John Wilkinson (Franklin automobile)
Encyclopedia
John Wilkinson was born in Syracuse, New York
. He invented the air-cooled motor which was used in the Franklin (automobile)
produced by H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
where he was chief engineer and designer from 1902 to 1924.
He was a native of Syracuse
and a member of an established, respected, wealthy family. His grandfather, John Wilkinson
(1798–1862), was one of the original pioneers of Upstate, New York. As a young man, Wilkinson, Sr. was a city planner and named the newly incorporated village, Syracuse
.
who was a personal family friend. "J. Forman" Wilkinson served as a soldier in the Civil War
with the 149th Infantry of New York State volunteers.
His grandfather, John Wilkinson
settled in the area on the Southside of Onondaga Lake
in Central New York
, where he was a lawyer and the first Postmaster
of Syracuse. He acquired some farm land, extending for some distance around where the Globe Hotel stood. The property remained in the family until April 1889, when they sold it to satisfy the creditors of a failed banking endeavor, Wilkinson & Company. At that time, John Wilkinson of Chicago
filed deeds in the County Clerk's office, conveying to him, the residences of both brothers (on James Street) and the building which "has since become known in court as the Globe property."
Both sons died untimely deaths. John Wilkinson's father, J. Forman Wilkinson, died on May 4, 1889, at the family home on James Street in Syracuse
with pneumonia two weeks after the property was sold and Alfred Wilkinson died in July, 1886.
John Wilkinson's four siblings were;
where he starred in tennis, baseball, track and football and managed to finish his coursework with honors. While at Cornell
, he was a member of Psi Upsilon, a college fraternity.
He earned a degree in mechanical engineering in 1889 and found a job with a local bicycle manufacturer, a "hot" technology of the period.
at Ogontz, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
The couple had three children, two daughters and a son;
of Syracuse
, where he stayed a short three months. He departed to Brooklyn, New York and found employment with Henry R. Worthington Pump Company and he stayed a year. Wilkinson returned to Syracuse
and was hired as a draughtsman with Solvay Process Company
. He remained in their employment for four years.
Wilkinson, a member of Syracuse Athletic Association, no longer holds the 10 feet (3 m) road record over the Cicero
course. On July 19, 1893, William Van Wagoner
of New Jersey
who was also riding for Syracuse, made a new record by riding the distance in 31:03, reducing Wilkinson's record by 12 seconds. It was a "great feat" as the wind was blowing stiff from the north.
He went to work for the Syracuse Cycle Company on Wyoming Street as a designer where he stayed for about four years. In 1895, he designed and patented the Syracuse quadruplet, the "fastest cycle in the world," establishing a record of 1:45 for a three lap track. Wilkinson also designed the company's well-known Crimson Rim.
In 1900, Wilkinson invented an air compressor self-starter which was the first of its kind for an automobile (although Kettering claimed he invented the starter in 1911). Wilkinson showed it to a group of friends and was able to connect to the New York Automobile Company officers including; George H. Bond, Sr. secretary and Ernest I. White, prime mover. Associated with this endeavor were Fred D. White, Arthur R. Peck, Edward N. Trump, Alexander T. Brown
, founder of the Brown-Lipe Company, and Louis Will of Will & Baumer Candle Company.
His designs may have caught the attention of the group of New York City
businessmen, however, the men couldn't decide whether to put Wilkinson's car into production. One day when he was visiting the C. E. Lipe shop, where the H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
die-casting business was located, one member of the group introduced Wilkinson to Herbert H. Franklin
, who took a ride in Wilkinson's second prototype. Franklin was impressed and discussed the idea with Alexander T. Brown, one of the members of the New York Automobile Club. Between them, it was agreed that Wilkinson should drop all previous experiments and start anew. Franklin invested $1,100 so that Wilkinson could build a third prototype which went on to become Franklin's first production model.
Later the business endeavor with the New York businessmen disintegrated due to Fred White's death and the new business arrangement Wilkinson had formed with Herbert H. Franklin
.
The original staff consisted of six or seven people. "In one corner, with a drafting board in front of him, sat John Wilkinson and the bookkeeper, the stenographer and others were at desks and tab1es, here and there. Back in the original machine shop were two mechanics. These two men were building the first car. For two months they had worked shaping up this part and shaping up that, until the day came when they had a complete car." Later, Brown and Franklin was absorbed by the H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
.
The company's first home was a four story building at the northeast corner of West Fayette and South Geddes streets, leased from the Brown Lipe Gear Company.
