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He gets lost in the shuffle of Flint’s illustrious auto history, but he shouldn’t. He’s deserving of his own statues on Saginaw Street alongside Mott, Durant, Champion, Chevrolet, Buick and the other auto giants.
His name is Charles Nash, and his place in automotive history is firmly secured. A very rough childhood started with the death of his mother, and being sent out as an indentured servant on a Genesee County farm at age 7. From there he learned how to survive and thrive in a difficult environment, tactics that would serve him well later in life.
Nash was working at a downtown Flint hardware store when William C. “Billy” Durant met him. Duly impressed with Nash’s character and work ethic he recruited him over to Durant’s business the Durant Dort Carriage Company. Nash started out in the buggy cushion stuffing department and soon progressed in the firm. To supplement his income along the way he worked for Durant’s business partner J. Dallas Dort personally, doing odd jobs at Dort’s house on Kearsley Street while working his way up the ladder at Durant Dort.
In short order Nash became one of the leaders at Durant Dort and helped lead the firm to become the number one producer of vehicles in the world. When Durant moved away from carriages and took control of the struggling Buick Motor Company of Flint in 1904, he dragged Nash and Dort along with him into the horseless carriage world. Durant went on to create General Motors in 1908, and soon that firm was a huge success too.
When cash flow problems led to Durant’s ouster and subjugation to a group of bankers, they ironically came to Durant to ask for a recommendation from someone who could lead Buick. Durant was quick to name Nash. It was a great call, and soon Nash led all General Motors.
When Durant took control of GM again in 1915, Nash was caught in the middle and Durant fired him for siding with the banker’s trust that opposed his boardroom coup. Nash undaunted, moved on to create his own firm Nash Motors, which later became the American Motors Company, part of the ‘Big Four’ American automakers alongside GM, Ford, and Chrysler.
Nash’s Flint home still stands Carriage Town and was recently purchased by Genesee County Historical Society Board member Derek Dohrman, who is actively engaged in restoring the home to its former architectural and historically accurate glory. Charles Nash and his house are both important to Flint and Genesee County history, and to the entire automotive and business history of America.
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