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Dodge Dynasty: The Car and the Family That Rocked Detroit
Tells the fascinating story of the family that built the mighty Dodge empire and grew into a powerful and wealthy dynasty and became plagued by excesses and scandal
360 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 1989
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August 7, 2023Dodge Dynasty is a nicely detailed history of the Dodge family. The pictures of people, residences, factories, rooms, etc in the hardcover book are priceless. Familiar Michigan landmarks abound, such as Dodge Main (where some of my grandparents worked), Detroit Institute of Arts, Meadow Brook, and Liggett School (still operational today).
I like the positive portrayal of the closeness of the brothers John and Horace Dodge, with their intelligence and practicality plus a highly developed work ethic. The sources, acknowledgements and index at the back of the book indicate the extensive research by the authors for this story which begins in the early 1900's.
The book is frequently critical of Henry Ford, which seemed excessive. The tone is rahrah Dodge brothers, not so much for the rest of the family. After the deaths of both men, the family members didn't seem to love or care for each other much. There were many marriages and divorces, five marriages for one person not unusual.
The wisest person involved was Matilda (3rd wife of John Dodge) and Alfred Wilson's (2nd husband of Matilda) adopted son. He made the decision to convert to Catholicism and married (1950) a Catholic girl, even when that caused him to fall out of favor with the family.
I like the positive portrayal of the closeness of the brothers John and Horace Dodge, with their intelligence and practicality plus a highly developed work ethic. The sources, acknowledgements and index at the back of the book indicate the extensive research by the authors for this story which begins in the early 1900's.
The book is frequently critical of Henry Ford, which seemed excessive. The tone is rahrah Dodge brothers, not so much for the rest of the family. After the deaths of both men, the family members didn't seem to love or care for each other much. There were many marriages and divorces, five marriages for one person not unusual.
The wisest person involved was Matilda (3rd wife of John Dodge) and Alfred Wilson's (2nd husband of Matilda) adopted son. He made the decision to convert to Catholicism and married (1950) a Catholic girl, even when that caused him to fall out of favor with the family.
August 26, 2016
Few things on this planet delight me more than reading about miserable rich people. I mean, seriously? You have everything. And while money can't buy happiness, it can buy a fuck of a lot of boats, cars, houses and other things I will never have. If you get sick, you have access to the best doctors. Need to meet people? Throw an amazing party and they will come. Want to feel good? Donate millions. I would donate to random people, without telling them who I am...just make things happen for random people. I would have a foundation and help out my city, my friends, strangers. I would not hide in my huge mansion, all alone, like Matilda Dodge Wilson did.
I suppose I should take away from this the fact that money cannot make you happy. I don't. I take away feelings of wanting to smack the obnoxious rich people, more than I usually do. And most of the rich people are obnoxious, but not the Dodge Brothers. They are awesome.
The book does a fantastic job of tracing the Dodge family from the very humble beginnings of John and Horace through current day(the book was published in the late 80s though, so "current" is not very). John and Horace worked their asses off at something they loved to do. They were extremely (kinda freakily) close, and enjoyed each other's company more than anyone else's company, including that of their wives. They spent most of their waking hours at whatever machine shop they were at, improving, tinkering, inventing. They were at their favorite place on earth, and managed to make tons of money. It would be like if I could sit on my couch all day and just have money appear!
What I really liked about Horace and John was how they gave zero fucks about most things not involving engines and inventions. They went out to the bars, John probably messed around a bit, and they loved to eat. Once the money started rolling in, they continued to give zero fucks and built and bought what they wanted but they a) always took care of their workers (having been workers for many years) and b) always gave back to the community.
And those two things, my friends, separate the rich people from the rich people I want to smack. You see, they did these things and STILL HAD MORE MONEY THAN THEY KNEW WHAT TO DO WITH. It is possible, son. Their story was just lovely, and I'm sorry they died so young. But I believe in some sort of afterlife so I imagine that they are flying through space, inventing shit, eating, and talking and talking and talking.