On November 1, 1901, the H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
was restructured and the Franklin Automobile Company was spun off into a separate entity. Herbert Franklin
named the business after himself and was the president and primary shareholder. He gave John Wilkinson stock and appointed him chief engineer. In the early days, Franklin ran the business side and Wilkinson made the engineering and manufacturing decisions. Alexander T. Brown and Willard Lipe were also important figures in the founding of the company and the original office was in the Lipe machine shop.
From the onset, Wilkinson wanted to build a car that would be light in weight and economical. He believed that it should be the "acme of simplicity, so that the owner of a Franklin Car would have as little as possible to do with it mechanically." From the very beginning, the first drawings contained the idea of a self starter which was to be operated by compressed air.
In 1910, Wilkinson was promoted to vice-president of the company.
, Wilkinson was selected to work with Cal Vincent of Packard
to design the Liberty V-12, a 450-horsepower aircraft engine. He was one of three engineers selected from the Society of Automotive Engineers for the special duty.
The engine was first designed as water-cooled and was later revamped at McCook Field
in Dayton, Ohio
, to a V-12 air-cooled engine. "These first experiments were the basis for later air-cooled cylinder designs used during World War II
and today in military as well as commercial aircraft."
over the insistence by Franklin that the new designs should "look more like other cars." The company had taken a lot of criticism in the popular press and from dealerships because of their unconventional front hood that didn't sport a radiator. He retired by the end of 1924. During his time at Franklin he had been chief engineer, vice-president and a director of the H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
.
Immediately after his departure from Franklin, he began development work for Dodge Brothers then headed by his old friend Fred Haynes where his first effort was the Dodge water-cooled "Victory Six."
Soon after his retirement from Franklin, on May 16, 1925, Wilkinson announced that he might form a new company to produce his "new invention," an automobile that was under construction and "which is surrounded by secrecy."
According to Wilkinson, formation of the new company was dependent upon the success of the initial model. At that time, Wilkinson stated that he was "working night and day on the car and will subject it to the severest tests before making definite decision on the production." The car that was in conception had conventional looks with a new, radical engineering design, although it still had an air-cooled engine. The new car was being worked on in a machine shop in Marcellus Street, not unlike conditions in the early Franklin Automobile Company
.
In 1942 he was cited for his air-cooled motor in helping the war effort during World War II
.
. C. C. Russell, president of the Rossell-Knight Company, delivered the car to Wilkinson who took the car on a trip to Detroit, Michigan
where the inventor "also had interests." He was working on inventions in auto manufacture "at the present time."
In the early 1900s, Wilkinson helped found the Society of Automotive Engineers with Henry Ford
and in 1947 he was honored for life membership at a special meeting in Syracuse. "A great engineer, Mr. Wilkinson, a great man acknowledged as such by this great engineering society many, many times during his career."
He was an honorary member of the Onondaga Golf and Country Club, formally the Hiscock Golf Club.
He was married for 55 years until his death on June 25, 1951. He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery
.
By 1954, his widow still lived in Syracuse
at 1065 James Street. When Herbert H. Franklin
was alive, he lived right down the street at the Hamilton White homestead at 1033 James Street.
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. He invented the air-cooled motor which was used in the Franklin (automobile)
Franklin (automobile)
The Franklin Automobile Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in the United States between 1902 and 1934 in Syracuse, New York. Herbert H. Franklin, the founder, began his career in the metal die casting business before establishing his automobile enterprise.Franklin founded the H. H. Franklin...
produced by H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company was founded in 1893 by industrialist Herbert H. Franklin in Syracuse, New York. The company specialized in machine die-casting and made small parts such as gears and bearing caps...
where he was chief engineer and designer from 1902 to 1924.
He was a native of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
and a member of an established, respected, wealthy family. His grandfather, John Wilkinson
John Wilkinson (Syracuse pioneer)
John Wilkinson was a lawyer and first Postmaster of community known as Bogardus Corners, Cossit's Corners and Salina in Central New York. As a young man, Wilkinson took inspiration from a poem about an ancient city and named the new village, Syracuse just in time for the opening of the Erie Canal...
(1798–1862), was one of the original pioneers of Upstate, New York. As a young man, Wilkinson, Sr. was a city planner and named the newly incorporated village, Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
Biography
He was the son of Joshua Forman Wilkinson (1829–1889) and Louisa B. Rayner and youngest of five children. His father was named after Judge Joshua Forman, the founder of the village of SyracuseSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
who was a personal family friend. "J. Forman" Wilkinson served as a soldier in the Civil War
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
with the 149th Infantry of New York State volunteers.
