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45-443: This very successful business made the partners rich men and it became the core on which William C. Durant and J. Dallas Dort began to build General Motors . Durant sold out of this business in 1914 and it stopped manufacturing carriages in 1917. Durant-Dort Carriage Company was dissolved in 1924. The premises were taken over by J Dallas Dort's Dort Motor Car Company which he closed in 1924. In 1886 William C. Durant rode in

90-645: A cash shortage, and in the aftermath, Durant was forced out of the company. But Durant would not be bowed, and he backed Louis Chevrolet 's eponymous company in 1911, with J. Dallas Dort as the vice-president and director of the company. In 1913, Dort stepped down as vice-president of Chevrolet, and in 1914 Durant disposed of his share of the Durant-Dort Carriage Company . By 1916, Durant had leveraged Chevrolet's sales to regain control of General Motors, and he went on to lead GM until 1920. On October 26, 1909, General Motors Holding acquired

135-503: A cigar salesman in and eventually founded his own carriage company. In 1886, Durant partnered with Josiah Dallas Dort and founded Flint Road Cart Company , eventually transforming $ 2,000 ($ 67,822 in 2023 dollars ) in start-up capital into a $ 2-million company with worldwide sales ($ 67,822,222 in 2023 dollars ). By 1890, the Durant-Dort Carriage Company , based in Flint, had become a leading manufacturer of horse-drawn vehicles and by

180-406: A collection of parts and components manufacturers (Hyatt Roller Bearing, New Departure Manufacturing, Dayton Engineering Laboratories (later Delco Electronics Corporation ), Harrison Radiator Corporation , Remy Electric, Jaxon Steel Products, and Perlman Rim) into a new company; United Motors Company , making Alfred P. Sloan of Hyatt Roller Bearing Company the president. In 1918, United Motors

225-528: A consuming interest in Flint Wagon Works' Buick automobile venture. Durant used his own capital and that of Durant-Dort to buy control of Buick. David Buick, already a minority partner in his own business, was left with a single share of his enterprise. However, Durant agreed to keep Buick on as an employee, and Buick remained with the firm until 1906, when Durant bought out his single share for $ 100,000. Other automobile pioneers were associated with

270-535: A few extant cars, orders tallied over 1100 - all of this by the time of the 1905 New York Automobile Show. Durant and Samuel McLaughlin , McLaughlin's being the largest carriage manufacturer in Canada, signed a 15-year contract to build Buick power trains at cost-plus pricing . With Buick as a base, Durant envisioned creating a large automobile company that would manufacture several makes and control subsidiary component-making companies, much as Durant-Dort had done in

315-487: A friend's spring-suspension road-cart built by the Coldwater Road-Cart Company of Coldwater, Michigan . Impressed with the smoothness of the ride, Durant went to Coldwater and bought the road-cart's patent and manufacturing rights from Schmedlin and O'Brien for $ 1500. With Josiah Dallas Dort as an equal partner he founded Flint Road-Cart Company. Dort as president, handled administrative details for

360-593: A major rival of Flint Wagon Works . In 1906 they were making 480 vehicles each day with 1,000 workers. Durant-Dort owned not just the Flint manufacturing works, but also other vehicle assembly plants in Michigan, Georgia, and Ontario, together with timberland, lumber mills, a wheel manufacturer, the Flint Axle Works, and the Flint Varnish Works. A separate business named Diamond Buggy Company

405-472: A stroke that left him partially paralyzed. He was forced to move with his wife to an apartment in New York City , where he spent his remaining days. At the end of WWII, Durant predicted an economic boom and that the possibilities for consumer goods were almost limitless. The final moneymaking scheme he backed before his death was a hair tonic venture. Although Durant's mental faculties were unimpaired to

450-717: A substantial capital, much of it raised from local investors, and leased a factory on Water Street originally used by the Flint Woolen Mills. There they assembled their road-carts from bought-in components. After that, Flint Road-Cart expanded by starting or buying other businesses that produced not only vehicles, but the components for vehicles as well. They marketed them as "Blue Ribbon Vehicles". Flint Road-Cart Company changed its name to Durant-Dort Carriage Company in November 1895. By 1900 they were building 50,000 vehicles each year, from around 14 locations and they were

495-565: The Cartercar Company, founded four years earlier in Jackson, Michigan , by Byron J. Carter . In explaining the reason he purchased Cartercar, Durant said: "They say I shouldn't have bought Cartercar. Well, how was anyone to know that Carter wasn't to be the thing? It had the friction drive and no other car had it. How could I tell what these engineers would say next?" By the time Durant had regained control of General Motors in 1916,

