James A. Allison
Encyclopedia
James Ashbury Allison born in Marcellus, Michigan
, was an American entrepreneur
and businessman. He was the inventor of the Allison Perfection Fountain Pen and with Carl G. Fisher
a founder of Prest-O-Lite, a manufacturer of automobile headlights. With Carl G. Fisher
, Frank H. Wheeler, and Arthur C. Newby he was a founder of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
and the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. Allison formed the Indianapolis Speedway Team Company later known as the Allison Experimental Company, and later as the Allison Engine Company
which was eventually purchased by General Motors after Allison’s death becoming the Allison Division of General Motors, a manufacturer of automotive transmissions (Allison Transmission
), aircraft engines (Allison Engine Company
), truck engines, and other products. Allison died of pneumonia in 1928 at the age of 56 and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery
in Indianapolis, Indiana
. His Indianapolis home, Riverdale, is now part of Marian College
.
and Arthur C. Newby. Fisher and Allison would remain confidants the rest of their lives.
called in 1904. The new company would prove to be the biggest yet, the producer of the first viable headlight for automobiles. Based on compressed acetylene gas as electric headlights were years from introduction, the new technology utilized brass canisters of the compressed gas funneled to the headlight through tubing. Fisher had met Percy "Fred" Avery, the holder of the patent for the product, and the three of them formed Concentrated Acetylene Company in September 1904. They called their product "Prest-O-Lite," which became the company's name when Avery parted with the firm in 1906. The partners hit the market with perfect timing as the automobile industry was growing rapidly and the ability to see at night was naturally a great benefit. Prest-O-Lite brought the already successful Allison and Fisher wealth well beyond what they had enjoyed earlier. When they sold the firm to Union Carbide in 1917 Allison reaped several million dollars.
Allison supported Fisher's efforts to lead the development of transcontinental highways, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
and Miami Beach. The two men were the senior partners in establishing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
with junior partners Arthur C. Newby and Frank H. Wheeler.
. The company re-tooled for World War I, becoming a major defense contractor as Allison Experimental Company. Re-named as Allison Engineering Company in the 1920s, the company was acquired by General Motors
in 1929 after Allison's death in 1928.
Allison Engineering became two divisions of GM, one of which was sold to Rolls-Royce Aerospace in 1994. The other division, Allison Transmission, was acquired by a private equity firm in 2007, but still has a close affiliation with GM.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway
continues to evolve and expand as it approaches its centennial year in 2009.
Marcellus, Michigan
Marcellus is a village in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,162 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Marcellus Township...
, was an American entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and businessman. He was the inventor of the Allison Perfection Fountain Pen and with Carl G. Fisher
Carl G. Fisher
Carl Graham Fisher was an American entrepreneur. Despite having severe astigmatism, he became a seemingly tireless pioneer and promoter of the automotive, auto racing, and real estate development industries...
a founder of Prest-O-Lite, a manufacturer of automobile headlights. With Carl G. Fisher
Carl G. Fisher
Carl Graham Fisher was an American entrepreneur. Despite having severe astigmatism, he became a seemingly tireless pioneer and promoter of the automotive, auto racing, and real estate development industries...
, Frank H. Wheeler, and Arthur C. Newby he was a founder of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
and the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. Allison formed the Indianapolis Speedway Team Company later known as the Allison Experimental Company, and later as the Allison Engine Company
Allison Engine Company
The Allison Engine Company was a U.S. aircraft engine manufacturer. In 1929, shortly after the death of James Allison, the company was purchased by the Fisher brothers. Fisher sold the company to General Motors, who owned it for most of its history...
which was eventually purchased by General Motors after Allison’s death becoming the Allison Division of General Motors, a manufacturer of automotive transmissions (Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, fire, construction,...
), aircraft engines (Allison Engine Company
Allison Engine Company
The Allison Engine Company was a U.S. aircraft engine manufacturer. In 1929, shortly after the death of James Allison, the company was purchased by the Fisher brothers. Fisher sold the company to General Motors, who owned it for most of its history...