Early life
After the war, J. Forman Wilkinson had formed a partnership with his brother, Alfred Wilkinson, and established a bank named Wilkinson & Company; however, it failed on December 9, 1884, when John Wilkinson was an adolescent.His grandfather, John Wilkinson
John Wilkinson (Syracuse pioneer)
John Wilkinson was a lawyer and first Postmaster of community known as Bogardus Corners, Cossit's Corners and Salina in Central New York. As a young man, Wilkinson took inspiration from a poem about an ancient city and named the new village, Syracuse just in time for the opening of the Erie Canal...
settled in the area on the Southside of Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
in Central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
, where he was a lawyer and the first Postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of Syracuse. He acquired some farm land, extending for some distance around where the Globe Hotel stood. The property remained in the family until April 1889, when they sold it to satisfy the creditors of a failed banking endeavor, Wilkinson & Company. At that time, John Wilkinson of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
filed deeds in the County Clerk's office, conveying to him, the residences of both brothers (on James Street) and the building which "has since become known in court as the Globe property."
Both sons died untimely deaths. John Wilkinson's father, J. Forman Wilkinson, died on May 4, 1889, at the family home on James Street in Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
with pneumonia two weeks after the property was sold and Alfred Wilkinson died in July, 1886.
John Wilkinson's four siblings were;
- Mrs. Ralph S. Bowen
- Rebecca Wilkinson
- Theodore Wilkinson - Chemist for the Anaconda Mining Company in MontanaMontanaMontana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. - Forman Wilkinson
Education
John Wilkinson graduated from Syracuse High School about 1885. He was described as "rugged, good-natured, outgoing and athletic" and attended Cornell UniversityCornell 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...
where he starred in tennis, baseball, track and football and managed to finish his coursework with honors. While at Cornell
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...
, he was a member of Psi Upsilon, a college fraternity.
He earned a degree in mechanical engineering in 1889 and found a job with a local bicycle manufacturer, a "hot" technology of the period.
Personal life
John Wilkinson was married to Edith Belden on April 23, 1896. She was born on September 24, 1869, and was the third child of Mead Belden and Gertrude Woolston Belden. She was educated in Keeble School of Syracuse and at Pennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
at Ogontz, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Ogontz, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Ogontz is a neighborhood in the North Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States that borders suburban Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County....
.
The couple had three children, two daughters and a son;
- Helen Wilkinson Blagbrough (born April 5, 1897) (Died 1947)
- Anne Belden Wilkinson Sherry (born October 9, 1899) (Died 1997)
- John Belden Wilkinson (born February 13, 1905) (Died ca. 1951)
Business life
His first job was as machinist for E. C. Stearns & CompanyE. C. Stearns & Company
E. C. Stearns & Company was a manufacturer of tools and hardware in Syracuse, New York and was organized in 1864 as George N. Stearns Company by George N. Stearns, a wagon maker. During the early years, the company was principally involved in the production of hollow iron tools and specialties,...
of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, where he stayed a short three months. He departed to Brooklyn, New York and found employment with Henry R. Worthington Pump Company and he stayed a year. Wilkinson returned to Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
and was hired as a draughtsman with Solvay Process Company
Solvay Process Company
The Solvay Process Company was a pioneer chemical industry of the United States in the manufacture of soda ash and a major employer in Central New York...
. He remained in their employment for four years.
Bicycle design and racer
Always athletic, by 1880, Wilkinson participated in another sport, bicycle racing and went on to become one of the country's leading racers. After college, he went on to become a champion cyclist and also developed a keen interest about the inner-workings of internal combustion engines and motor cars.Wilkinson, a member of Syracuse Athletic Association, no longer holds the 10 feet (3 m) road record over the Cicero
Cicero, New York
Cicero is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population was 27,982 at the 2000 census. The name of the town was assigned by a clerk interested in the classics, honoring Cicero, a Roman statesman....
course. On July 19, 1893, William Van Wagoner
William Van Wagoner
William H. Van Wagoner was born in New Jersey and was a bicycle racer from 1888 through the mid 1890s who won many competitions throughout the Northeastern United States...
of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
who was also riding for Syracuse, made a new record by riding the distance in 31:03, reducing Wilkinson's record by 12 seconds. It was a "great feat" as the wind was blowing stiff from the north.
