was retiring from business at this point. Only in later years did the family prosper; Rebecca had long had to contribute to the family's livelihood by sewing and weaving.
Henry Jr. reorganized their joint company. and Clem in 1868 as the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company . From this the Studebaker Corporation developed which existed for more than 100 years. The carriage business was not given up and sold until 1920. John Studebaker died in 1877.
literature
- James H. Moloney: Studebaker Cars , Crestline Publishing Co., Sarasota FL (1994), ISBN 0-87938-884-6 (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Studebaker Museum Hagerstown: Albert R. Erskine Exhibit bakerslookout.com (English)
- ↑ a b History of the Studebaker Family and Company studebakerfamily.org (English)
- ↑ First Generation studebakerfamily.org (English)
- ↑ Studebaker coachbuilt.com (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Studebaker, John |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Studebaker, John Clement |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American entrepreneur |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1799 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Gettysburg ( Pennsylvania ), United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1877 |
| Place of death | South Bend ( Indiana ), United States |