Benson Ford Sr. (July 20, 1919 – July 27, 1978), originally named Edsel Ford Jr., was an American businessman in the automotive industry. He served as a vice president of Ford Motor Company and was the national co-chairman of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Benson Ford is well known for being the first prominent member of the Ford family to actively promote harmony between different religions through his work with the National Conference of Christians and Jews, which was different from the approach of his grandfather, Henry Ford. He is also remembered for the Benson Ford Research Center in Dearborn, Michigan, which is named after him, and for the 1924 Great Lakes freighter named Benson Ford, now called the Benson Ford Shiphouse in Put-In-Bay, Ohio. Benson Ford was closely connected to Lincoln-Mercury, where he helped develop the experimental Lincoln Futura car. This car later became famous as the Batmobile in television, driven by actor Adam West.
In addition to his roles at Ford Motor Company and as a director of Lincoln-Mercury, Benson Ford was chairman of the Board of the Edison Institute and chairman of the Board of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. He was also a key national co-chairman of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, an organization that supports religious tolerance and became one of the most important groups of its kind in the United States. Benson Ford was the son of Edsel Ford I and the grandson of Henry Ford I, the founder of Ford Motor Company. He worked as a vice president of Ford Motor Company, served as chief director of the Lincoln-Mercury division from 1948 to 1956, and was a director of the Lincoln-Mercury (Fomoco) Dealer Policy Board from 1956 to 1978. He also sat on the Ford Motor Company Board of Directors. Benson Ford was president of the Ford Motor Company Fund, a non-profit organization that supports charitable activities, from 1961 until his death.
Early life and education
Benson Ford was born on July 20, 1919, in Detroit, Michigan, to Eleanor Clay Ford and Edsel Ford. He grew up with his brothers, Henry II and William, and his sister, Josephine, in Indian Village and at the Ford family’s Gaukler Point estate in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan, which is located on Lake St. Clair. Benson attended the Liggett School and the Detroit University School, which was his father’s school, before going to the Hotchkiss Academy in Connecticut, where he graduated in 1938. The Ford family often traveled to Europe every few years. During winter months, they stayed at their home in Hobe Sound, Florida, which is north of Palm Beach. In the summer, they traveled by private train car to their seaside home in Seal Harbor, Maine.
While growing up, Benson and his siblings spent time with Henry and Clara Ford at the Ford family’s Fairlane Estate. Activities included driving small gasoline-powered cars designed for children, going on camping trips, climbing trees, and helping care for a half-acre farm that Henry built for them. Henry taught them practical skills through hands-on experiences. The Fords also built a small house for the children, which was filled with Christmas gifts each year. Inside the large mansion, they enjoyed a bowling alley and an indoor pool. Fun continued on Ford Motor Company property. Henry II and Benson were allowed to use Henry’s chauffeur. With Henry’s permission, they explored freely, including driving trains at the Rouge factory. On Saturdays, they visited the engineering laboratory with Henry, where they drove Model T cars inside the building and handled time cards. At one point, they took over the cash register in the cafeteria and gave money to employees.
Early days at Ford Motor Company
After attending Hotchkiss School, Benson was accepted to Princeton University and studied there for two years. He chose to leave college early to begin working at Ford Motor Company. In his early years at Ford, Benson worked in the experimental garage with Henry Ford II at the Ford Engineering Laboratory. He started in the dynamometer room, where he tested engines. Ford engineer Lawrence Sheldrick said the workers "didn't pull any punches about getting their hands dirty … and their clothes all messed up." While working in the Engineering Lab, Benson and others worked for Leonard Williams, a strict African American supervisor who taught them how to take apart engines. During Benson's early time as an engineer at Ford, he helped build one of the company's first experimental jeeps with his brother, Henry Ford II. Sheldrick took Edsel Ford to watch the tests of the first completed jeep model and arranged for Henry and Benson to drive it out of a patch of tall grass and underbrush right up to their father. "He got the biggest bang out of that … He was awfully proud of his boys," Sheldrick said. Later, Benson worked in different departments at Ford. His father believed the Ford family members should learn as many parts of the company as possible, starting from the bottom. This idea became a rule for new Ford family members joining the company. In his final stockholder meeting in 1979, Henry Ford II explained, "The ownership of Class B stock is no passport to a top position in Ford … It confers no special privilege … If any other member of my family achieves a senior position in the company, it will be through merit … There are no Crown Princes in the Ford Motor Company."