He went to work for the Syracuse Cycle Company on Wyoming Street as a designer where he stayed for about four years. In 1895, he designed and patented the Syracuse quadruplet, the "fastest cycle in the world," establishing a record of 1:45 for a three lap track. Wilkinson also designed the company's well-known Crimson Rim.
Early inventions
After leaving Syracuse Cycle Company, Wilkinson dedicated the next two years largely to experimenting with automobiles, a brand new innovation on the market. He designed and built two prototype vehicles. In the summer of 1898 he tinkered with a one-cylinder air-cooled, gasoline engine and by January 1, 1900, he demonstrated his first automobile which traveled at 35 miles per hour (15.6 m/s).In 1900, Wilkinson invented an air compressor self-starter which was the first of its kind for an automobile (although Kettering claimed he invented the starter in 1911). Wilkinson showed it to a group of friends and was able to connect to the New York Automobile Company officers including; George H. Bond, Sr. secretary and Ernest I. White, prime mover. Associated with this endeavor were Fred D. White, Arthur R. Peck, Edward N. Trump, Alexander T. Brown
Alexander T. Brown
Alexander T. Brown was an inventor, engineer, businessman and entrepreneur in Syracuse, New York and was credited with over 100 inventions. He invented the Smith Premier typewriter, the L. C...
, founder of the Brown-Lipe Company, and Louis Will of Will & Baumer Candle Company.
His designs may have caught the attention of the group of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
businessmen, however, the men couldn't decide whether to put Wilkinson's car into production. One day when he was visiting the C. E. Lipe shop, where the H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company was founded in 1893 by industrialist Herbert H. Franklin in Syracuse, New York. The company specialized in machine die-casting and made small parts such as gears and bearing caps...
die-casting business was located, one member of the group introduced Wilkinson to Herbert H. Franklin
Herbert H. Franklin
Herbert H. Franklin was born in Lisle, New York located in Broome County in Southern New York State.In 1886, at age 19, he moved to Coxsackie, New York where he spent his early career as a newspaper editor for his uncle, who owned a newspaper and publishing company...
, who took a ride in Wilkinson's second prototype. Franklin was impressed and discussed the idea with Alexander T. Brown, one of the members of the New York Automobile Club. Between them, it was agreed that Wilkinson should drop all previous experiments and start anew. Franklin invested $1,100 so that Wilkinson could build a third prototype which went on to become Franklin's first production model.
Later the business endeavor with the New York businessmen disintegrated due to Fred White's death and the new business arrangement Wilkinson had formed with Herbert H. Franklin
Herbert H. Franklin
Herbert H. Franklin was born in Lisle, New York located in Broome County in Southern New York State.In 1886, at age 19, he moved to Coxsackie, New York where he spent his early career as a newspaper editor for his uncle, who owned a newspaper and publishing company...
.
Franklin auto
Wilkinson signed a formal contract with Franklin to go into business with him producing air-cooled automobiles on July 1, 1901. Alexander T. Brown and Herbert Franklin combined efforts and created a startup they named "Brown and Franklin" to commence building and promotion of the Franklin automobile. The initial work of the business was financed in equal amounts by both men. "So great was Franklin's faith in the proposition, that he borrowed every cent of the money."The original staff consisted of six or seven people. "In one corner, with a drafting board in front of him, sat John Wilkinson and the bookkeeper, the stenographer and others were at desks and tab1es, here and there. Back in the original machine shop were two mechanics. These two men were building the first car. For two months they had worked shaping up this part and shaping up that, until the day came when they had a complete car." Later, Brown and Franklin was absorbed by the H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company was founded in 1893 by industrialist Herbert H. Franklin in Syracuse, New York. The company specialized in machine die-casting and made small parts such as gears and bearing caps...
.
The company's first home was a four story building at the northeast corner of West Fayette and South Geddes streets, leased from the Brown Lipe Gear Company.
On November 1, 1901, the H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company was founded in 1893 by industrialist Herbert H. Franklin in Syracuse, New York. The company specialized in machine die-casting and made small parts such as gears and bearing caps...
was restructured and the Franklin Automobile Company was spun off into a separate entity. Herbert Franklin
Herbert H. Franklin
Herbert H. Franklin was born in Lisle, New York located in Broome County in Southern New York State.In 1886, at age 19, he moved to Coxsackie, New York where he spent his early career as a newspaper editor for his uncle, who owned a newspaper and publishing company...
named the business after himself and was the president and primary shareholder. He gave John Wilkinson stock and appointed him chief engineer. In the early days, Franklin ran the business side and Wilkinson made the engineering and manufacturing decisions. Alexander T. Brown and Willard Lipe were also important figures in the founding of the company and the original office was in the Lipe machine shop.
