Warren, Charles, 1868-1954, American lawyer and historian, b. Boston. He was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1892. An assistant U.S. Attorney General (1914-18), he served as a special master in important cases decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. He drafted the Espionage Act (1917), which was used to censor and imprison radicals. Warren is noted for his scholarly studies of constitutional history, especially The Supreme Court in United States History (3 vol., 1922; rev. ed., 2 vol., 1926, repr. 1960), which won the Pulitzer Prize. He also wrote Congress, the Constitution, and the Supreme Court (1925, repr. 1969) and The Making of the Constitution (1928, repr. 1967).

Fairbanks, Charles Warren, 1852-1918, Vice President of the United States (1905-9), b. Union co., Ohio. He became wealthy as a railroad lawyer in Indianapolis, rose in Republican politics, and served in the U.S. Senate from 1897 to 1905. Fairbanks was recognized as the spokesman of President McKinley and of the conservatives and was chosen as vice presidential candidate with Theodore Roosevelt primarily to attract the conservative vote. He continued to dominate his party in Indiana and was in 1916 again vice presidential candidate, this time on the unsuccessful ticket with Charles Evans Hughes.

Charles Warren Nash (January 28, 1864 — June 6, 1948) was a United States automobile entrepreneur and served as an executive in the automobile industry.

Early life

Nash was born to a farming family in Cortland, Illinois on what is now Route 38 — Lincoln Highway. After his parent's separation, at age 6, he worked as a farm-hand in Michigan as an indentured servant. He later became a shepherd to the owner of hay-bailing machinery. He then moved to Flint, Michigan where he was noticed by William C. Durant of The Flint Road Cart Company and hired in 1890 where he later became a supervisor.

In 1897, he had a chance to drive an early automobile, and became very interested in the commercial potential of this young device.

Automobile industry

Nash co-founded Buick Motor Company with David D. Buick and William C. Durant, and in 1908 became Buick's president and general manager.

In 1910, he was hired as general manager of General Motors (GM). He put this previously debt-ridden company on secure financial footing. However, his reluctance to pay dividends to shareholders resulted in Nash being voted out of his position in 1915.

Nash, who took control of General Motors in 1910 from William Durant, was now fired by Durant when Durant regained control in 1916.

Nash then resolved never again to work for someone else. He bought out the Jeffery Motor Company in August 1916. In 1917, re-named it as Nash Motors.

Nash Motors was very successful marketing cars to North America's middle class.

In addition to running Nash Motors, Charles Nash was also president of the luxury car company LaFayette Motors until that company was bought out by Nash Motors in 1924.

Retirement

Charles W. Nash retired in 1936. His successor at the company was George W. Mason, who was recommended by Walter Chrysler.

He lived in retirement for twelve years later and died at the age of 84 in Beverly Hills, California. His health failed at the death of his wife in 1947. He died in 1948, and was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale.

Timeline

• 1910 — Charles Nash takes control of General Motors from William Durant.
• 1916 — William Durant re-gains control of General Motors and fires Charles Nash.
• 1916 — Charles Nash buys the Thomas B. Jeffery Company.
• 1917 — Thomas B. Jeffery Company is re-named Nash Motors.

External links

• Nash biography at kenoshacounty.com
• Nash biography at pair.com
• reproduction of Nash's obituary from Nash Motors in house newspaper
• Excerpt from B. C. Forbes and O. D. Foster, Automotive Giants of America: Men Who Are Making Our Motor Industry. New York: B. C. Forbes Publishing Co., 1926, pp. 211-224. Retrieved on: July 22, 2007.

References