Their legacy included two widows (both grody in her own way), and several kids (most of whom had never worked a day in their lives and had no clue about anything). The fortune will never go away, barring a complete breakdown of the system (which would be pretty fucking cool, although I'd probably be the first one to get eaten in the ensuing panic) because the boys set up rock solid trusts. But for that good thinking, I have to imagine that the money would be gone like the wind. Horace Jr. had no clue and basically spent his life trying to be his dad. (Why? You have access to millions--why aren't you out doing good works?). He failed. He won some speedboat awards (wooped fucking do), married a bunch of times (including to the biggest, blondest gold digger I've ever seen, ever, in my life), and basically was stuck to his mom's teat until he died (Horace Sr. wisely didn't give the son too much access to the principle or even interest of the money). The other Dodges basically spent their lives drinking, doing drugs, sitting around, buying shit, marrying the wrong person, having kids that they didn't care about or particularly even want to see, and basically just sort of existing. They are those people who don't want to work or better themselves that the Republicans are always talking about. Oh, wait.
Some of the grandkids seem to have turned out okay. But I think the point goes back to the fact that the kids of the Dodge brothers and the wives of the Dodge brothers never did an honest days work in their lives. They faced no consequences for anything. They chose to do nothing--no good works, no foundations, no entrepreneurship, no secret drops of millions of dollars to random people. As someone who faces financial problems on a daily basis, I have neither sympathy nor empathy for any of these people. They had everything, and they squandered their own lives. Meantime, we have politicians who denigrate the workers in our society, who work multiple jobs with no health care and no time to do anything other than work and try to take care of their families.
The book is well written and entertaining. If you love reading about miserable rich people, then read this book. If you want to get all fired up and ready to start the revolution, read this book. Or even if you just want to remind yourself that having money doesn't equal happiness (but can buy a boat called Happiness, and that's close enough), read this book. And then go buy a Ford.
I suppose I should take away from this the fact that money cannot make you happy. I don't. I take away feelings of wanting to smack the obnoxious rich people, more than I usually do. And most of the rich people are obnoxious, but not the Dodge Brothers. They are awesome.
The book does a fantastic job of tracing the Dodge family from the very humble beginnings of John and Horace through current day(the book was published in the late 80s though, so "current" is not very). John and Horace worked their asses off at something they loved to do. They were extremely (kinda freakily) close, and enjoyed each other's company more than anyone else's company, including that of their wives. They spent most of their waking hours at whatever machine shop they were at, improving, tinkering, inventing. They were at their favorite place on earth, and managed to make tons of money. It would be like if I could sit on my couch all day and just have money appear!
What I really liked about Horace and John was how they gave zero fucks about most things not involving engines and inventions. They went out to the bars, John probably messed around a bit, and they loved to eat. Once the money started rolling in, they continued to give zero fucks and built and bought what they wanted but they a) always took care of their workers (having been workers for many years) and b) always gave back to the community.
And those two things, my friends, separate the rich people from the rich people I want to smack. You see, they did these things and STILL HAD MORE MONEY THAN THEY KNEW WHAT TO DO WITH. It is possible, son. Their story was just lovely, and I'm sorry they died so young. But I believe in some sort of afterlife so I imagine that they are flying through space, inventing shit, eating, and talking and talking and talking.
Their legacy included two widows (both grody in her own way), and several kids (most of whom had never worked a day in their lives and had no clue about anything). The fortune will never go away, barring a complete breakdown of the system (which would be pretty fucking cool, although I'd probably be the first one to get eaten in the ensuing panic) because the boys set up rock solid trusts. But for that good thinking, I have to imagine that the money would be gone like the wind. Horace Jr. had no clue and basically spent his life trying to be his dad. (Why? You have access to millions--why aren't you out doing good works?). He failed. He won some speedboat awards (wooped fucking do), married a bunch of times (including to the biggest, blondest gold digger I've ever seen, ever, in my life), and basically was stuck to his mom's teat until he died (Horace Sr. wisely didn't give the son too much access to the principle or even interest of the money). The other Dodges basically spent their lives drinking, doing drugs, sitting around, buying shit, marrying the wrong person, having kids that they didn't care about or particularly even want to see, and basically just sort of existing. They are those people who don't want to work or better themselves that the Republicans are always talking about. Oh, wait.
Some of the grandkids seem to have turned out okay. But I think the point goes back to the fact that the kids of the Dodge brothers and the wives of the Dodge brothers never did an honest days work in their lives. They faced no consequences for anything. They chose to do nothing--no good works, no foundations, no entrepreneurship, no secret drops of millions of dollars to random people. As someone who faces financial problems on a daily basis, I have neither sympathy nor empathy for any of these people. They had everything, and they squandered their own lives. Meantime, we have politicians who denigrate the workers in our society, who work multiple jobs with no health care and no time to do anything other than work and try to take care of their families.
