Charles Brady King
Encyclopedia
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Charles Brady King (1868-1957) was an American engineer & entrepreneur remembered as an automotive pioneer, artist, etcher, musician, poet, architect, mystic, industrialist and inventor.
King's claim to fame is that he was the first person in Detroit to design, build and drive a self-propelled automobile – 3 months before Henry Ford
built his automobile. The Detroit Journal
of March 7, 1896, reports that King drove his motor-powered vehicle down Woodward Avenue – being the first person in Detroit to build and drive such a vehicle.
The Journal also reports King made and sold the first complete automobile in Detroit.
in Port Hope (Ontario) for two years, then went to Cascadilla School
in Ithaca, New York
, for preparation for entrance to Cornell University
. Then in 1887 he entered Cornell (engineering class of 1891), but was only there for two years. He moved to Detroit around 1888 or 1889 at the age of 20, shortly after his father's death. His first full time job was as a draftsman at Michigan Car Company
in Detroit.
. He test drove his first car in Detroit in front of hundreds of spectators on March 6, 1896, at speeds up to seven miles per hour. The time was just before 11 P.M. The route that King did started from a building on St. Antoine Street, going first south toward the Detroit River. When he arrived at Jefferson Avenue he turned right. After passing by several businesses he arrived at Woodward Avenue. He turned right again onto that street. He again passed by several businesses and then stopped for a short time at Cadillac Square at the Russell House hotel. Henry Ford was present when King demonstrated his horseless carriage, riding a bicycle behind!
King showed to the Detroit public his car, which probably was the first in Michigan, however not the first in the world nor even the first in the United States. King served as a mentor to Henry Ford
, Ransom E. Olds
and others for their inspiration to develop a "horseless carriage". Their gasoline powered automobiles came out months later. He did secret road tests in 1895, prior to this public display.
The Detroit Journal interviewed King and there he said what the journal considers his most famous quote
The Detroit Free Press newspaper wrote up an article the next morning saying
King had the intention of running his motocycle
in America's first automobile race of 1895, however his car wasn't quite ready for the race as were many others that also dropped out.
in 1902 and in 1903 became their chief engineer until 1908. One well known car he designed was the two-cylinder "Silent Northern" – the automobile with the first integrated motor and transmission assembly and the first side-step running boards. The 1907 Northern car model also had three-point engine suspension, air brakes, an air-controlled clutch and other innovations new to the auto industry of the time.
King went to Europe for two years to study automotive design in 1908. When he came back in 1910 he started the King Motor Car Company
with the knowledge he acquired. He was the first automaker to make cars with left-hand steering. He also was the first to successfully make a practical working V-8 engine. The King automobile called "the Eight" was advertised as "The Car of No Regrets." The King automobile was the only vehicle to feature left-hand steering at the 1912 New York Auto Show. He left the King Automobile company in 1912, however held full possession of his patents. The King name for the car company continued for many years thereafter and produced up to 1000 automobiles under this name. The company was ultimately absorbed by the Studebaker Car Company
.
King was a founding member of the Automobile Old Timers in 1939, the original name of what was to become the Automotive Hall of Fame
. King was an umpire in America's first automobile race as well as a participant.
in Chicago in 1893 to display two of his new inventions, a pneumatic hammer and a brake beam for railroad cars.
By 1893 King worked for the Russel Wheel and Foundry Company
and at the Exposition was put in charge of their exhibit in the Transportation Building, which he considered a great opportunity to learn about the latest engineering feats and exhibit his new inventions. His pneumatic hammer invention (for riveting and caulking) was unique, being the only tool of its kind there, and earned him the Exposition highest award of a special diploma certificate and a bronze medal.
King saw Gottlieb Daimler
’s self-propelled carriage at the Exposition. He also learned about this same time that the Duryea Brothers had built and tested a self-propelled carriage. He then went about the quest of designing his own "horseless carriage".
King provided parts, instructions and assistance to Henry Ford for his first horseless carriage
. He gave Ford two valves from one of his engines during retrofitting so that Ford could build his first car, the Quadricycle
.
King designed and assisted in building a 70 foot yacht called the "Lady Frances" that was sold to an Eastern buyer. It had many new innovations for gasoline motors, including a self-starting device. He formed with others the Michigan Yacht and Power Company.
The American Motor League
was organized by King and he was issued the first membership number issued each year, No. 100.
. He not only invented the jackhammer, but several other machines, tools, mechanisms, attachments and sundry devices. Below are just some of his 64 inventions that ultimately made him independently wealthy.
]
Charles Brady King (1868-1957) was an American engineer & entrepreneur remembered as an automotive pioneer, artist, etcher, musician, poet, architect, mystic, industrialist and inventor.
