Historical records matching William 'Bill' Herbert Davidson
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About William 'Bill' Herbert Davidson
William Herbert Davidson
President, Harley Davidson Motor Company, 1942-1971
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Davidson_(motorcyclist)
- https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/33008143/william_herbert_davidson
- https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-founders-of-harley-davi...
Davidson was president of Harley-Davidson Motor Company from 1942 to 1971. His father, William Alexander Davidson (1870-1937), was one of the company founders and his sons, John Allan Davidson (1935-2019) was a company president and Willie G. Davidson was a company vice president.
In 1930 he won the AMA National Enduro Champion title.
Davidson was inducted to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.
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William H. Davidson, son of co-founder, William A. Davidson, grew up immersed in Harley-Davidson culture. He was an avid motorcyclist and won the 1930 (500 miles) Jack Pine Endurance Run with the highest score ever posted. He began working for the company in 1928 and played an influential part in the continuing growth of the company. He eventually replaced his uncle, Walter, as president in 1942 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1973.
As president, he led the company through World War II, during which time it earned the prestigious Army-Navy “E” Award for exceptional wartime production. He also saw the development of the Model K, the FX Super Glide, and Harley-Davidson’s entrance into the snowmobile and golf car markets. He oversaw the company’s expansion with the acquisition of the Capitol Drive and Tomahawk plants and its merger with AMF in 1969.
After his retirement, his sons, John and Willie G. continued to work as officers in the company and he maintained a deep interest in the progress of the company until his death in 1992.
NOTE: The Jack Pine Endurance Run first began in 1923, and has always been one of the toughest off-road races in the world. It originally started as a three-day 800 mile race, but was later scaled back to a mere 500 mile course over two days.
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William 'Bill' Herbert Davidson's Timeline
| 1905 |
September 22, 1905
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Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
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| 1935 |
March 28, 1935
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Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
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| 1992 |
May 18, 1992
Age 86
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Elm Grove, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States
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Forest Home Cemetery, 2405 West Forest Home Avenue, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, 53215, United States
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