Frederic L. Smith
Encyclopedia
Frederic Latta Smith was an American football
player and pioneer of the automobile business. He played college football
team at the University of Michigan
and was the quarterback of the 1888 Michigan Wolverines football team
. He later became a pioneer in the automobile business in Michigan. He was one of the founders of the Olds Motor Works
in 1899 and of General Motors Corporation in 1908. He was also the president of the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers
in its early years when it used its pool of patent rights, including the Selden patent, to preclude Henry Ford
and others from entering the automobile manufacturing business.
. He was the son of copper and lumber magnate, Samuel Latta Smith
(1830–1917), and Eliza Cordelia (Seager) Smith. He attended Lansing High School and the Michigan Military Academy, graduating from the latter institution in 1886.
in October 1886. While attending Michigan, he played college football
and was the starting quarterback for the 1888 Michigan Wolverines football team
. He also won the light-weight wrestling championship medal. He was also a member of the Zeta Psi
fraternity at Michigan. He was also a member of the Zeta Psi
fraternity at Michigan. Smith's cousin, Henry Rogers Seager
, was also a member of the same fraternity at Michigan and later became a noted economist.
Smith graduated from Michigan in 1890 and subsequently studied at the University of Berlin from 1891 to 1892.
In August 1897, Smith's cousin, Ransom E. Olds
, founded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company
in Lansing, Michigan
. In 1899, Smith was one of the founders of the new Olds Motor Works. Smith together with his father and Henry Russel provided the financial backing for the new venture, which was moved from Lansing to Detroit. Smith's father became the company's president, with Ransom Olds as general manager and Frederic Smith as secretary and treasurer.
In 1901, the Olds Motor Works released the Curved Dash
Oldsmobile. It was this car, rather than Henry Ford
's Model T, that was the first mass-produced, low-priced American motor vehicle. In 1901, a fire destroyed the company's factory, and a new factory was quickly built to replace it.
In 1902, Frederic Smith took charge of the newly built Olds Motor Works factory. He gave responsibility for sales to Roy Chapin, another promising young automotive pioneer from Lansing. Chapin led the way in developing a network of sales franchises for Olds around the country. At one point, Chapin's mother wrote to Frederic Smith and complained that her son had been given too many responsibilities for too little pay. Smith responded by telling Mrs. Chapin that her son was "the brightest and most promising of all the young managers at Olds."
In the infancy of the automobile industry in Detroit, the carmakers formed the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers
("ALAM"), an organization that one historian has called "a monopolistic combine." The members pooled their patent rights (including the Selden patent) and used their "patent pool" to permit or deny the right to manufacture petroleum-based automobiles. Frederic Smith became the president of ALAM and in 1903 sought to use the power of ALAM to try to deny Henry Ford
membership in the organization. A special subcommittee with Smith as its sole member was formed to review Ford's admission to ALAM. Ford's plan to assemble one inexpensive model at a low price point was a threat to Olds' low-end vehicles. Accordingly, Smith told Ford that he must "dismantle, disband, and depart Detroit." In a personal meeting with Ford, Smith told him to "abandon all hope of becoming an automobile manufacturer." The confrontation led to years of litigation between Ford and ALAM.
Frederic Smith and Ransom Olds clashed frequently. In 1903, Smith removed Olds from the position of general manager and took the position for himself.
The Olds Motor Works was bought by General Motors in 1908. Smith has been credited, along with William C. Durant
, as "one of the founders of General Motors Corp."
, in 1941. In August 1954, he died at his home at 603 N. Bedford Drive in Beverly Hills. He was survived by his wife, Norah.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and pioneer of the automobile business. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
team at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and was the quarterback of the 1888 Michigan Wolverines football team
1888 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1888 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1888 college football season. The team compiled a 2–1 record and outscored its opponents by a combined score of 94 to 36. The captain of the 1888 team was James E. Duffy....
. He later became a pioneer in the automobile business in Michigan. He was one of the founders of the Olds Motor Works
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
in 1899 and of General Motors Corporation in 1908. He was also the president of the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers
Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers
The Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers , originally the Manufacturer's Mutual Association , was an organization originally formed to challenge the litigation of the fledgling automobile industry by George B. Selden and the Electric Vehicle Company. Ultimately, the organization took...
in its early years when it used its pool of patent rights, including the Selden patent, to preclude 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...
and others from entering the automobile manufacturing business.
Early years
Smith was born in 1870 in Lansing, MichiganLansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
. He was the son of copper and lumber magnate, Samuel Latta Smith
Samuel L. Smith House
The Samuel L. Smith House is located at 5035 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was also known as the Schools Annex. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.- History :...
(1830–1917), and Eliza Cordelia (Seager) Smith. He attended Lansing High School and the Michigan Military Academy, graduating from the latter institution in 1886.
