Arthur Lovett Garford

Arthur Lovett Garford (August 4, 1858 – January 23, 1933) was a noted industrialist, inventor, and politician. Today, Garford's home serves as the Hickories Museum and home of the Lorain County Historical Society.

Biography

He was born on August 4, 1858, Elyria, Ohio.

Garford was an 1875 graduate of Elyria High School and began his career as a cashier and bookkeeper before he started the Garford Manufacturing Company in Elyria in 1892 and became the inventor of the first padded bicycle seat, known as the 'Garford Saddle'. Over 1 million saddles were sold in the first few years, which allowed Garford to form the American Saddle Company.

Automobile industry

After his success in the bicycle industry, Garford moved into automobiles and formed the Automobile and Cycle Parts Company in 1893. The company changed its name to Federal Manufacturing Company, and within a few years, Garford resigned his interest in it and went on to form the Garford Company. The Studebaker Company became interested in Garford's automobile parts company and together they formed a partnership. Garford engaged to become president or founder of several manufacturing firms including the American Lace Manufacturing Company, the Republican Printing Company, and the Cleveland Automatic Machine Company.

Garford

Coordinates: 51°39′43″N 1°22′55″W / 51.662°N 1.382°W / 51.662; -1.382

Garford is a village and civil parish about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Abingdon. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire. The parish is bounded by the River Ock to the north, by two tributaries of the Ock to the south (Childrey Brook and Nor Brook), and by field boundaries and the road between Kingston Bagpuize and West Hanney to the west. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 229.

Archaeology

The course of a Roman road passes through the parish about 0.5 miles (800 m) east of the village.

Manor

Garford's toponym evolved from Garanford in the 10th century to Wareford in the 11th century before reaching its current form.

In AD 940 Edmund I gave 15 houses at Garford to his thegn Wulfric, and in 960 Edmund's son Edgar the Peaceful confirmed the grant. The Benedictine Abingdon Abbey held two hides of land at Garford by the time of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Apart from brief interruptions during the reign of William II the Abbey retained Garford until 1538, when it surrendered its lands to the Crown in the Dissolution of the Monasteries.Elizabeth I sold Garford in 1576, after which it changed hands a number of times.