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540-624: The Chevrolet company. In 1914, a disagreement with Louis Chevrolet resulted in Durant buying out his partner. Durant went to McLaughlin in 1915 to put Chevrolet in Canada and with the shares being bought up at 5-to-1 and 7-to-1, McLaughlin and Durant with other shareholders had enough stock to reclaim Durant's old job. McLaughlin had no problem with his friend back at the helm; he went on building Chevrolet and built his Buicks in Canada without conflict with his Buick contract. General Motors Corporation

585-535: The Little car, named after its founder, William H. Little. His initial intention was to compete with the Ford Model T , which was beginning the start of its impending popularity. Unsatisfied with this approach, he dropped it. In Canada, on 30 September 1910, after obtaining a loan of $ 52,935.25 ($ 1,730,983 in 2023 dollars ) (cosigned by R S McLaughlin), went into partnership with Louis Chevrolet in 1911, starting

630-771: The Durant-Dort Carriage Company. R. S. McLaughlin headed the McLaughlin Motor Car Company in Oshawa, Ontario . Its carriage builder parent was started in 1867 and by 1900 built more carriages than any other Canadian business. W. C. Durant and his Canadian-born son-in-law and business confidant, Dr. Edwin Campbell, were friends with the McLaughlins and they made cross stock-holdings in each other's automobile businesses. Campbell

675-584: The GM board had already decided to discontinue the Cartercar, largely because sales never approached the 1000-2000 annually that Durant had predicted. The GM board decided to use the factory instead to produce the Oakland. Durant had arranged an $ 8 million deal to buy Ford in 1909, but the bankers turned him down and the board of directors of General Motors dismissed him. Both Durant and rival Henry Ford foresaw

720-610: The automobile becoming a mass-market item. Ford followed the course of the basic Model T , and had said "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black." Durant, however, drawing on his experience in the carriage business, sought to create automobiles targeted to various incomes and tastes. This brought about his plans to merge Buick with various other companies for this purpose. When Durant became financially overextended and banking interests assumed control, forcing him out of GM Holding, in 1910, he immediately set out to create "another GM", starting with

765-885: The automobile ruins you." Although Durant didn't act at the time, Hardy struck out on his own and established the Flint Automobile Company , Flint's first automotive manufacturer, in 1901. However, the company's Roadster failed to distinguish itself from the popular, lower-priced Oldsmobile , and in 1903 the Flint Automobile Company folded. Hardy returned to Durant-Dort and wound up as vice-president of General Motors until his retirement in 1925. Durant began to lose interest in Flint activities and set up an office in New York. A.B.C. Hardy tried to interest him in automobiles. Eventually James Whiting of Flint Wagon Works persuaded Durant to take what became

810-512: The business in 1898 and didn't return until 1900. Hardy was sent on a tour of Europe in 1901. On that holiday he became fascinated by automobiles. In 1902 he established his Flint Automobile Company and built over fifty cars with Weston-Mott axles and W F Stewart bodies. The Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers demanded a licence fee of $ 50 for each engine Hardy had built so he ended production and "moved to Iowa". Durant-Dort continued making horse-drawn vehicles until 1917 but from 1915

855-406: The carriage-making world. Durant founded General Motors Holding Company on September 16, 1908 and exchanged a large parcel of Buick stock for a matching parcel of McLaughlin stock making McLaughlin one of General Motors' biggest shareholders. On November 12, 1908, Durant purchased Olds Motor Works (Oldsmobile). Durant consolidated 13 car companies and 10 parts-and-accessories manufacturers under

900-436: The castle and private airstrip are the old foundation works. Today, a canoe landing and short history of the castle are on the site. Flint Automobile Company Flint Automobile Company was founded by A. B. C. Hardy in 1901 and went out of business in 1903 after manufacturing only 52 automobiles in the $ 750–$ 850 price range. Alexander Brownell Cullen Hardy (1869–1948) began working at Durant-Dort in 1889. By 1895, he

945-466: The coming years and he hoped to expand to a chain of 30 bowling alleys. In 1942, Durant traveled to Goldfield, Nevada , to open up a cinnabar mine, hoping the US government would subsidize it through defense contracts, although this ultimately proved a pipe dream. The 80 year old Durant made an exhausting climb on foot to the mine entrance to inspect it and after returning to Flint a few days later, he suffered

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990-463: The company failed in 1933. In the 1920s, Durant became a major "player" on Wall Street and on Black Tuesday joined with members of the Rockefeller family and other financial giants to buy large quantities of stocks, against the advice of friends, to demonstrate to the public their confidence in the stock market . His effort proved costly and failed to stop the market slide. By 1936, Durant