University of Michigan
Smith enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in October 1886. While attending Michigan, he played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and was the starting quarterback for the 1888 Michigan Wolverines football team
1888 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1888 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1888 college football season. The team compiled a 2–1 record and outscored its opponents by a combined score of 94 to 36. The captain of the 1888 team was James E. Duffy....
. He also won the light-weight wrestling championship medal. He was also a member of the Zeta Psi
Zeta Psi
The Zeta Psi Fraternity of North America was founded June 1, 1847 as a social college fraternity. The organization now comprises about fifty active chapters and twenty-five inactive chapters, encompassing roughly fifty thousand brothers, and is a founding member of the North-American...
fraternity at Michigan. He was also a member of the Zeta Psi
Zeta Psi
The Zeta Psi Fraternity of North America was founded June 1, 1847 as a social college fraternity. The organization now comprises about fifty active chapters and twenty-five inactive chapters, encompassing roughly fifty thousand brothers, and is a founding member of the North-American...
fraternity at Michigan. Smith's cousin, Henry Rogers Seager
Henry Rogers Seager
Henry Rogers Seager, Ph.D. was an American economist.He studied at the University of Michigan , at the University of Pennsylvania , at Johns Hopkins University, and in Europe at Halle, Berlin, and Vienna.He was employed at the University of Pennsylvania from 1897-1902, and then at Columbia...
, was also a member of the same fraternity at Michigan and later became a noted economist.
Smith graduated from Michigan in 1890 and subsequently studied at the University of Berlin from 1891 to 1892.
Automobile business
In 1892, Smith became employed as an agent for land interests in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. As of 1897, he maintained his office at 1013 Woodward Avenue in Detroit.In August 1897, Smith's cousin, 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...
, founded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
in Lansing, Michigan
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
. In 1899, Smith was one of the founders of the new Olds Motor Works. Smith together with his father and Henry Russel provided the financial backing for the new venture, which was moved from Lansing to Detroit. Smith's father became the company's president, with Ransom Olds as general manager and Frederic Smith as secretary and treasurer.
In 1901, the Olds Motor Works released the Curved Dash
Oldsmobile Curved Dash
The gasoline powered Curved Dash Oldsmobile is credited as being the first mass-produced automobile, meaning that it was built on an assembly line using interchangeable parts. It was introduced by the Oldsmobile company in 1901 and produced through 1907...
Oldsmobile. It was this car, rather than 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...
's Model T, that was the first mass-produced, low-priced American motor vehicle. In 1901, a fire destroyed the company's factory, and a new factory was quickly built to replace it.
In 1902, Frederic Smith took charge of the newly built Olds Motor Works factory. He gave responsibility for sales to Roy Chapin, another promising young automotive pioneer from Lansing. Chapin led the way in developing a network of sales franchises for Olds around the country. At one point, Chapin's mother wrote to Frederic Smith and complained that her son had been given too many responsibilities for too little pay. Smith responded by telling Mrs. Chapin that her son was "the brightest and most promising of all the young managers at Olds."
In the infancy of the automobile industry in Detroit, the carmakers formed the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers
Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers
The Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers , originally the Manufacturer's Mutual Association , was an organization originally formed to challenge the litigation of the fledgling automobile industry by George B. Selden and the Electric Vehicle Company. Ultimately, the organization took...
("ALAM"), an organization that one historian has called "a monopolistic combine." The members pooled their patent rights (including the Selden patent) and used their "patent pool" to permit or deny the right to manufacture petroleum-based automobiles. Frederic Smith became the president of ALAM and in 1903 sought to use the power of ALAM to try to deny 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...
membership in the organization. A special subcommittee with Smith as its sole member was formed to review Ford's admission to ALAM. Ford's plan to assemble one inexpensive model at a low price point was a threat to Olds' low-end vehicles. Accordingly, Smith told Ford that he must "dismantle, disband, and depart Detroit." In a personal meeting with Ford, Smith told him to "abandon all hope of becoming an automobile manufacturer." The confrontation led to years of litigation between Ford and ALAM.
Frederic Smith and Ransom Olds clashed frequently. In 1903, Smith removed Olds from the position of general manager and took the position for himself.
The Olds Motor Works was bought by General Motors in 1908. Smith has been credited, along with William C. Durant
William C. Durant
William Crapo "Billy" Durant was a leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry, the founder of General Motors and Chevrolet who created the system of multi-brand holding companies with different lines of cars....
, as "one of the founders of General Motors Corp."
Later years
Smith moved to Beverly Hills, CaliforniaBeverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
, in 1941. In August 1954, he died at his home at 603 N. Bedford Drive in Beverly Hills. He was survived by his wife, Norah.