John Studebaker

John Mohler Studebaker (1833 to 1917) was an American wagon maker and executive, the third son of the family that founded what became the Studebaker Corporation. Born in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, he went to California during the gold rush, where he made wheelbarrows for miners and earned the nickname Wheelbarrow Johnny. In 1852 he moved to South Bend, Indiana and put his savings into his brothers wagon business, which supplied wagons to the Union Army and became the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company in 1868, with John as president. Late in life he was persuaded by his son-in-law Fred Fish to try electric cars, and five battery-powered models were built in 1902. The company then moved into gasoline cars through Garford and the EMF company, and reincorporated as the Studebaker Corporation in 1911. He was honorary president at his death and was added to the Automotive Hall of Fame.