Personal life
Benson married Edith McNaughton, who was also from Grosse Pointe. Edith’s father, Lynn McNaughton, worked as a vice president and general manager at Cadillac, a competitor of the motor car company. The couple married on July 9, 1941, at Christ Church Detroit. Edith lived near the Fords in Detroit, and they attended kindergarten together. Benson and Edith had two children: a son and a daughter. They lived in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan. The Fords enjoyed boating and owned several boats, including a series of yachts named Onika. Benson was a photographer and golfer. He loved racing and drove the Indianapolis 500 pace car three times. He drove a Mercury in 1950, a Mustang in 1964, and a Comet Cyclone GT in 1966. Benson had angina, a painful heart condition. After a heart attack in 1957, Benson had ongoing health problems for the next two decades until his final heart attack in 1978. Like his brothers, Benson also struggled with alcoholism.
World War II service
During World War II, Benson was rejected twice from military service because of blindness in his left eye, which was classified as status 4-F. However, Benson wanted to serve his country and refused to give up. Despite his blindness, Benson kept trying and was finally allowed to join the United States Army in 1942 as a private. He completed officer's candidate school in Fargo, North Dakota, and was given the rank of second lieutenant in June 1943. In December 1943, Benson was stationed in San Francisco at the Fourth Air Force Headquarters. Soon after, he became an aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Samuel M. Connell and was transferred to the Army Air Corps. In October 1944, Benson was sent to the Newfoundland Base Command of the United States Air Corps for 13 months. Because of his excellent work, Benson reached the rank of captain in January 1945. This was the highest rank achieved by any member of the Ford family. When his father, Edsel Ford, president of Ford Motor Company, died of cancer on May 26, 1943, during the war, Benson continued his service in the Army until the war ended. His brother, Henry Ford II, who was in the United States Navy, was honorably discharged after his father's death so he could take over leadership at Ford Motor Company as requested by the United States government. Henry II became president of Ford on September 21, 1945. Benson Ford was named a vice-president of Ford Motor Company during a meeting on June 1, 1943. Captain Ford left the Army in February 1946, honorably discharged after all wartime fighting ended, and returned home. After leaving the Army, Benson went back to work at Ford Motor Company.
Return to Ford
After World War II, Ford was restructured to be similar to General Motors, with separate business units focused on making money and departments for operations and management. On January 30, 1948, Benson was elected as a vice president of the company and named director of the newly created Lincoln-Mercury Division, following in his father's footsteps. In October of the same year, he became general manager of the division. He worked alongside his brother Henry Ford II, who became Ford President in 1945, and his other brother William, who became head of the Continental Division in 1955. Together, they proved that the third generation could save a company. They modernized Ford and helped the company regain its success before the war. As his health worsened, Benson became Chairman of the Lincoln-Mercury (Fomoco) Dealer Policy Board. Benson always supported Henry Ford II and prioritized the company's needs. The Policy Board role was a good match for his experience with Lincoln-Mercury and his friendly, personable nature. Benson was kind, very personable, and could make people feel comfortable and welcome. While Henry managed the company, Benson became the public face of Ford, meeting people and building relationships. He enjoyed traveling and was friendly and cheerful. He was also skilled at remembering people's names, as well as the names of their spouses and children.
