Chrysler Corp. wood supplier...

[keiser31]

Wow....spooky! A while back there was a discussion about the wood suppliers for the automobile companies in the 20s and 30s. I mentioned that my grandfather, Joseph Braun owned Braun Lumber Corporation in Detroit and I believed that he supplied the wood for the Ford Motor Company and was a good buddy of Henry Ford. Well, I was just sitting here looking for an old member of the WPC Club and thumbing through the 1983 roster for the club and I closed the book. As I was glancing over the cover looking at the brand new 1931 Chryslers, I noticed something that in all these years of looking at this book, I had never ever seen before. There, in the photo, across the street is the "BRAUN LUMBER CORPORATION" sign! I have to believe that the company also supplied Chrysler Corporation with their wood. I still have a beautiful copper and brass chandelier from grandpa's office at the lumber yard.

[TG57Roadmaster]

That connection is exceptionally cool, and would make a fine article for publication.
I hope the chandelier is displayed prominently and proudly, or will be soon.
These types of connections to the past are the best!

TG

[Restorer32]

Would Ford have sourced wood thru a middleman or would they have dealt directly with the mill or did your Grandfather own the mill as well? Ford was known for going directly to the prime source whenever possible. I can't imagine old Henry paying a markup to a distributor. Would be interesting if you had any of the order books from Braun to see if they purchased or sold large amounts of hardwoods as opposed to soft woods as used in construction.

[58Mustang]

Ford owned thousands of acres of hardwood forest land in Michigan and supplied his own wood from the Kingsford mill at Iron Mountain He also purchased the Hebard Lumber Company in 1923 which included the town of Pequaming, Michigan, the Culver and Sterns Sawmill in L'Anse, Michigan and large sawmill in Big Bay, Michigan located north of Marquette, Michigan. Then, in 1935, Alberta, Michigan was built from scratch, cut out of the extensive hardwoods forest at a remote location 9 miles south of L'Anse. With its sawmill, homes, and schools, it was another of Ford's "village industries." This mill operated as a satellite to the big mill at L'Anse.
Ripped off from here Alberta Village Museum - Location

[Restorer32]

I guess that answers the question.

[TG57Roadmaster]

My great-uncle worked at one of the L'Anse sawmills, and another has lake property just
south of Pequaming, where there are still remnants of the docks the big lakeboats used.
Alberta is just east of where that side of my family came from, and I've stopped by on
trips to the U.P. Very neat place, and they have demos of some of the Alberta equipment.

It's not quite the same as a grandfather owning the joint, but it's as close as I can relate.
A beautiful part of the country, too!

TG

[keiser31]

Found this book that tells all about Braun/Ford Motor.

The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922 - Google Books

[58Mustang]

I am an amateur genealogist and have seen many, many of these books. They're called "Vanity Books". Publishers came into town and placed notices that for a small sum, your biography would be included in a new book chronicling the history of the town, city or county. The bio, of course, was to be provided by you or someone that you hired to write it on your behalf. Of course, some liberties were often taken and reports of dastardly deeds and inappropriate behaviors were, strangely omitted.
I have a bio on a distant relative from one of these books. His claim to fame seems to be the fact that he never chewed tobacco, he never tasted demon rum and that everyone in town had taken advantage of him.
The bio on Mr. Braun is certainly fundamentally true since he was a prominent citizen and the writings would be subject to quite a bit of scrutiny from the townfolks.

[keiser31]

Talking with my mom a few minutes ago, she related to me that yes, Joe Braun knew Henry Ford well and apparently, in the early stages of Henry's company is the time when Braun supplied the wood to Ford. I will find out more about this stuff this evening and will post it.

[Restorer32]

Same vanity books are still hawked today..."Who's Who Among American College Students" etc.

[keiser31]

I have researched the triple-masted schooner that Joseph Braun owned and used as a lumber hauler on the Great Lakes. It was called the "J.T. Wing" and was the last ship of the sort to sail those lakes. It was last moored on Belle Isle in the Detroit river and then destroyed by the city by filling it with fuel and shooting it with "Tommy" guns when it became an eyesore. That ship hauled a lot of automobile wood from northern Michigan and the surrounding areas. I actually made a whirlygig of the ship for my father...sorry if this strays, but it is rather related to the thread. I imagine that I am not the only one here who may like to know the travels of the materials for their cars.