The book is well written and entertaining. If you love reading about miserable rich people, then read this book. If you want to get all fired up and ready to start the revolution, read this book. Or even if you just want to remind yourself that having money doesn't equal happiness (but can buy a boat called Happiness, and that's close enough), read this book. And then go buy a Ford.
February 14, 2022
This book should be divided into two parts. The first part covers the lives of John and Horace Dodge. They learned the machining business at their father's elbow as young lads. The dodge brothers became known for delivery products of excellence whether it be for bicycles, automobiles, even machine gun recoil mechanism. Horace had a knack for seeing the flaw in a device and know exactly what he needed to do to make it work better. John's forte was his ability to manage things. Whenever the brothers set up a business, John would be the CEO while Horace was the operational manager/director. they moved to Detroit and quickly became a supplier of transmissions to Ransom Olds after his factory burnt down. Horace was able to improve its operation. Henry Ford came calling and they ended up with a contract to be the sole supplier if chassis that included everything except the body and the rubber tires. they eventually broke ties with ford and started their own car manufacturing business. Their reputation for precision and durability was such that some 70,000 cars were sold before they even manufactured one. In January 1920, both brothers attended the New York car show where Horace got sick with the flue. John stayed by his side day and night until he got sick himself, as Horace recovered, John got worst and passed away. Horace passed away 11 months later in December of 1920. They left a highly successful venture which declined as the families they left behind did not know how to handle their inheritances.
Part 2 is the sad part. If john and Horace had a failing it was in not including their families in the business they were conducting. Also, they did not really think about how to have their fortune managed after their passing. Both set up trust funds to be administered by their widows including trusts for their children. There were no instructions as to when to pass the trusts to each child as s/he became of age. Consequently, the matriarchs, Matilda - John's third wife, and Anna - Horace's one and only wife, both kept managing the funds throughout their lives. they used the money in an attempt to control their children and subsequently their grandchildren. These were common folks from common backgrounds with ambitions to join the high-society. They, and the children started splurging in an attempt to imitate the rich and wealthy. None of them really worked at anything. Horace Jr. tried to start a boat manufacturing business, thinking that boats would take off like cars did. He loved to race high powered boats and had success. At his death, his trophy case was impressive. Other heirs did not try really hard to earn a keep. they lived off of the lavish allowances given to them by their mother/grandmother. Matilda and Anna ended up outliving most of their children and throughout their lives kept them on the dole of an allowance instead of passing on the trusts that they deserved.
This second part was a sad read as to what can happen to people who are given all the advantages a world has to offer but did not have to work to get it.
Part 2 is the sad part. If john and Horace had a failing it was in not including their families in the business they were conducting. Also, they did not really think about how to have their fortune managed after their passing. Both set up trust funds to be administered by their widows including trusts for their children. There were no instructions as to when to pass the trusts to each child as s/he became of age. Consequently, the matriarchs, Matilda - John's third wife, and Anna - Horace's one and only wife, both kept managing the funds throughout their lives. they used the money in an attempt to control their children and subsequently their grandchildren. These were common folks from common backgrounds with ambitions to join the high-society. They, and the children started splurging in an attempt to imitate the rich and wealthy. None of them really worked at anything. Horace Jr. tried to start a boat manufacturing business, thinking that boats would take off like cars did. He loved to race high powered boats and had success. At his death, his trophy case was impressive. Other heirs did not try really hard to earn a keep. they lived off of the lavish allowances given to them by their mother/grandmother. Matilda and Anna ended up outliving most of their children and throughout their lives kept them on the dole of an allowance instead of passing on the trusts that they deserved.
This second part was a sad read as to what can happen to people who are given all the advantages a world has to offer but did not have to work to get it.
February 14, 2022
The authors did a good job of elucidating the crucial contributions of the Dodge Brothers at the beginning of the auto industry boom. One major focus of the book is how many of the people who inherited the brothers' money became hollow, purposeless casualties of the fabulous wealth they had no idea how to manage. There are so many divorces and alcoholics and unhappy children in this book that you lose count.
It becomes clear in the book that most of the family had no real interest in the original Dodge Brothers and therefore, obviously, no interest in preserving the important historical legacy of the originators of the fortune. It's pretty amazing how fast and methodically Anna Dodge could tear down a mansion, and the authors do a good job of analyzing the bitterness behind her actions.
