Studebaker, John Mohler (1833-1917), was an American automobile manufacturer. In 1901, he became president of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, later called the Studebaker Corporation.
Studebaker was born on Oct. 10, 1833, near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In 1853, he went to California to seek a fortune in mining during the gold rush. However, Studebaker earned money instead by building wheelbarrows for the miners at $10 each. In 1858, Studebaker moved to South Bend, Indiana, where he became a partner with his brother Clement in a wagon-building business. John used the $8,000 he had earned in California to expand the company. The Studebakers’ firm made its first electric-powered automobile in 1902 and began making gasoline-powered cars in 1904. Studebaker died on March 16, 1917.
