born Feb. 16, 1843, Danville, Vt., U.S.
died March 26, 1932, Detroit, Mich.
U.S. engineer and manufacturer.
Trained as a machinist, he founded Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing Co. in Detroit in 1890 to build engines for automobile makers. In 1904 he merged the company into his newly founded Cadillac Motor Car Co., where he created the successful Model A Cadillac. In 1917 he founded the Lincoln Motor Co., which was purchased by Henry Ford in 1922. He was known for his rigorous standards; his innovations included the V-8 engine and adoption of the electric starter.