King's claim to fame is that he was the first person in Detroit to design, build and drive a self-propelled automobile – 3 months before Henry Ford
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
built his automobile. The Detroit Journal
Detroit Journal
""The Detroit Journal"" was a newspaper published in Detroit, Michigan from September 1, 1883-1922. “The Detroit Evening Journal” was established by Lloyd Brezee. The paper started as a two-cent daily with Brezee in the position of editor and C.C. Parkard as business manager.On December 6, 1883, a...
of March 7, 1896, reports that King drove his motor-powered vehicle down Woodward Avenue – being the first person in Detroit to build and drive such a vehicle.
The Journal also reports King made and sold the first complete automobile in Detroit.
Early life
King was born February 2, 1868, at Camp Reynolds on Angel Island, California. His father was a Civil War Union Army general, General John Haskell King. His mother was Matilda C. Davenport, from the New England family line of Davenports that settled in Detroit.Career
King was first sent to Trinity CollegeTrinity College School
Trinity College School is a coeducational, independent boarding/day school located in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. TCS was founded on May 1, 1865, more than 2 years prior to Canadian Confederation. It includes a Senior School for grades 9 to 12 and a Junior School for grades 5 to 8.Among its...
in Port Hope (Ontario) for two years, then went to Cascadilla School
Cascadilla School
Cascadilla School is a preparatory school in Ithaca, New York. It was founded in 1876 as a boys' preparatory school for Cornell University. At this time Universities typically required students to be proficient in Latin and Greek. However, students from rural areas often did not have access to...
in Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, for preparation for entrance to Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. Then in 1887 he entered Cornell (engineering class of 1891), but was only there for two years. He moved to Detroit around 1888 or 1889 at the age of 20, shortly after his father's death. His first full time job was as a draftsman at Michigan Car Company
Michigan Car Company
The Michigan Car Company was a railroad rolling stock manufacturer located in Detroit, Michigan.The Michigan Car Company was organized in 1864 by John S. Newberry and James McMillan to manufacture railroad cars for the Union Army. In 1873 it relocated its main factory to Grand Trunk Junction...
in Detroit.
First car made by King
King started designing and building his first car from the time of the Chicago World's Fair of 1893World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
. He test drove his first car in Detroit in front of hundreds of spectators on March 6, 1896, at speeds up to seven miles per hour. The time was just before 11 P.M. The route that King did started from a building on St. Antoine Street, going first south toward the Detroit River. When he arrived at Jefferson Avenue he turned right. After passing by several businesses he arrived at Woodward Avenue. He turned right again onto that street. He again passed by several businesses and then stopped for a short time at Cadillac Square at the Russell House hotel. Henry Ford was present when King demonstrated his horseless carriage, riding a bicycle behind!
King showed to the Detroit public his car, which probably was the first in Michigan, however not the first in the world nor even the first in the United States. King served as a mentor to Henry Ford
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
, Ransom E. Olds
Ransom E. Olds
Ransom Eli Olds was a pioneer of the American automotive industry, for whom both the Oldsmobile and REO brands were named. He claimed to have built his first steam car as early as 1894, and his first gasoline powered car in 1896...
and others for their inspiration to develop a "horseless carriage". Their gasoline powered automobiles came out months later. He did secret road tests in 1895, prior to this public display.
The Detroit Journal interviewed King and there he said what the journal considers his most famous quote
The Detroit Free Press newspaper wrote up an article the next morning saying
King had the intention of running his motocycle
Motocycle
]Motocycle was the word adopted by the United States in the later part of the nineteenth century to indicate the horseless carriage, because it was short and easier to understand than the other possibilities, such as "automobile carriage", "motor carriage", "motor vehicle", or "auto carriage". It...
in America's first automobile race of 1895, however his car wasn't quite ready for the race as were many others that also dropped out.
Other cars
King joined the Olds Motor Works around 1900, but resigned after their plant burned down. He then joined the Northern Manufacturing CompanyNorthern (automobile)
Northern Manufacturing Company was a manufacturer of Brass Era automobiles in Detroit, Michigan, automobiles designed by Charles Brady King.-History:...
in 1902 and in 1903 became their chief engineer until 1908. One well known car he designed was the two-cylinder "Silent Northern" – the automobile with the first integrated motor and transmission assembly and the first side-step running boards. The 1907 Northern car model also had three-point engine suspension, air brakes, an air-controlled clutch and other innovations new to the auto industry of the time.
King went to Europe for two years to study automotive design in 1908. When he came back in 1910 he started the King Motor Car Company
King (automobile)
The King was an automobile built in Detroit from 1911 to 1923, and in Buffalo in late 1923, with an additional car built in Detroit in 1896....
with the knowledge he acquired. He was the first automaker to make cars with left-hand steering. He also was the first to successfully make a practical working V-8 engine. The King automobile called "the Eight" was advertised as "The Car of No Regrets." The King automobile was the only vehicle to feature left-hand steering at the 1912 New York Auto Show. He left the King Automobile company in 1912, however held full possession of his patents. The King name for the car company continued for many years thereafter and produced up to 1000 automobiles under this name. The company was ultimately absorbed by the Studebaker Car Company
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
.