), truck engines, and other products. Allison died of pneumonia in 1928 at the age of 56 and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery, located at 700 West 38th Street in Indianapolis, is the third largest non-governmental cemetery in the United States at . It contains of paved road, over 150 species of trees and plants, over 185,000 graves, and services roughly 1,500 burials per year. It sits on the highest...
in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. His Indianapolis home, Riverdale, is now part of Marian College
Marian College
Marian University is a Roman Catholic university in Indianapolis Indiana.-About:Marian University, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis in Oldenburg, Indiana, traces its roots to their founding in 1851...
.
Early years
James Allison moved to Indianapolis with his parents, Noah and Myra, in 1880. He quit school and joined his father's business, Allison Coupon Company, at age 12 in 1884. Just six years later, with the untimely death of his father, James assumed the vice-presidency of the company at age 18 in 1890. Allison Coupon Company still exists today as Allison Payment Systems. During the 1890s Allison became intrigued by the bicycle craze that was sweeping the nation. He joined the Indianapolis-based bicycle "Zig-Zag Club," where he met future business partners Carl G. FisherCarl G. Fisher
Carl Graham Fisher was an American entrepreneur. Despite having severe astigmatism, he became a seemingly tireless pioneer and promoter of the automotive, auto racing, and real estate development industries...
and Arthur C. Newby. Fisher and Allison would remain confidants the rest of their lives.
Prest-O-Lite
James Allison, just 32 years old and already an executive at two companies, Allison Coupon and Allison Perfection Fountain Pens, was drawn into forming yet another when Carl G. FisherCarl G. Fisher
Carl Graham Fisher was an American entrepreneur. Despite having severe astigmatism, he became a seemingly tireless pioneer and promoter of the automotive, auto racing, and real estate development industries...
called in 1904. The new company would prove to be the biggest yet, the producer of the first viable headlight for automobiles. Based on compressed acetylene gas as electric headlights were years from introduction, the new technology utilized brass canisters of the compressed gas funneled to the headlight through tubing. Fisher had met Percy "Fred" Avery, the holder of the patent for the product, and the three of them formed Concentrated Acetylene Company in September 1904. They called their product "Prest-O-Lite," which became the company's name when Avery parted with the firm in 1906. The partners hit the market with perfect timing as the automobile industry was growing rapidly and the ability to see at night was naturally a great benefit. Prest-O-Lite brought the already successful Allison and Fisher wealth well beyond what they had enjoyed earlier. When they sold the firm to Union Carbide in 1917 Allison reaped several million dollars.
Allison and Fisher
Allison and Fisher continued to build businesses together throughout their lives. Their styles complemented each other famously. Fisher was the fountain of ideas, but impetuous. Allison was the steady hand and an outstanding manager. Lem Trotter, a mutual business colleague, said of Allison, "Fisher was the dreamer but Allison had the most brilliant mind of any man I ever knew. He was the industrialist."Allison supported Fisher's efforts to lead the development of transcontinental highways, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
and Miami Beach. The two men were the senior partners in establishing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
with junior partners Arthur C. Newby and Frank H. Wheeler.
Allison Legacy
James Allison formed the Indianapolis Speedway Team Company to engineer race cars for the Indianapolis 500. The machine shop was located on the same grounds as Prest-O-Lite (directly across the street from the Speedway) until Prest-O-Lite was sold in 1917. The company engineered the car that won the 1919 race with driver Howdy WilcoxHowdy Wilcox
Howard Samuel Wilcox was an American racecar driver active in formative years of auto racing.Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Howdy Wilcox led the last 98 laps of the 1919 Indianapolis 500 after starting in the 2nd position. He died in a wreck in 1923 at the Altoona Speedway board track in Tyrone,...
. The company re-tooled for World War I, becoming a major defense contractor as Allison Experimental Company. Re-named as Allison Engineering Company in the 1920s, the company was acquired by General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
in 1929 after Allison's death in 1928.
Allison Engineering became two divisions of GM, one of which was sold to Rolls-Royce Aerospace in 1994. The other division, Allison Transmission, was acquired by a private equity firm in 2007, but still has a close affiliation with GM.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
continues to evolve and expand as it approaches its centennial year in 2009.