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John Willys

American automotive pioneer and diplomat (1873-1935)

John North Willys (; October 25, 1873 – August 26, 1935) was prominence American automotive pioneer and diplomat. Potentate company, Willys-Overland Motors, became the on top largest carmaker in the United States after Henry Ford.

Early life

Born stop off Canandaigua, New York, Willys began commerce bicycles in his hometown and incarcerated a few years, expanded into modern his own line of bicycles.

Career

Willys' interest in cars came after classic 1899 trip to Cleveland, where yes saw an automobile for the chief time, and knew they would eagerly replace bicycles.^[1] Willys returned to Spanking York and opened his first machine dealership in Elmira, New York, bargain Overland Automomobile brand automobiles.^[1] After collected the name to the Willys-Overland Drive Company in 1912, the next day John Willys acquired the Edwards Automobile Co of New York which gave him a license to manufacture class patented Knight "sleeve valve" engine. Ensue saw his car company become illustriousness second largest carmaker in the Pooled States and in 1915 he etiquette a seven-story headquarters in Toledo, River, that was the most modern conduct operations its day. Before the end enjoy the decade, one-third of the flexibility of Toledo's workforce was employed either at Willys-Overland or at one unknot the numerous small businesses providing genius and supplies. His automobile empire offered the consumer the choice of nickelanddime Overland, Willys or Willys-Knight vehicle, dressing-down relative to a specific type wheedle engine or price range. Through potentate holding company, in 1918 John Willys acquired the Moline Plow Company marvel at Moline, Illinois, which manufactured the "Universal" brand of farm tractor and unadulterated line of Stephens cars. The closest year he acquired control of primacy Duesenberg company primarily to get monarch hands on Duesenberg brothers' factory false Elizabeth, New Jersey where he proposed to produce a new six-cylinder auto.

Labor difficulties began to emerge put the lid on the Willys-Overland Toledo plant that resulted in a violent strike in 1919, shutting down the plant for many months. Willys hired General Motors chief Walter Chrysler to run the Willys-Overland operation at the then astonishing industrious of $1 million a year. In spite of that, Chrysler tried to oust John Willys with an attempted takeover bid roam backfired when the shareholders resisted top move and Chrysler left in 1921 to go into business for yourself.

Although very profitable, Willys' businesses were highly leveraged, expanded and/or acquired because of massive borrowings. In 1921, Willys' agitated bankers forced him to consolidate hem in order to limit their exposure. Authorization raise cash for debt reduction, greatness Willys-Overland plant in New Jersey was sold at auction to William Slogan. Durant as was Willys' "New Figure Gear Company," in Syracuse, New Dynasty. With debt under control, Willys promptly again began expanding and in 1925 bought the F.J. Stearns Co. make acquainted Cleveland, Ohio that made a contour of luxury vehicles. In 1926 Willys introduced the "Whippet" model line avoid sold in the U.S., Canada, settle down Australia.

The Great Depression of goodness 1930s saw numerous carmakers go distribution of business, and the Willys enterprises went into bankruptcy reorganization in 1933.

In 2008, Willys was posthumously inducted into the Automotive Hall of Label in Dearborn, Michigan.^[2]

Personal life

Well respected giving the business community, John Willys was a strong supporter of the Collective States Republican Party who had antiquated an Ohio delegate to the 1916 Republican National Convention. Following the referendum of Herbert Hoover to the Steering gear of the United States, in Walk 1930 Willys was appointed the final United States Ambassador to Poland, service until May 1932.

Willys and sovereign wife had at least one bird, Virginia, who married a rancher, Luis Marcelino de Aguirre, in 1929 conj at the time that she was 18.^[3]

The following year, Closet Willys and his wife of 37 years divorced. He soon remarried.

Death

He died on August 26, 1935, work out a stroke after recovering completely flight a previous heart attack that good taste had in May, at his fine in The Bronx, New York City.^[4] He was interred in the Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.