Joseph W. Frazer
Joseph Washington Frazer (March 4, 1892 – August 7, 1971) was a mid-20th century American automobile company
Early life
Frazer was born March 4, 1892, in Nashville, Tennessee. He was the son of James Stokes Frazer, an attorney and judge, and Mary Washington.[2] Frazer's mother traced her lineage to an uncle of George Washington.[3] [4]
Education
Frazer graduated from
Early career
Frazer joined his brother's
Chrysler
Frazer first met
Willys-Overland
In 1939, Frazer moved to
Graham-Paige Motors
In August 1944 Frazer took control of Graham-Paige Motors Corporation and became president.[10] He announced that the company would resume manufacturing automobiles after the war with a completely new car to be called the Frazer. While seeking financial backing for this venture, he met industrialist Henry J. Kaiser, who also had plans for a postwar automobile. The two formed the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation on July 25, 1945.[10] Henry Kaiser became the chairman of Kaiser-Frazer, and Frazer became president. Kaiser-Frazer Corporation and Graham-Paige became equal partners. Kaiser-Frazer would make the Kaiser car, Graham-Paige would build the Frazer and agricultural machinery.[10]
By the end of 1946, Graham-Paige was losing money, and was unable to meet its financial obligations to Kaiser-Frazer and in 1947, Frazer sold Graham-Paige's automobile operation to Kaiser.[10] He retained the farm equipment division which he moved to a plant in York, Pennsylvania.[10][11]
Personal life
Joseph married Margaret "Lucille" Frost (born January 3, 1896, Chicago, Illinois - passed 28 Mar 1979 (aged 83) in Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island, USA) on November 18, 1914. They had one daughter Arielle (born August 23, 1917 – died February 7, 2006, in Newport, Rhode Island).
In April 2012, Frazer was inducted into the Automobile Hall of Fame.[9]
He died of cancer at his home in Newport on August 7, 1971.[12]
References
- ^ http://www.hemmings.com/hcc/stories/2009/05/01/hmn_feature14.html [bare URL]
- ^ a b c d e "Joseph W. Frazer". hemmings.com. American City Business Journals. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ "Joseph Frazer, 79, Co-Founder of Kaiser-Frazer Co., Dead". The New York Times. The New York Times. 8 Aug 1971.
- ^ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Chrysler Models". jbcarpages.com. jbcarpages. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ "Kaiser- Frazer:The Last Onslaught On Detroit", by Richard M. Langworth; Collectible Automobile, April, 1988
- ^ "How Plymouth Was Named". allpar.com. Allpar LLC. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ISBN 0-7853-5562-6.
- ^ a b "Joe Frazer, Father of the Jeep". richardlangworth.com. Richard Langworth. 22 September 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Odin, L.C. A concise guide to Graham-Paige. Belvedere Publishing, 2016. ASIN: B01G8X5Z34.
- ^ "Graham-Paige, Joseph Frazer and the Forgotten Frazer Tractor". farmcollector.com. farmcollector. March 2001. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- ^ "Joseph W. Frazer". Find A Grave. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- He was featured in a "Time" Magazine article in April, 1945 in an article entitled "From Riches to Riches." [1]
- Don Sherman. "A Few who Failed - unsuccessful automakers." Automotive Industries, September 2000. [2]