Lincoln-Mercury highlights
Benson Ford played a key role in creating the 1949 Ford. This car is often called "The car that saved Ford Motor Company" by historians. It was the first Ford vehicle not based on designs from before World War II. Benson was part of a group that chose the final design by Eugene Gregorie. The 1949 Ford had a unique "fenderless" look and large flat side panels. Benson explained Mercury's place in the car market in 1950: "For Ford owners, the next logical choice would be a Mercury." The Mercury version of the car was different from the Ford. Its stylish design was inspired by higher-end Lincoln models. The car appeared fast and was actually fast. Sales of Mercury cars increased from 47,142 in 1948 to 301,319 in 1949, which was nine times more. The 1949–1951 Mercury models with 110 horsepower were popular among young car fans. The large side panels made it easy for owners to customize the car, and the engine could be modified to improve performance. Benson Ford helped make Mercury a strong competitor in the medium-priced car market. In 1950, Benson drove a 1950 Mercury convertible as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500. Ford sold nearly a million Mercurys in three years. The Mercury gained more attention in 1955 when the coupe version appeared in the movie Rebel Without a Cause, starring James Dean. During Benson's time at Ford, Mercury introduced several new features. The 1955 Montclair Sun Valley had a tinted plexiglass panel on the front half of the roof, and the Mercury Monterrey was offered with a vinyl roof.
Racing
In 1953, Benson was responsible for a big increase in horsepower for Lincoln cars, raising it from 160 to 205. This made Lincoln the first American production car since the 1920s to have more than 200 horsepower. Benson Ford decided to work with Bill Stroup to enter a team of 1953 Lincolns in the 1952 Pan-American Road Race. The race was 1,934 miles long and considered one of the most difficult races in the world. That year, Lincolns won first, second, and fourth places in the touring division of the race. Benson wanted to improve further, so he brought the winning driver to meet Ford engineers to find ways to make the cars better. After these improvements, Lincoln cars won the first four spots in 1954, the final year of the race. Benson’s work followed a racing tradition started by his grandfather, who won a race called the "sweepstakes" in 1901 by beating Henry Winton. During Benson Ford’s time, Ford began competing in NASCAR with a mix of Ford and Mercury cars. Ford won the Manufacturer’s Cup in 1956 and 1957.
Lincoln Futura concept car
The Lincoln Futura, an experimental futuristic concept car, was created based on an idea from Benson Ford at Lincoln-Mercury. William M. Schmidt at Lincoln-Mercury designed the car. After the designs were completed, Ghia in Italy built the car by hand for $250,000. Benson Ford introduced the car at auto shows in 1955, where it caused excitement. The car had push-button transmission controls, a 300-horsepower V-8 Lincoln engine and powertrain, a Lincoln Mark II chassis, and a double-dome canopy roof. Although Lincoln-Mercury did not mass-produce the Lincoln Futura, Benson Ford drove the car on the streets of New York City for crowds, displayed it at auto shows across the United States, and appeared in newsreels promoting the invention. Benson Ford chose not to mass-produce the car, but its appearances left a lasting impression and helped raise the visibility of Benson Ford and Lincoln-Mercury.
In 1959, Hollywood customizer George Barris purchased the Lincoln Futura from Ford. A few years later, Barris changed the car’s color from pearlescent white to black and transformed it into the original Batmobile for the 1966–1968 Batman television series. In 1966, the new Batman series became one of the first television shows produced in full color by William Dozier. The Lincoln Futura, driven by actor Adam West as Batman, became the most famous and recognizable car in the world. Adam West, who played Batman, and Burt Ward, who played Robin, became well-known actors because of the car they drove in costume. In 2013, Barris sold the original Lincoln Futura, which had been turned into the Batmobile, for $4.6 million.
Death of Henry Ford
After Henry Ford's death on April 7, 1947, at Fair Lane, Benson Ford was seen leaving The Episcopal Cathedral Church of St. Paul (Detroit) on April 10, 1947, with his grandmother Clara Ford, who had recently lost her husband. He was helping her exit the church following the funeral service.
