Son of Thomas Ford, Thomasine "Tamsen" Smith; father of automobile industrialist Henry Ford I (1863-1947); oldest of his siblings, he emigrated in 1847 and married in Detroit at the home of Thomas Maybury April 21 or 25, 1861. A progressive farmer, he was often called William Ford-South because also-prominent, double 1st cousin William Samuel Ford, aka William Ford-North, lived the other side of Scotch Settlement Rd. (now W. Warren Ave. in Dearborn, Michigan). The Civil War did not directly affect him, as he was still a British subject until he became a U.S. citizen in 1864. A strict, but not harsh, disciplinarian, he had a sense of humor and enjoyed occasional pranks. He was a school district board member, Justice of the Peace and Springwells Township Road Commissioner, replacing horse-drawn cars with electric. William & Mary joined Christ Episcopal Church of Dearborn. Their first child died as an infant & their second son was Henry I. They had five additional children at 2-year intervals. After paralysis for some time, he died at 338 Hendrie St. A photo, #0-360, may be obtained for a nominal fee from the Curator of Graphics, Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village, P.O. Box 1970, Dearborn MI 48121.
Son of Thomas Ford, Thomasine "Tamsen" Smith; father of automobile industrialist Henry Ford I (1863-1947); oldest of his siblings, he emigrated in 1847 and married in Detroit at the home of Thomas Maybury April 21 or 25, 1861. A progressive farmer, he was often called William Ford-South because also-prominent, double 1st cousin William Samuel Ford, aka William Ford-North, lived the other side of Scotch Settlement Rd. (now W. Warren Ave. in Dearborn, Michigan). The Civil War did not directly affect him, as he was still a British subject until he became a U.S. citizen in 1864. A strict, but not harsh, disciplinarian, he had a sense of humor and enjoyed occasional pranks. He was a school district board member, Justice of the Peace and Springwells Township Road Commissioner, replacing horse-drawn cars with electric. William & Mary joined Christ Episcopal Church of Dearborn. Their first child died as an infant & their second son was Henry I. They had five additional children at 2-year intervals. After paralysis for some time, he died at 338 Hendrie St. A photo, #0-360, may be obtained for a nominal fee from the Curator of Graphics, Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village, P.O. Box 1970, Dearborn MI 48121.
Inscription
FATHER
WILLIAM FORD
1826-1905
