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Arthur Davidson (motorcycling)

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For other people named Arthur Davidson, see Arthur Davidson (disambiguation).
Arthur Davidson
Head and shoulders of white middle-aged man in 1920s suit and tie
Born(1881-02-11)February 11, 1881
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
DiedDecember 30, 1950(1950-12-30) (aged 69)
Wisconsin Highway 59 near Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States
Resting placeForest Home Cemetery
Occupation(s)Secretary and Sales Manager of Harley-Davidson
Years active1901–1950
Known forCo-founder of Harley-Davidson
SpouseClara Beisel
Children3
RelativesWilliam A. Davidson (eldest brother)
Walter Davidson Sr. (older brother)

Arthur Davidson Sr. (February 11, 1881 – December 30, 1950) was an American businessman. He was one of the four founders of Harley-Davidson.

Early life

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Davidson was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to William C. Davidson (1846–1923), who was born and grew up in Angus, Scotland, and Margaret Adams McFarlane (1843–1933) of Scottish descent from the small Scottish settlement of Cambridge, Wisconsin; they raised five children together: Janet May, William A., Walter, Arthur and Elizabeth.[1] Arthur's grandfather Alexander "Sandy" Davidson (from Aberlemno, Scotland) and Margaret Scott[2] immigrated from Scotland to the United States in 1858 with their six children, including Arthur's father William.

Career

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Eventually they settled in Wisconsin, and it was there that, in 1903, Arthur, went into business with William S. Harley, making motorcycles in his family shed.[3] One of Davidson's favorite pastimes was fishing in the Wisconsin wilderness, which inspired him to create a motorcycle that would, "take the hard work out of pedaling a bicycle". He was a storyteller, salesman, and United States patriot. During World Wars I and II, Arthur and the company diverted motorcycle production to support US troops.[4]

The "Honey Uncle" story is one of the family stories told about Davidson and a pivotal moment for the fate of the Harley-Davidson company. One day shortly after Davidson's cleaning lady visited, he discovered the seed money he had stashed between his mattress to start Harley-Davidson was missing.[citation needed] Davidson was able to borrow the $170 in venture capital needed for Harley-Davidson from an uncle who owned a bee farm in Madison, Wisconsin. [citation needed] From then on, the uncle was known as the "Honey Uncle" for helping the business get off the ground.[5] The bee farm on Lake Mendota was later sold to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and is now known as Picnic Point in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve.[6]

Davidson was killed at the age of 69 in a two-car collision 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Davidson's home, a dairy farm, on Wisconsin Highway 59 near Waukesha, Wisconsin, on December 30, 1950. Also killed in the accident were Davidson's wife, Clara, as well as Dorothy and Donald Jeffery.

Labor Hall of Fame

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Because Arthur Davidson, William A. Davidson, Walter Davidson and William S. Harley, "used and believed in its products and relied on the dedication of its employees to produce quality motorcycles", the four men were inducted into the Labor Hall of Fame.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Harley, Jean Davidson, Arthur Harley Davidson, Sarah. Jean Davidson's Harley-Davidson family album. Voyageur Press. ISBN 9781610604208. Retrieved Sep 26, 2019 – via Google Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Davidson, Jean (Sep 26, 2001). Growing Up Harley-Davidson. Voyageur Press. ISBN 9780896585690. Retrieved Sep 26, 2019 – via Internet Archive. Arthur Davidson william parents scotland.
  3. ^ Cowing, Emma (13 May 2012). "Harley-Davidson devotees rescue crumbling Scots home of legendary motorbike maker". The Scotsman. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  4. ^ "World War Two Harley Davidson WLA & WLC Motorcycles Available!". Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  5. ^ Herbert Wagner (2003). At the Creation: Myth, Reality, and the Origin of the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, 1901–1909. Wisconsin Historical Society Press. ISBN 978-0-87020-351-0.
  6. ^ "Picnic Point". Lakeshore Nature Preserve. Retrieved Sep 26, 2019.
  7. ^ "Hall of Honor Inductee: Harley Davidson | U.S. Department of Labor". www.dol.gov. Retrieved Sep 26, 2019.
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