Harvey S. Firestone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harvey S. Firestone
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Harvey Firestone (c. 1910)
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Harvey Samuel Firestone
December 20, 1868 Columbiana, Ohio, U.S.
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| Died | February 7, 1938 (aged 69) Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
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| Occupation | Founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company |
| Spouse(s) | Idabelle Smith Firestone |
| Children | Harry (April 12–16, 1897) Harvey Jr. (1898–1973) Russell (1901–1951) Leonard (1907–1996) Raymond (1908–1994) Roger (1912–1970) Elizabeth (1914–1941) |
Harvey Samuel Firestone (born December 20, 1868 – died February 7, 1938) was an important American businessman. He started the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. This company was one of the first in the world to make tires for cars.
Contents
Harvey's Early Life and Family
Harvey Firestone was born on a farm in Columbiana, Ohio. His grandfather built this farm. In 1983, the original farm was moved. It is now part of Greenfield Village. This is a large outdoor museum founded by Henry Ford.
Harvey's family name was originally "Feuerstein." His ancestors came from France in 1753. Later, some family members changed their last name to "Firestone." This was the English translation of "Feuerstein."
In 1895, Harvey married Idabelle Smith. They had seven children together.
Education and Starting a Business
After finishing high school, Harvey Firestone worked for a company that made buggies. Buggies were like horse-drawn carriages. In 1890, he started his own business. He made rubber tires for carriages.
Harvey soon realized that cars would become very popular. He saw a huge chance to make tires for automobiles. In 1900, he founded the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. This company was a leader in making tires for cars in large numbers. In 1926, he wrote a book called Men and Rubber: The Story of Business.
The Famous Vagabonds
Harvey Firestone, Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison were very important leaders in American industry. They were good friends and often spent time together. They even went on vacations together. They called themselves the "Vagabonds." Sometimes, naturalist John Burroughs and President Herbert Hoover joined them.
Harvey Firestone's Legacy
Harvey Firestone left behind many important things. The main library at Princeton University is named Firestone Library in his honor. It is one of the biggest university libraries in the world.
In 1950, a large sculpture was made to honor him. It is called the Harvey S. Firestone Memorial. It is located in Akron, Ohio. In 1974, Firestone was added to the Automotive Hall of Fame. This honor is for people who made big contributions to cars.
Firestone High School in Akron, Ohio, is named after him. There is also a Harvey S Firestone Park in Columbiana, Ohio. A town in Liberia called Harbel is named after Harvey and his wife Idabelle. This town is home to Firestone's rubber plantation, which is the largest in the world.
In 2013, he was added to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
See also
In Spanish: Harvey Samuel Firestone para niños