Charitable activities
Benson Ford, as Vice President of the Ford Motor Company, and his wife Edith were involved in many important charities and community groups, including the YMCA, Boy Scouts, and the United Torch Fund Drives with Edith. Mr. and Mrs. Ford were very active in the United Community Funds and Councils of America, which is now called the United Way. Benson was a director for this organization and in 1961 became the National Chairman of the United Community Campaigns of America. He also served as a trustee for the Edison Institute, where he was chairman of the board from 1947 to 1951. Benson was the chairman of the board for Henry Ford Hospital and Henry Ford Trade School. He was a Ford Foundation trustee from 1947 to 1976 and was the director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He supported efforts to promote religious tolerance and in 1951 was named Protestant national co-chair of the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
Benson Ford joined the Henry Ford Hospital Board of Trustees in 1946 and became its president in 1947, succeeding his grandfather, Henry Ford. As president of the hospital’s board, Benson helped secure a $100 million grant from the Ford Foundation in 1973. He was deeply interested in medical research and supported its progress. The Education and Research Building at Henry Ford Hospital, a large research laboratory, was named in his honor.
Benson Ford was a director or chairman for many organizations, including The National Safety Council, the Traffic Safety Association of Detroit, The Automotive Safety Foundation, Greater Detroit Committee for Project Hope, the Dermatology Foundation, the Citizens Conference on State Legislatures, and the village of Grosse Pointe Shores. He also belonged to several clubs that reflected his interests in fishing, golf, and community life, including the Everglades Club in Palm Beach, the Key Largo Anglers club, Country Club of Detroit, Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit Club, and Grosse Pointe Club.
Awards and recognition
Mr. Ford received many awards for his work to promote religious and racial tolerance. In 1951, he was chosen by the Detroit Junior Board of Commerce as the "Outstanding Young Man of 1951." In 1961, Benson was given the Knight of Charity Award by Maryglade College for showing "unison in family life with person-to-person charity." In 1963, he was honored with a Distinguished Service Citation by the Automotive Old Timers. In 1965, he received the National Community Service Award from what is now the United Way for his long-term efforts to support community health and welfare services through united giving.
Death and survivors
Benson Ford Sr., who had a history of heart problems, died from a heart attack on July 27, 1978, one week after his 59th birthday, while on his yacht named "Onika," which was docked at Cheboygan, Michigan. Cheboygan was originally an Ojibwe Chippewa Anishinaabe indigenous settlement that was later renamed Duncan City. At the time of his death, Benson lived in Cheboygan during the summer and spent other times on Lake Hudson, near the northern tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. His wife, Edith, was with him on the yacht when he suffered the fatal heart attack. Benson is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan, alongside his brother William Clay Ford Sr., who was chairman of the Board of the Henry Ford Museum and owner of the Detroit Lions football team (died 2014), and his sister Josephine Clay Ford, a noted philanthropist (died 2005). His eldest brother, Henry Ford II, who was President, CEO, and chairman of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company (died 1987), chose to be cremated, with his ashes scattered on the Detroit River, instead of being buried with the rest of the family.
Edith McNaughton Ford, Benson’s widow, was president and owner of the Key Largo Anglers Club in Key Largo, Florida, and served on the Board of Trustees of Henry Ford Hospital for 36 years. She died in a Detroit hospital on August 9, 1980, at age 60, after a long illness believed to be throat cancer. She is buried next to Benson. After Benson’s death, Edith lived on Lake Shore in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan. During her final 24 months, she was named executrix of Benson’s will and eventually inherited $50 million of the $100 million estate. She and the rest of the Ford family fought a $25 million lawsuit brought by her son, Benson Ford Jr., who claimed financial mismanagement and sought a seat on the Ford Motor Company Board of Directors. In 1986, at age 36, Benson Ford Jr. began working at Ford as a management trainee.
Benson’s children remain active in the Ford Motor Company as Ford family shareholders. The living Ford family members control the company through ownership of a special class of stock—B shares. The family explains that this structure helps focus on long-term goals and family interests rather than short-term profits. Many investors might prioritize quick financial gains, but the Ford family believes their approach ensures continued involvement in the company. The Ford family owns less than 2% of the company’s shares but holds 40% of the voting power through the B shares. There are 71 million Class B shares, with about three-fourths held in a voting trust. The remaining shares are owned by individual family members. A family agreement states that if Class B shares are sold, they must first be offered to other family members. Lynn Ford Alandt, Benson Ford Jr., Edsel B. Ford II, William Clay Ford Jr., and Alfred Ford (also known as Ambarish Das) oversee the trust that holds these shares.
