The C R Wilson Body Company with its plant located at Milwaukee Junction, Detroit, Michigan was incorporated in 1897. Early customers included Cadillac, Ford, Oldsmobile, and many other now forgotten brands.

Foundation

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It grew from Wilson brothers' blacksmith and wagon repair shop which soon began to manufacture wagons then carriages. The brothers split the business by products and Charles R Wilson formed the C R Wilson Carriage Company followed by a new incorporation, C R Wilson Body Company.[1]

 
1906 Cadillac coupé

Cadillac

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Wilson built Cadillac's first closed production body.

Ford

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Wilson provided the first bodies for Ford's Model T.[1]

Alumni

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Former employees included the Fisher brothers who founded Fisher Body Company. Henry Ford appears in a photograph of Wilson staff dated around 1900.[1]

Murray Body Corporation

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On the sudden death of Charles R Wilson in 1924 a merger was negotiated with the owners of J W Murray Manufacturing Company, Towson Body Company and J C Widman Body Company under the name Murray Body Corporation.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Mark Theobald - Coachbuilt.com accessed June 10, 2017