The Ford Family

Born	October 29, 1898 Williamsfield, OH
Died	February 6, 1977 La Grange, IL
Father	Thomas Albert Ford
Mother	Edith Emeline Ford
Siblings	William Kenneth Ford, M.D. Harold E Ford

Spouse	Eleanor Nash Ford
Married	October 29, 1922 Illinois
Children	Eleanor Jane Hensel Thomas S. Ford John Blount Ford Sarah Frances Malone

Bio
Newell Albert Ford was the first born child of Thomas Albert and Eleanor (Woodworth) Ford. He was born in Williamsfield Ohio, just like his mother and his mother's father for whom he was named. Newell A. Ford, the elder, along with his wife and his many siblings and Uncles who all lived in Williamsfield must have been sad indeed to see his namesake and his daughter leave with her handsome husband for some Big City in Illinois!

But leave they did, and the Census of 1900 shows them living in Hyde Park in Chicago! They are renting a place, and Newell's father Thomas is a general contractor. Eleanor's sister Mary lives with them. Soon little brother William is born, and not too long after comes Harold to round out the crew of three boys who grow up in a wonderful home. They seem to be close and always smiling in pictures as they played together or went fishing.

By 1910 the family has moved out to Western Springs where Thomas has built them a lovely home. He has a fancy new model T Ford as well, and life seems great. They take the car and many trips to their summer home in Long Lake, Illinois. They seem to be a bit of a celebrity family as the papers are reporting on their comings and goings! The boys go to school and Newell and Bill go to the University of Illinois together. Soon after graduation Newell is working with his father and then marries Eleanor Blount on October 29th, 1922.

Soon their first child was born and they name her Eleanor. In August of 1925, Newell's wife and her friend are at the TA Ford Summer home in Long Lake when the whole place burned down. It seems they left muffins cooking in the oven, which started the fire. Eleanor redeems herself with the birth of their first son (Thomas) in December of that fateful year. Then tragedy hits the family when grandpa Thomas Ford is hit by a subway train in New York city and later dies from complications from his injuries. Newell is just about 30 and must now take over the family business. His family continues to grow with the birth of John and then finally Sally. It looks like his father set a great example for him, as Newell went on to be equally successful.

The Owner and President of Ford Brothers Construction in Chicago - he served on the Village Board until 1931, he served on the Board of the County Memorial General Hospital, and he served on the board of Directors for the Thomas A Memorial Library from 1945-1957. His mother received funds from the wrongful death of her husband and gave them as a gift to the Village to build a library in Thomas' honor. Newell was a Charter Board Member and then the Board named him Citizen of the Month when he retired in 1957. Like his father before him, Newell was a member of the ancient Free and Accepted Masons and was a charter member of the group in Western Springs.