From the onset, Wilkinson wanted to build a car that would be light in weight and economical. He believed that it should be the "acme of simplicity, so that the owner of a Franklin Car would have as little as possible to do with it mechanically." From the very beginning, the first drawings contained the idea of a self starter which was to be operated by compressed air.
In 1910, Wilkinson was promoted to vice-president of the company.
Aircraft engine
In 1917, during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Wilkinson was selected to work with Cal Vincent of Packard
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
to design the Liberty V-12, a 450-horsepower aircraft engine. He was one of three engineers selected from the Society of Automotive Engineers for the special duty.
The engine was first designed as water-cooled and was later revamped at McCook Field
McCook Field
McCook Field was an airfield and aviation experimentation station operated by the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps and its successor the United States Army Air Service from 1917-1927...
in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, to a V-12 air-cooled engine. "These first experiments were the basis for later air-cooled cylinder designs used during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and today in military as well as commercial aircraft."
Career change
In late 1924, John Wilkinson had a falling out with Herbert FranklinHerbert H. Franklin
Herbert H. Franklin was born in Lisle, New York located in Broome County in Southern New York State.In 1886, at age 19, he moved to Coxsackie, New York where he spent his early career as a newspaper editor for his uncle, who owned a newspaper and publishing company...
over the insistence by Franklin that the new designs should "look more like other cars." The company had taken a lot of criticism in the popular press and from dealerships because of their unconventional front hood that didn't sport a radiator. He retired by the end of 1924. During his time at Franklin he had been chief engineer, vice-president and a director of the H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company was founded in 1893 by industrialist Herbert H. Franklin in Syracuse, New York. The company specialized in machine die-casting and made small parts such as gears and bearing caps...
.
Immediately after his departure from Franklin, he began development work for Dodge Brothers then headed by his old friend Fred Haynes where his first effort was the Dodge water-cooled "Victory Six."
Soon after his retirement from Franklin, on May 16, 1925, Wilkinson announced that he might form a new company to produce his "new invention," an automobile that was under construction and "which is surrounded by secrecy."
According to Wilkinson, formation of the new company was dependent upon the success of the initial model. At that time, Wilkinson stated that he was "working night and day on the car and will subject it to the severest tests before making definite decision on the production." The car that was in conception had conventional looks with a new, radical engineering design, although it still had an air-cooled engine. The new car was being worked on in a machine shop in Marcellus Street, not unlike conditions in the early Franklin Automobile Company
Franklin (automobile)
The Franklin Automobile Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in the United States between 1902 and 1934 in Syracuse, New York. Herbert H. Franklin, the founder, began his career in the metal die casting business before establishing his automobile enterprise.Franklin founded the H. H. Franklin...
.
In 1942 he was cited for his air-cooled motor in helping the war effort during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Later life
In July 1927, Wilkinson purchased a new Falcon-Knight sedan. He had three cars but used the new car to go back and forth from his summer home in Skaneateles, New YorkSkaneateles, New York
Skaneateles, New York may refer to:*Skaneateles, New York *Skaneateles, New York...
. C. C. Russell, president of the Rossell-Knight Company, delivered the car to Wilkinson who took the car on a trip to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
where the inventor "also had interests." He was working on inventions in auto manufacture "at the present time."
In the early 1900s, Wilkinson helped found the Society of Automotive Engineers with 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 in 1947 he was honored for life membership at a special meeting in Syracuse. "A great engineer, Mr. Wilkinson, a great man acknowledged as such by this great engineering society many, many times during his career."
He was an honorary member of the Onondaga Golf and Country Club, formally the Hiscock Golf Club.
He was married for 55 years until his death on June 25, 1951. He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery
Oakwood Cemetery
Oakwood Cemetery may refer to:*Historic Oakwood Cemetery, a cemetery in Raleigh, North Carolina*Oakwood Cemetery , burial site of Henry C...
.
By 1954, his widow still lived in Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
at 1065 James Street. When Herbert H. Franklin
Herbert H. Franklin
Herbert H. Franklin was born in Lisle, New York located in Broome County in Southern New York State.In 1886, at age 19, he moved to Coxsackie, New York where he spent his early career as a newspaper editor for his uncle, who owned a newspaper and publishing company...
was alive, he lived right down the street at the Hamilton White homestead at 1033 James Street.