Ransom E. Olds
Ransom E. Olds | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Olds, c 1920 | |
| Born | Ransom Eli Olds June 3, 1864 Geneva, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | August 26, 1950 (aged 86) |
| Resting place | Mount Hope Cemetery Lansing, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Business, Automobiles |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Metta Ursula Woodward |
| Parent(s) | Pliny Fiske Olds and Sarah Whipple Olds |
Ransom Eli Olds (June 3, 1864 – August 26, 1950) was an American businessman and executive who was known as a pioneer of the American automotive industry, whom the Oldsmobile and REO brands were named after. He claimed to have built his first steam car as early as 1887 and his first gasoline-powered car in 1896. The modern assembly line and its basic concept is credited to Olds, who used it to build the first mass-produced automobile, the Oldsmobile Curved Dash, beginning in 1901.