McLaughlin, George William

Person

McLaughlin, George William

1869-1942

George William McLaughlin was in 1869, at Enniskillen, Ontario. His father, Robert McLaughlin, was the founder of The McLaughlin Carriage Company and at the age of sixteen George, along with his brother R. Samuel was apprenticed, as a trimmer in his father's carriage business. Seven years later, in 1892, he and his brother were brought into the Company, by their father, as partners. In 1907 George and his brother, along with George Hezzelwood, formed the McLaughlin Motor Car Company Limited, with Sam as President, George W. as Treasurer, and George H. as Secretary. It was at this time too, that the two brothers entered into a fifteen year agreement with Will Durant, better known as General Motors, to buy Buick engines and other parts from the Detroit-based Buick Motor Company. In 1915, they sold the McLaughlin Carriage Company to Jim Tudhope of Orillia, Ontario, and shortly thereafter they formed the Chevrolet Car Company of Canada. The same names appeared as the chief officers, although in a slightly different order: George W. was President, Sam was Treasurer, and George H. was Secretary. The first Chevrolet rolled off the line in December 1915. In 1918 the decision was made to merge the McLaughlin Motor Car and Chevrolet Car Companies. These in turn would then be merged into Will Durant's conglomerate, with the Canadian arm to be called General Motors of Canada Limited with Sam as President and George Vice-President, a position he held until his retirement from GM in 1924. George William McLaughlin died, 10 October 1942, in Toronto.

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