John North Willys Founder of Willys

Biography of John North Willys

Early Life

John North Willys founder of Willys was born on 25^th October, 1873 in Canandaigua, New York. In his early childhood he used to work as a seller of bicycles. He sold bicycles in his native town. He worked very hard for selling those bicycles. After that hard work he made his own manufacturing line for bicycles.

Business Career

He married to Isabel Van Wie in 1897. After two years of his marriage, he entered into the business of retail of automobiles in Elmira, New York. In that business he became very successful and also became famous dealer and involved in the selling of Overland.

Founder of Willys

After that success he continued to work for that company as a dealer. But in 1907 Overland brand of vehicles felt short of its supplies that led the company in the condition for selling out and or dissolving. He judged the opportunity there and acquired that company named Indianapolis, Indiana Overland factory in the same year. Under his management that company’s fortune was completely changed and it went on to verge of success. He also acquired another company in 1909, named the Marion Motor Car Co. operating in the same area of Indianapolis, Indiana.

He renamed the company in 1912; he then named it to the Willys-Overland Motor Company. That company later on manufactured so many automobiles and became famous with the brand name of Willys. That’s how that brand name of automobiles was founded by him.

Apart from these companies’ merger and formation of brand name of Willys he was also involved in so many acquisitions of different companies. He acquired the Edwards Motor Co., New York, through which he entered the market of that city. His management led the company to the slot of the second largest car manufacturer of the United States automobile market in 1915.

Willys

Willys is the brand name used for the automobiles. It was coined firstly by a multinational company of the United States, named Willys- Overland Motors. Both the company and the brand name belonged to an American businessman named John North Willy. Under that brand name company designs, manufactures, markets, sales and distributes different types of automobiles. These vehicles include military Jeeps, civilian jeep versions, and others also.

In historical perspective, his company is also famous for so many acquisitions. In 1908, he acquired a division of Standard Wheel Company that was a division named Overland Automotive. That was renamed to Willys Overland Motor Company.

Later Life

In 1930s, which was the time of the Great Depression, so many companies were out of the business and went bankrupt. In those companies there were so many companies in the field of automobile making. In 1933, because of severe financial conditions, his company also became the part of bankruptcy. After one year, the effect of his professional life fell onto his private life and he divorced his wife, thirty seven years old lady. But he didn’t get depressed and moved forward in his life by marrying another lady soon.

Death

His second marriage didn’t lose for much time because of his death. He died on 26^th August, 1935 at his house in The Bronx, New York. The cause of his death was a fatal heart attack. His body was buried in Valhalla, New York’s cemetery named the Kenisco Cemetery.