King was a founding member of the Automobile Old Timers in 1939, the original name of what was to become the Automotive Hall of Fame
Automotive Hall of Fame
The Automotive Hall of Fame is an American museum and hall of fame covering automotive innovations.-Location:Located in the metro Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, the museum shares a parking lot with The Henry Ford.-External links:*...
. King was an umpire in America's first automobile race as well as a participant.
Other interests
King visited the World's Columbian ExpositionWorld's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
in Chicago in 1893 to display two of his new inventions, a pneumatic hammer and a brake beam for railroad cars.
By 1893 King worked for the Russel Wheel and Foundry Company
Russel Wheel and Foundry Company
Russel Wheel and Foundry Company manufactured railcars, railcar wheels, logging equipment and structural steel in Detroit, Michigan between 1876 and 1916...
and at the Exposition was put in charge of their exhibit in the Transportation Building, which he considered a great opportunity to learn about the latest engineering feats and exhibit his new inventions. His pneumatic hammer invention (for riveting and caulking) was unique, being the only tool of its kind there, and earned him the Exposition highest award of a special diploma certificate and a bronze medal.
King saw Gottlieb Daimler
Gottlieb Daimler
Gottlieb Daimler was an engineer, industrial designer and industrialist born in Schorndorf , in what is now Germany. He was a pioneer of internal-combustion engines and automobile development...
’s self-propelled carriage at the Exposition. He also learned about this same time that the Duryea Brothers had built and tested a self-propelled carriage. He then went about the quest of designing his own "horseless carriage".
King provided parts, instructions and assistance to Henry Ford for his first horseless carriage
Ford Quadricycle
The Ford Quadricycle was the first vehicle developed by Henry Ford. Ford's first car was a simple frame with an ethanol-powered engine and four bicycle wheels mounted on it.The earliest cars were hand built, one by one, and very expensive...
. He gave Ford two valves from one of his engines during retrofitting so that Ford could build his first car, the Quadricycle
Ford Quadricycle
The Ford Quadricycle was the first vehicle developed by Henry Ford. Ford's first car was a simple frame with an ethanol-powered engine and four bicycle wheels mounted on it.The earliest cars were hand built, one by one, and very expensive...
.
King designed and assisted in building a 70 foot yacht called the "Lady Frances" that was sold to an Eastern buyer. It had many new innovations for gasoline motors, including a self-starting device. He formed with others the Michigan Yacht and Power Company.
The American Motor League
American Motor League
The American Motor League was the first automobile organization in the United States, formed 1895. The AML started in Chicago from ideas of Charles Brady King. He wished to form an organization that governed the movement of the fast development of the manufacture of "horseless carriages" that...
was organized by King and he was issued the first membership number issued each year, No. 100.
Inventions
King is considered the inventor of the jackhammerJackhammer
A jackhammer is a pneumatic tool that combines a hammer directly with a chisel that was invented by Charles Brady King. Hand-held jackhammers are typically powered by compressed air, but some use electric motors. Larger jackhammers, such as rig mounted hammers used on construction machinery, are...
. He not only invented the jackhammer, but several other machines, tools, mechanisms, attachments and sundry devices. Below are just some of his 64 inventions that ultimately made him independently wealthy.
Primary Sources
- Detroit Public Library, Automotive History Collection - "King Papers"
- Detroit Public Library, Burton Historical Collection - "King Papers"
- Cornell University Library, Archives Division -"Charles King Papers"
- Henry Ford Museum, The Ford Archives - "Charles Brady King items"
- King, Charles B., A Golden Anniversary 1895-1945 / Personal Side Lights of America's First Automobile Race, Privately Printed, 1945
Secondary Sources
- Hillstrom, Kevin, The industrial revolution in America: automobiles, ABC-CLIO, 2006, ISBN 185109749X
- Lewis, Eugene w., Motor Memories, A Saga of Whirling Gears, Alved Publishers, 1947
- May, George S., A most unique machine: the Michigan origins of the American automobile industry, Eerdmans, 1975
- May, George S., Encyclopedia of American Business History and Biography, Bruccoli Clark Layman, 1990, ISBN 0-8160-2084-1
- Olson, Sidney, Young Henry Ford: a picture history of the first forty years , Wayne State University Press, 1963, ISBN 0814312241
- Powell, Sinclair, Michigan History magazine, Michigan Department of State, Nov 1985, vol 69, Issue 6, ISSN 0026-2196
- Woodford, Arthur M., This is Detroit, 1701-2001 , Wayne State University Press, 2001, ISBN 0814329144