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The grandson of Michigan governor, Henry H. Crapo , William was a high school dropout, yet had become a leading manufacturer of horse-drawn vehicles by 1890, based in Flint, Michigan. When approached to become General Manager of Buick in 1904, he made a similar success and was soon president of this horseless vehicle company. In 1908 he arranged the incorporation by proxies of General Motors and quickly thereafter sold stock and with the proceeds acquired Oldsmobile. The acquisitions of Oakland (now Pontiac), Cadillac, and parts companies followed in short order.
In 1910Events January events January 13 The first live musical radio program. Lee De Forest broadcasts a live performance of Enrico Caruso from the Metropolitan Opera. January 26 ? Seine floods in Paris. February events February 8 The Boy Scouts of America is in, Durant became financially overextended and banking interests assumed control, forcing him from management of GM. He then partnered with Louis ChevroletLouis Chevrolet ( December 25, 1878, La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland June 6, 1941, Detroit, Michigan) was a racing driver and the founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. In 1886 his family left Switzerland to live in Beaune in the Cote-d'Or departement in the ChevroletChevrolet or Chevy is a brand of automobile that is now part of the General Motors group. Its founder, Louis Chevrolet, was a racing driver born on December 25, 1878 in La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland. On November 3, 1911, Chevrolet officially entered the company, and regained control of GM in 1915Events January 12 The Rocky Mountain National Park is established by an act of Congress. January 12 United States House of Representatives rejects proposal to give women the right to vote. January 13 An earthquake (6. 8 in Richter scale) in Avezzano, Ital in another merger, but lost it for good in 19201920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) Events January January 7 Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. January 9 Britain announces it will build 100,000 homes for war veterans. January 10 Leagu to the DuPontdu Pont de Nemours and Company ( NYSE:DD) was founded in July 1802 as a gun powder mill by Eleuthere Irenee du Pont on Brandywine Creek, near Wilmington, Delaware. Du Pont later evolved into one of the world's largest chemical companies, and in the 20th c interests.
In 1921Events January 2 The first religious radio broadcast ( KDKA AM in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) January 2 Spanish liner Santa Isabel sinks off Villa Garcia 244 dead January 2 DeYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park San Francisco opens. January 20 Republic of Turke he established a new Durant Motors company, initially with one brand but later, as he had with General Motors, acquiring a range of companies whose cars were aimed at different markets. The cheapest brand was the Star, aimed at the person who would otherwise buy the obsolescent Model T Ford, while the Durant cars were mid-market, the Princeton line (designed, prototyped, and marketed but never produced) competed with Packard and Cadillac, and the ultra-luxurious Locomobile was the top of the line. However, he was unable to duplicate his former success, and the financial woes of the time proved fatal as the company failed in 1933.
Driven from the automotive field, in his last years he operated bowling alleys.