I liked this book because it didn't try to give exhaustive descriptions of the numerous characters, and therefore created a somewhat entertaining book, but I never did shake the feeling I was reading People Magazine. I do have to admit it was fun reading about spending millions on houses, furniture, art, jewelry, etc.., but the authors rein you in with "Money can't buy you happiness" at every turn. Sigh.
There is a lot of erroneous technical information about the early automobiles in the opening chapters of the book. A chart showing the relationships of the persons named in the book would have been helpful.
It becomes clear in the book that most of the family had no real interest in the original Dodge Brothers and therefore, obviously, no interest in preserving the important historical legacy of the originators of the fortune. It's pretty amazing how fast and methodically Anna Dodge could tear down a mansion, and the authors do a good job of analyzing the bitterness behind her actions.
I liked this book because it didn't try to give exhaustive descriptions of the numerous characters, and therefore created a somewhat entertaining book, but I never did shake the feeling I was reading People Magazine. I do have to admit it was fun reading about spending millions on houses, furniture, art, jewelry, etc.., but the authors rein you in with "Money can't buy you happiness" at every turn. Sigh.
There is a lot of erroneous technical information about the early automobiles in the opening chapters of the book. A chart showing the relationships of the persons named in the book would have been helpful.
April 13, 2022
There is no shortage of published material on the histories of General Motors and Ford, but the background of the "other" Big Three American OEM isn't as well covered. I was glad, then, to get my hands on this book. The Dodge families are not unusual in their dysfunctional wealth, and I knew this before I started the story. What I didn't realize was that the two Dodge brothers seemed like pretty normal (albeit hard-living) guys... it was their wives, relatives and children that were the bigger disaster and this happened later.
While the first portion of the book includes detail on the original Dodge vehicles and their genesis, the book primarily focuses on the family once the Dodge brothers are deceased. There's little coverage of the company and its products after the demise of the two founders. But just the same, the book is engaging and informative, though heavily laden with detail and he said/she said coverage of the family drama.
I won't pretend to be exceptionally adept at vocab and word use, but this book had a few $20 words that I had to go look up only because I was surprised I'd never heard them. In general, the book seems to be written in a slightly stilted literary fashion, as though the author were trying to elevate the writing style to match the lavish lifestyle of its subjects. This doesn't detract from the book, but is occasionally distracting. Just the same I enjoyed it and consider it a great value.
While the first portion of the book includes detail on the original Dodge vehicles and their genesis, the book primarily focuses on the family once the Dodge brothers are deceased. There's little coverage of the company and its products after the demise of the two founders. But just the same, the book is engaging and informative, though heavily laden with detail and he said/she said coverage of the family drama.
I won't pretend to be exceptionally adept at vocab and word use, but this book had a few $20 words that I had to go look up only because I was surprised I'd never heard them. In general, the book seems to be written in a slightly stilted literary fashion, as though the author were trying to elevate the writing style to match the lavish lifestyle of its subjects. This doesn't detract from the book, but is occasionally distracting. Just the same I enjoyed it and consider it a great value.
April 5, 2020
The interesting story of the Dodge brothers and their offspring. The Dodge Brothers have gotten some TV time through ads and the History channel lately. The first half of the book is about the brothers rise to leaders of the Detroit auto industry. Their death in 1920 changes the family and the Dodge auto company. The second half of the book is about how the family declined into a family of zero accomplishments and headlines for the wrong reasons. It is amazing the fortune the brothers built lasted over 50 years to be divided up even with the wasteful spending of the generations.
An interesting read. I wonder what the further generations have done in the last 30 years since the book was written.
An interesting read. I wonder what the further generations have done in the last 30 years since the book was written.
September 20, 2022
The Book is sadly more about the legacy of the Dodge Brothers and their wealth and how it was spent and lost over subsequent generations. This is unsurprising as most extremely wealthy tycoons tended to have children who lacked the inspiration of their parent as they never had to drive for wealth having it already accumulated for them. There were certainly some interesting bits in the book about the relationship with Ford that I had never known. This historical information certainly makes it a worthwhile read as Ford has done their due diligence to erase knowledge about the Dodge Brothers contribution to Ford Motor Company.
July 7, 2026
This is a must-read for car enthusiasts, automotive history, Michigan history, and women's history.
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