Walter P. Chrysler / One of The Richest Men - Automobile Giant - Born April 2, 1875

Did you know that Walter P. Chrysler was not interested in a career in the automobile industry until he was 36 years old?  

Photo Citation: Oct. 8. 1937 Walter Chrysler, automobile magnate, Harris & Ewing, photographer

He actually had aspirations of falling into his father's footsteps as a Locomotive Engineer. The son of Henry & Anna ( née Breymann), Walter C. was born April 2, 1875. He grew up in Kansas. He lived until he was 65 years old and is laid to rest in New York. His father worked for Kansas Pacific Railroad. Walter found odds and ends jobs and eventually worked as a Machinist and Railroad Mechanic. In lieu of College, and against his parents wishes, he chose apprenticeship within a Railroad Shop. Here below is the last Census Record he is found as single living at home with his parents.  One year later after this Census below, he will be married to Della Viola Forker on June 6, 1901.

Source Citation: ancestry.com / 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line] Year: 1900; Census Place: Ellis, Ellis, Kansas; Roll: 479; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 0018; FHL microfilm: 1240479 - 

Eventually, Chrysler worked his way up the chain, culminating his railroad career, as a Works Manager of the American Locomotive Company in Pittsburgh, PA. His salary at the time, between 1901-1908, was around $8,000/annually.  Here below is a caption of this company he worked for in a Pennsylvania Newspaper dated 20 May 1901. This article shows how influential American Locomotive Co. was soon going to be in the Railroad Industry right around the time Chrysler started to work for them. 

Photo Citation -Above & Below : Newspapers.com / Railroad Magnates To Control The Entire Business Of The United States Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) 20 May 1901, Mon

The love of cars began for Walter C. in 1908 when he saw the Locomobile for the first time on exhibit at a car show in Chicago. He wanted to purchase this automobile for his family but knew his annual savings were only in excess of $700. The car was very expensive with a price tag at that time of $5,000. Chrysler assumed a loan for the balance he owed after he exhausted his family savings. I'm sure Della, his wife, was not happy at first to hear that news when he came home - However, it was the best purchase he could have ever made for his family. 

That car sparked a new love of engines that eventually superseded that of trains. When he brought it home, he had no desire to drive it. First of all, he did not even know how to drive - Im sure that too did not go over well with Mrs. Chrysler! Nor did Walter care to learn immediately how to drive it. He was more focused on taking it apart, putting it back together again and figuring out how it worked from the inside out. He did this so many times until he was confident he could do it on his own. This photo below is the Locomobile of 1908. It is an example of the first car owned by Walter Chrysler!

Source Citation:  1908 locomobile 40 type 1 

Not until Mr. Chrysler was 36 years old, in 1911, did he enter the automobile industry. He had met the President of General Motors, Mr. Charles Nash, who took a keen interest in his talents with vehicles. Nash persuaded Chrysler to take a Manager position within Buick Motor Company. This courtship did not last an excess amount of time as Chrysler broke ties by 1920 just 8 years after he was hired. Due to differing opinions on the cost of frame manufacturing, Chrysler wanted to sign a contract with an outside company for these needs. His partner within Buick, did not. 

Coincidentally, we have found two Passport Applications for Mr. Chrysler. One is dated July 1919 and had a very interesting letter attached.  See below. Had Mr. Chrysler not gained approval from the Passport Bureau for that trip, one could only wonder how that would have impacted the automobile industry in America from that date forward. 

Source Citation: ancestry.com / U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 [database on-line] National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 832; Volume #: Roll 0832 - Certificates: 96500-96749, 15 Jul 1919-16 Jul 1919

A second application emerged dated 02 May 1922 below. Humorously, it is noted on this one that his former passport had somehow disappeared since 1919. In this app. below, Chrysler was seeking to travel once more to varied countries in Europe - This time he was no longer attached to Buick Motor Company - He was independent. One would ponder if his intent to go overseas for this 2nd trip was two fold in need.  He had become one of the richest men in America when he left Buick, with a monthly salary earning of $10,000, and likely had a lot of money to spend frivolously - Not to mention some extra time on his hands. 

Or, was his trip to Europe self motivated by furthering business pursuits. Chrysler may have been studying other Car Manufacturers overseas for that frame distribution mentioned above and wanted to finalize his own career path endeavors that he was undertaking. Either way - We have attached that application below for you to see as well. We are excited to see that his photo on this one is legible and attached to this record.   

Source Citation: ancestry.com / U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 [database on-line]

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 1941; Volume #: Roll 1941 - Certificates: 159226-159599, 02 May 1922-02 May 1922

This all led to what later became history in the making....Founding what is known today as the Chrysler Corporation with an estimated $83 Billion dollar in revenues as of 2014. Here below is a photograph dated 1924 - This is Walter Chrysler's very first car manufactured under his name and his business in Detroit, January of 1924 - The Chrysler B-70.

Source Citation: Walter P. Chrysler with his B-70 in 1924 / Article entitled: First Chrysler Cars 1924 

And if car manufacturing wasn't enough to make this man famous, between 1928-1930 he was named man of the year for Time Magazine

Source Citations (Up) - INNOVATORS & ADVENTURERS

Walter P. Chrysler: 1928

(Below)    Walter P. Chrysler, Man of the Year | Jan. 7, 1929   

And he oversaw the building of a phenomenal building in New York City that for a period of time was the tallest building in the world. Standing 77 stories tall, it is called the Chrysler Building. This one was a work of love for his two sons whom had expressed no desire to go into the Automobile Industry. He wanted a business venture for them that would carry down his name and remain as part of the Chrysler legacy.  

Source Citation:  Article& Author: Chrysler Building, New York City, NY  

Little did Mr. Walter Percy Chrysler know that 77 Years later after his death, his dream is alive and doing very well indeed.  His Founding Company, Chrysler Corporation,  has gone through much change and leadership undertow. But it has grown to exceed an operating income of over $1.5 Billion, and stands with over 20 Factories across the globe. 

Not a bad legacy for a young boy many years ago in Kansas who only wanted to grow up like his Dad and make him proud. May you rest in peace Walter P Chrysler. And, may your automobiles keep on driving around the world!