As a young man on his father's farm in Dearborn, Henry Ford had followed Thomas Edison's career. Henry took a job at the Edison Illuminating Company, which later became Detroit Edison, working his way up to chief engineer.
According to the memoirs of Samuel Insull, entrepreneur and early champion of the electric utility infrastructure, Tom met Henry in August 1896. At that time, Ford and his colleague, Alex Dow, attended a company sponsored convention in Manhattan Beach, New York, where Edison was the guest of honor at the evening's banquet.
Dow pointed out Ford to Edison, telling him "There's a young fellow who has made a gas car." Edison then asked young Henry Ford a host of questions and when the discussion was over, Edison emphasized his satisfaction by banging his fist down on the table. "Young man," he said, "that's the thing! You have it! Your car is self-contained and carries its own power plant".
Ford felt that bang on the table from the world's greatest inventor, and Edison's comments and encouragement sent him over the top, turbo-charging his work on the automobile; and of course, all this started a 35-year friendship between the giant of electricity and the giant of transportation.
On the night of the big 1914 fire at Edison's West Orange Labs, Henry wired Tom $750,000 urging him to re-build immediately. He cautioned Tom that he should not worry about the loan, and to pay him back when he was able. Now that is a true friend, wouldn't you say!
Both men enjoyed next door winter retreat homes at Ft. Myers Florida. Henry and his wife Clara often visited with the Edison's at their Glenmont home in West Orange.
Talk to you again soon...
Harry