Charles Floyd Sage
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Charles Floyd Sage | |
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| Born | Charles Floyd Sage February 27, 1889 Hastings, Michigan, USA |
| Died | December 27, 1961 (Age 72) Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. |
| Resting place | Brookside Cemetery, Tecumseh, Michigan |
| Other names | William (Bill) Sage |
| Employer | Tecumseh Products Company |
| Spouse(s) | Effa (Mooney) Sage |
| Children | Robert Sage, Margaret (Sage) Mudgett |
| Parent(s) | Frank and Dora (Bristol) Sage |
Charles Floyd Sage (February 27, 1889 - December 27, 1961) was an American machinist, businessman, and philanthropist. In 1934 he co-founded Tecumseh Products along with Ray W. Herrick. He also created the Sage Foundation.
Early life
Charles Floyd Sage was born in Hastings, Michigan on February 27, 1889, although both personally and professionally he went by Bill. As an early teen, Bill became an apprentice tool and tie maker. After working in Battle Creek, Bronson, and Big Rapids, where he married Effa Mooney in 1913, he settled in Hillsdale, where he worked for the Alamo Farm Light Company.[1]
Career
In 1930, Bill and his brother-in-law, Leo Mooney, started an automobile repair company out of Sage’s home garage. After buying out his brother-in-law, Bill began making replacement parts for automobiles and farm tools.[2] He met Ray W. Herrick through the Alamo Engine Company, and in 1931 the two men incorporated to form Hillsdale Machine and Tool Company.[3] Soon after that Frank Smith joined the company, bringing with him his idea for a refrigerated compressor, with Bill Sage acting as President of the company.[4] Sage also had ideas on how to make Smith's compressor more efficient.[2] Hillsdale Co. went grew rapidly, from grossing $26,000 in sales its first year to $284,000 in 1933.[1]
In 1934, the company moved to the town of Tecumseh, Michigan, and was renamed Tecumseh Products. Bill served as the company’s vice-president and master mechanic, and served on the board for of directors until his retirement in 1952.[2] At that time, Tecumseh Products was the largest independent manufacturer of refrigerated compressors in the world.[4]
Bill was a philanthropist and used his money to support the education of young people. He create the Sage Foundation, an organization that has helped countless recipients complete their college educations. The foundation also supports various educational, scientific, and literary purposes, and as of 2021 was worth $50 millon. He also donated generously to the catholic church. He built St. Elizabeth Parish in Tecumseh, which included not just the church but a school and convent.[4] He continued to fund the school's expansion over the year as enrollment grew.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Tecumseh Products Company | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Tecumseh's History". www.utoledo.edu.
- ↑ "A sad farewell to Tecumseh Products". The Tecumseh Herald. March 19, 2008.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Tecumseh Products Company records, 1930-2009 - University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library - University of Michigan Finding Aids".
External links
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