1035-554: The company's entire structure was purposefully very similar with GM; the Princeton line (designed, prototyped, and marketed but never produced) competed with Packard and Cadillac , the ultra-luxurious Locomobile being top of the line. Durant was unable to duplicate his former success, and the financial woes of the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression ultimately proved to be insurmountable, and

1080-467: The corporation (1919), as well as Fisher Body and Frigidaire . In 1920, he finally lost control of GM to the DuPont and McLaughlin shareholders, paying out $ 21,000,000 ($ 319,395,349 in 2023 dollars ) back to his friends. Following the US entry into World War I in 1917, Durant, who detested war, declared that GM would not participate in defense work. He ran afoul of Cadillac founder Henry Leland , who

1125-539: The end and he attempted to work on his memoirs, complications from the stroke gradually robbed him of his ability to speak coherently. He attempted to travel back to Flint in 1946, but his health had deteriorated to the point where this was impossible. He became comatose on March 13, 1947, and died a few days later. By the time of his death, the Durants were bankrupt and had to sell off most of their collection of paintings and other valuables to pay for his medical expenses. He

1170-508: The factory and office buildings refocused on the manufacture of Dort Motor Car Company automobiles. J. Dallas Dort began his own independent automotive business, Dort Motor Car Company , in 1915. Dort used the old Durant-Dort buildings but added more to them. Dort shipped 9000 cars in its first year. J Dallas Dort decided to retire and liquidated Dort Motor Car Company in 1924 and died the following year. Alexander Brownell Cullen Hardy (1869–1948) began working at Durant-Dort in 1889. By 1895, he

1215-673: The firm and manufacturing arrangements — to begin with the carts were made for them by William A. Paterson — while Durant handled sales and promotion. Their first office was in Durant's fire insurance agency in downtown Flint. Durant had bought the rights to the road-cart with borrowed money so newly married Durant immediately left Flint and set up a chain of jobbers to sell the carts as far away as Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago. With just one finished cart at home he returned from his first trip with orders for 600 road-carts. Flint Road-Cart sold 4000 carts its first year, and grew quickly from there. In 1893 they incorporated Flint Road-Cart Company with

1260-500: The general public's anger at this situation, and rather than relying on government regulations to improve their safety, he saw it as an opportunity to create a company which could improve the safety of this new class of transportation. To begin this massive endeavor, Durant first set out to purchase Buick, then a local car company with few sales and large debts. Durant conceived the modern system of automobile dealer franchises. From his holdings in Durant-Dort Carriage Company, Durant

1305-628: The hands of trade unionists, whom Durant had refused to recognize. After Lea's mysterious disappearance in 1934, and Cliff's death in 1937, Cliff's fourth wife, Charlotte Phillips Durant, sold the land to George W. Mason (of Nash Motors ), an automotive executive. Upon his death, it was bequeathed to the State of Michigan as a nature preserve, the Mason Tract, which covers a portion of the Au Sable State Forest . All that remains of

1350-519: The late 1920s, Durant's son, Russell Clifford (Cliff) Durant and his third wife, Lea Gapsky Durant , started construction on a personal castle and private airstrip in Roscommon, Michigan , along the south branch of the Au Sable River . The 54-room mansion burned to the ground under mysterious circumstances on February 6, 1931. The Durants never inhabited it. Arson was suspected, allegedly at

1395-493: The new holding company's control in 1908. In 1909, Durant's GM bought Cadillac , and Oakland Motor Car (eventually replaced by Pontiac), along with many parts-manufacturing companies, paint and varnish companies, and other accessory manufacturers owned by General Motors. By 1910, the rapid-fire acquisitions Durant had made caught up with the business, which caused Durant and the corporation to have become grossly overextended with so many imprudent acquisitions. The corporation faced

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1440-591: The range offered by General Motors. Part of the new empire included a factory in Leaside, Ontario , for Canadian production. As he had with General Motors, Durant acquired a range of companies whose cars were aimed at different markets, and therefore, levels of affordability and luxury. The lowest ('entry' tier) was the Star, aimed at the person who would otherwise buy the Ford Model T. Durant cars were mid-market, and

1485-404: The start of the 20th century, was the largest in the US. Durant was highly skeptical of automobiles, feeling that the bad smell of burnt fuel, along with the engines' loud sounds, made them inherently dangerous to the point where he would not let his daughter ride in one. By 1900, public outcry over weak government regulation of gasoline-powered horseless carriages was significant. Durant noticed

