William S. Harley

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William Harley

William Sylvester Harley (born December 29, 1880 in Milwaukee ; † September 18, 1943 there ) was an American entrepreneur, inventor and co-founder of the Harley-Davidson company .

Origin and history

William Sylvester Harley's father, William Harley (Sr.) emigrated to the United States from Littleport, Cambridgeshire , England , United Kingdom , in 1860 . He joined the United States Army in the Civil War , then married Mary Smith and moved to Wisconsin to work on the railroad. The Harley and Davidson families were Milwaukee neighbors.

William Sylvester Harley worked for the Meiselbach Bicycle Factory in North Milwaukee from 1896 . From 1901 to 1903 Harley worked as a technical draftsman at Pawling & Harnischfeger in Milwaukee. The appearance of actress Anna Held , who drove a sensational 1901 De Dion Bouton motor tricycle through the streets of Milwaukee, is mentioned as a decisive experience for Harley . The first design drawings of his own 116 cm³ engine are known from William Harley from this time. In 1903 Harley and Arthur Davidson moved into their first own workshop, a small shed behind the Davidson family home in Milwaukee. From 1903 to 1907 Harley studied mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

The founders of the Harley Davidson Motor Company in 1920: William Harley on the far right, next to Arthur, Walter and William Davidson

On September 22, 1907, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company of Milwaukee was officially founded by a notary . Walter Davidson became president, Arthur Davidson was appointed secretary and sales manager, William Harley chief engineer and William Davidson vice president and production manager. Harley received his first patent on November 27, 1909 for a belt tensioner, which was used from Model 7 onwards; further patents followed. Harley married Anna Jachthuber in 1910, and two sons and a daughter were the result of this marriage. Harley remained the technical director and chief engineer in charge of Harley-Davidson until his death.

literature

  • Herbert Wagner: At The Creation . Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2003, ISBN 0-87020-351-7
  • Wolfgang Wiesner: Harley Davidson . Motorbuch Verlag Stuttgart, 2nd edition 1986, ISBN 3-613-01097-6

Web links

Commons : William S. Harley  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Wagner, p. X (Foreword)
  2. ^ Wagner, p. 26
  3. ^ Wagner, p. 24
  4. ^ Corner of 38th St. Highland Avenue "Shed" (accessed May 6, 2013)
  5. ^ Wagner, p. Xi (Foreword)
  6. ↑ Wiesner, p. 24
  7. ^ Wagner, p. 161
  8. ↑ US Patent 1094558
  9. ^ Wagner, p. Xi (Foreword)
  10. ^ Motorcyclemuseum.org William S. Harley (accessed May 6, 2013)
personal data
SURNAME Harley, William S.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Harley, William Sylvester (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American entrepreneur
DATE OF BIRTH December 29, 1880
PLACE OF BIRTH Milwaukee
DATE OF DEATH September 18, 1943
Place of death Milwaukee