FORD, DAVID KNIGHT (10 Feb. 1894-28 Oct. 1993) was a lawyer, businessman, and churchman who took pride in his family roots in New England and early Cleveland. He incorporated the LUBRIZOL CORPORATION, was a director, and served as a trustee of its foundation continuously from its founding until his death. Ford was a lifelong member and major benefactor of the EUCLID AVENUE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. His support of and service to CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY (as a member of the university's Board of Overseers, 1978-81, and the law school's visiting committee) earned him the Western Reserve College Medal for Distinguished Achievement (1982). Ford was born in Cleveland to Horatio Clark and Ida May Thorp Ford. Ford attended East High School (1911) and Yale University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa (1915). He served on the Mexican border with TROOP A (1916). During WORLD WAR I he served in France as a captain in the 813th Pioneer Infantry. Ford received a degree in LAW from WRU's law school in 1921 and then entered practice with his father's firm. He later became partner in several other firms, and he was of counsel with Spieth, Bell, McCurdy, and Newell at the time of his death. Ford served in various positions at Lubrizol, as general counsel (1934-63), assistant secretary (1934), secretary (1935-58), and director (1935-63). During WORLD WAR II, he acted as counsel for local draft boards and recruited ambulance drivers, while also volunteering with his wife at UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS. He served on the executive committee (1952-55) of the CLEVELAND BAR ASSOCIATION.
Ford married Elizabeth Kingsley Brooks (d. 1990) on 12 June 1920. They had four sons Amasa B., David K., Allen H. and Oliver M. Ford. Ford moderated the Cleveland Congregational Union for 5 years and presided over the Cleveland Church Federation (see INTERCHURCH COUNCIL OF GREATER CLEVELAND). He was president of GOODWILL INDUSTRIES, the Western Reserve Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, the WOMEN'S PHILANTHROPIC UNION, and the board of trustees of the SCHAUFFLER COLLEGE OF RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL WORK. He was also a trustee of Defiance College and Deaconess Hospital and a director of the Williamson Co. Ford was buried at LAKE VIEW CEMETERY.
CWRU Archives.
David Knight Ford Papers, WRHS.
Horatio C. Ford Family Papers, WRHS.