1530-532: Was bankrupt . After the fall of Durant Motors, Durant and his second wife, Catherine Lederer Durant, lived on a pension provided by R. S. McLaughlin, and Messrs. Marr and Dupont as arranged by Alfred P. Sloan at $ 10,000.00 ($ 217,482 in 2023 dollars ) a year on behalf of General Motors. He then opened a bowling alley/fast food restaurant in Flint, Michigan , working the kitchen in person. Durant predicted that family-friendly entertainment venues would be big business in

1575-529: Was a leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry, founder of General Motors and co-founder of Chevrolet . He created a system in which a company held multiple marques – each seemingly independent, with different automobile lines – bound under a unified corporate holding company. He also founded Frigidaire . Durant was born in Boston , Massachusetts on December 8, 1861. He

1620-554: Was a millionaire. On November 1, 1904, he assumed control of the troubled Buick Motor Company and used the financial and manufacturing resources of Durant-Dort to correct Buick's course. With Durant pushing and marketing the Buick name, the company was able to become the best-selling automobile in America, outperforming earlier leaders Ford Motor Company , Cadillac , and Oldsmobile , and despite having no manufacturing line and only

1665-492: Was a school friend of R. S. McLaughlin. Charles W. Nash began working at Durant-Dort in 1891 working in the cushion department, but soon worked his way up to foreman, and, by 1898, factory superintendent. Nash was named a director and vice-president of the firm in 1900, a position he held until 1913. In 1910, Nash was hired as general manager of General Motors, and in 1917 founded Nash Motors . William C. Durant William Crapo Durant (December 8, 1861 – March 18, 1947)

1710-599: Was an ardent patriot and eager to assist in the US war effort. Leland left GM and founded the Lincoln Motor Company , which received contracts to build Liberty aircraft engines. While in charge of Chevrolet, Durant created other companies, including Republic Motors, mainly to produce Chevrolet. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1968. Drawing on experience gleaned in the carriage-making business 20 years earlier, Durant assembled

1755-434: Was established in 1896 to build low-priced carts sold for cash only. The first plant manager was A.B.C. Hardy. Durant decided making their own components instead of buying them in would give Durant-Dort better control over costs and the ability to improve efficiency. All component factories were relocated to Flint to further speed production. These extra activities placed a lot of pressure on Durant's friends. Dallas Dort left

1800-756: Was interred in a private mausoleum in Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx , New York City. He was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 1996. Durant Park in Lansing, Michigan , is named after him, as is Waterford Durant High School in Waterford, Michigan . Likewise, Durant Square in Deal, New Jersey , where he maintained a summer home, is named after him. During

1845-456: Was sold to General Motors for $ 44,065,000 ($ 892,608,717 in 2023 dollars ). Sloan rose to president of GM in the 1920s, going on to build the company into the world's largest automaker. In 1921, Durant established a new company, Durant Motors , initially with one brand. Within two years, it had several marques (including the Durant , Star (also called Rugby), Flint , and Eagle ), rivalling

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1890-518: Was started at this time with Durant putting Pierre du Pont in charge, with McLaughlin Director and Vice President of the newly incorporated General Motors Corporation in 1918. The venture proved highly successful for Durant, and he was able to buy enough shares in GM to regain control, becoming its president in 1916. During his presidency (1916–1920), Durant brought the Chevrolet product line into

1935-459: Was supervising production of the Diamond, a low-cost buggy. In 1898, J. Dallas Dort took a two-year leave of absence from his position as president of Durant-Dort, and Hardy stepped into his place. After Dort's return in 1900, Hardy took his own leave of absence, and while touring Europe discovered the automobile. On his return, he supposedly told Durant to "get out of the carriage business before

1980-401: Was supervising production of the Diamond, a low-cost buggy. In 1898, J. Dallas Dort took a two-year leave of absence from his position as president of Durant-Dort, and Hardy stepped into his place. After Dort's return in 1900, Hardy took his own leave of absence, and while touring Europe discovered the automobile. On his return, he supposedly told Durant to "get out of the carriage business before

2025-517: Was the second child of William Clark Durant and Rebecca Folger Durant (née Crapo), who was born to a wealthy Massachusetts family of French descent. His mother, Rebecca, was the daughter of Michigan governor Henry H. Crapo , who was also of French descent. Durant's family moved to Flint, Michigan after his father abandoned the family in 1869. They lived with Rebecca's sister, Rhoda, and her husband James Wilson. William dropped out of high school to work in his grandfather's lumberyard. He started out as

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