Lynn Ford Alandt, Benson Ford Sr.’s daughter, continues to play an active role in Ford family affairs. She serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, a member of the Fair Lane Board of Trustees (home of Henry and Clara Ford, now undergoing restoration), a trustee at The Henry Ford Museum, President of the Benson and Edith Ford Charitable Fund, and through the Lynn & Paul Alandt Charitable Foundation.
Historic Benson Ford Shiphouse
Years after Benson Ford passed away, he is still remembered for the forward cabin and pilothouse of the Great Lakes lake freighter MV Benson Ford, which was named after him. This ship is now known as the Benson Ford Shiphouse, located on South Bass Island, Ohio, near the village of Put-In-Bay. The ship has survived more than 100 years of history and is now a private summer home, not open to the public.
In 1924, the MV Benson Ford was built and launched on April 26, 1924, for the Ford Motor Company. It was designed to carry iron ore and other materials across the Great Lakes. The ship was powered by a 3,000 horsepower, four-cylinder, two-stroke, single-acting Sun-Doxford opposed piston diesel engine, with specifications of 23 5/8" bore x 45 5/8" stroke per piston (91 ¼" total combined stroke). The engine was built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse, Michigan.
The ship’s sister ship, the MV Henry Ford II, was also completed in 1924 and built by the American Shipbuilding Company in Lorain, Ohio. The MV Benson Ford had a top speed of 11 knots, or about 12.7 miles per hour. Its first trip, or maiden voyage, took place on August 2, 1924. It transported coal from Toledo, Ohio, to Duluth, Minnesota, and then returned to the Ford Rouge plant in Dearborn, Michigan, carrying iron ore.
The MV Benson Ford made headlines in 1959 when it ran aground twice. In 1981, it was sold to Frank J. Sullivan Jr., who renamed it the MV John Dykstra II, later the MV Frank J. Sullivan. After removing salvageable parts, Sullivan, Jr. originally planned to rebuild the ship as a barge. However, in 1992, he decided to convert it into a vacation bed & breakfast. When licensing for this use could not be obtained, the ship was sold again in 1997 as a private island residence.
The Benson Ford Shiphouse, now renamed the Benson Ford, was renovated to serve as a private home. It is a four-story summer home with 7,000 square feet of living space. It includes five bedrooms, a living room, five full bathrooms, a garage, family room, dining room, a galley, and the pilothouse lookout. The ship is sometimes rented for private events.
The Benson Ford Shiphouse can be seen from the land by visitors traveling to Put-In-Bay village on South Bass Island by the Miller Ferry. The Shiphouse is currently owned by the Kasper family of Sandusky, Ohio.
Benson Ford Research Center at Henry Ford Museum
Benson Ford's name is still well-known today at the Benson Ford Research Center, which is part of the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. The research center is named after Benson Ford. To honor his work at the Edison Institute, his children, Benson Ford Jr. and Lynn Ford Alandt, gave a lot of money to help create the Benson Ford Research Center. The Benson Ford Research Center is a major place for studying the history of Henry Ford, the automobile industry, and American innovation. It has experts who care for and explain the museum's collections. The center is closed to the public and outside researchers during the Coronavirus Pandemic for in-person visits, tours, and educational programs until further notice. However, staff members are still working and helping with research questions through mail, email, and phone calls.
Timemagazine cover
On May 18, 1953, the cover of Time magazine showed three sons of the late Edsel Ford driving in a Ford convertible. Benson Ford is on the left, William Ford is in the center, and Henry Ford II is on the right. The caption reads, "Benson, William & Henry Ford. One more car to pass on the road ahead." In the background, far away on the road behind the Ford car, the late Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, is shown driving his original 1896 Quadricycle, a car that began the automobile revolution. The Time cover is important because it shows the continued importance, influence, and equal role of all three of Henry Ford's male grandchildren at Ford in the future development of the Ford Motor Company.