Clement Studebaker, Jr.

Clement Studebaker, Jr. (August 11, 1871 – December 3, 1932) was the son of Clement Studebaker (1831–1901) who, with his brother Henry, founded the business which became the Studebaker Corporation— the world's largest horse-drawn wagon manufacturer and the only one to successfully progress to gasoline-powered vehicles.^[1] Clement Jr. held executive positions in the family's automobile business and later became the president and chairman of several other important companies.

Biography

Clement Studebaker, Jr. was born in South Bend, Indiana into a Pennsylvania Dutch family. In 1893 he married Alice Rhawn of Philadelphia. They had two children, Clement Studebaker III (1894-1975), and Esther (1898-1989).^[2]

According to historian Albert Russel Erskine, young Clement served an apprenticeship with Studebaker, working in several departments and rising to a board position^[3] and treasurer.^[4] He is elsewhere recorded as having been the E-M-F company's vice-president,^[1] presumably after that company's take-over by Studebaker in 1910. By 1916, he had moved on to become president and chairman of the utility, North American Light and Power Company,^[1] the precursor of the North American Company.

At various times, he also served as president and chairman of the board of the Illinois Power and Light Company (and of its subsidiary, the Illinois Traction Company), and of the South Bend Watch Company, as well as treasurer of the Chicago SouthShore and South Bend Railroad.^[1]

Clement Studebaker, Jr. died of heart complications in his Chicago home on December 3, 1932.^[5] Two wills were found, the first of which left his two-million dollar estate to, among others, several colleges. The second will, which superseded the first, left his fortune to his two children.^[6]

References