The Ford Barn - The Twentieth Century 23rd Psalm.

Awhile ago I received a packet from my Grandmother in Connecticut. In it was a transcript of a research paper on my Great-great grandfather, Joe Cone, (written by Karl Stofko, East Haddam Municipal Historian), who lived from 1869 to 1918 and was a writer and accomplished machinist.

One of the interesting excerpts from the paper was a poem that he wrote and was published called "The Twentieth Century 23rd Psalm":

The Ford is my auto;
I shall not want (another).
It maketh me lie down beneath it;
It anointeth my clothes with oil;
It soreth my soul.
Yea, though I ride through the valleys,
I am towed up the hills;
I fear much evil,
For it’s rods and it’s engine discomfort me;
I anoint it’s tires with patches;
It’s radiator runneth over,
I repair it’s blowouts in the presence of mine enemies.
Surely, if this thing followed me all the days of my life,
I shall dwell in the bughouse forever.

Pretty funny huh?

Also an interesting paragraph from the paper:

"Connecticut had tried for two decades to become the auto manufacturing capitol of the country. However, Henry Ford defeated most of them by threatening to sue them over what he claimed were patent infringements. In his own way Joe Cone sought to even the score especially when in 1914 the major auto manufacturer in Conn., the Pope Co. of Hartford, closed down its factory. Joe published a statement, either by pamphlet or newspaper ad, that he had been accepted as local agent for the Hess Mobile and that he was available to demonstrate and make sales of same said Hess Mobile. I must note that nowhere in the ad did Joe mention that the Hess Mobile was an automobile. The ad soon came to the attention of Henry Ford in Detroit Michigan, who sent the following letter:

‘J.A. Cone, Esq., Saybrook Conn.

Dear Sir:

We understand that you have accepted Local Agency in your Town for the Hess Mobile and are announcing publicly that you are prepared to make demonstrations and conclude sales contracts with any who may wish to purchase. Our attorneys inform us that in some important mechanical features the Hess Mobile infringes upon patents owned and controlled by the Ford Motor Company, and I therefore warn you against further attempts at demonstration and sale under penalty of legal prosecution.

Truly yours,

Henry Ford’

The signature has been authenticated. How pleased Joe must have felt upon reading that letter and the joy he must have had responding to that letter. Why, you ask. Well, because the Hess Mobile was a toy tin wind up car manufactured by a German toy company. The Ford Museum Archives in Dearborn Michigan has no copies of Joe’s original advertisement, nor the letter Henry Ford sent to Joe, nor any reply received from Joe Cone. Is that a surprise?"

Pretty interesting stuff, I think. Just thought I would share with all the Ford Barners.