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Russell Hudson McCarroll
- Wayne State University Press
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Russell Hudson McCarroll 1890-1948 "The V-8 crankshaft started as a forging. Hud McCarroll and I searched for a steel that could be cast and still meet the physical requirements of crankshaft. Out of this came the discovery that our cast steel was better crankshaft material than any suitable forging bar." —Charles E. Sorensen * Among the unsung heroes of Ford Motor Company was R. Hudson (Hud) McCarroll. Automobiles are made mostly of metal, and the quality of the metal largely determines the durability of the vehicle. McCarroll was nationally recognized as an outstanding chemist and metallurgist, but he was seldom featured in the popular press or noted on the countless pages of Ford lore. Russell Hudson McCarroll was born in Detroit on February 20, 1890, the son of Rev. Canon John McCarroll, M.D., and Emily Middleton Roberts. The father had graduated from McGill Medical School, but after three years as professor of classical languages was ordained as an Angelican clergyman. The McCarrolls had come to Detroit in 1884 and resided on Washington Boulevard at Michigan Avenue. At the time of their son's birth in 1890, their home was at 89 Hancock Avenue West. Hudson, as he was called, first attended Miss Liggett's School and later Detroit University School. He was a schoolmate of Edsel Ford at both of these schools, and they became lifelong friends. During this period, Henry and Clara Ford were living in Detroit, attending St. Paul's Episcopal Church, where Dr. McCarroll was their clergyman. McCarroll studied at the University of Michigan; in 1914, he received the B.S. degree in chemical engineering. Right out of school, he took a position with the Solvay Process Company on West Jefferson Avenue in Detroit. This concern manufactured such chemicals as caustic soda, soda ash, ammonia, coke, gas, tar, and calcium chloride. Within a few * From Charles E. Sorensen, My Forty Years with Ford (New York: W. W. Norton, 1956), p. 230. 189 Henry's Lieutenants months, Henry Ford persuaded young McCarroll to join Ford Motor Company. It was in January 1915 that McCarroll started work at the Highland Park plant. He is listed at that time in the Detroit City Directory as a clerk living at 691 John R Street, the same address as his father. McCarroll had one sister, Lyndon, who became assistant director of the Henry Ford Hospital Nursing School. On September 30, 1916, McCarroll married Muriel C. Channer at Adrian, Michigan. They established their residence at 241 Elmhurst in Highland Park, where they lived until 1921, when they moved to Dearborn at 402 Nona Avenue. The Dearborn house was in a subdivision of houses that had been built by Henry Ford for his employees. McCarrolFs early tasks for Ford at Highland Park concerned problems related to car finishes, abrasives, water-soluble oils, and lubricants . He undoubtedly became acquainted with Charles E. Sorensen at that time, and later, when Sorensen took over management of the larger Rouge plant, McCarroll was asked to transfer to the Rouge to work under Sorensen. His initial chemical engineering responsibilities at the Rouge involved coke oven, blast furnace, and foundry operations. This was around 1920. At the Rouge plant, McCarroll developed methods by which large amounts of the by-products ammonium sulphate and benzol could be produced from the coke ovens. Ford sold both of these items through his automobile dealers. Detroit area motorists not only could fill their gas tanks with "Ford Benzol," but they could buy a bag of inexpensive, nitrogen-rich "Ford Ammonium Sulphate" fertilizer for their gardens. Ford employees also could fill their basement bins with Ford coke at low prices. In 1927, Ford had decided to try to produce rubber on a 2.5-millionacre plantation in Brazil. At one of the regular noon executive "roundtable " luncheons in Dearborn attended by McCarroll, Ford mentioned the need for one of them to go to Sumatra in the Dutch East Indies to examine methods of rubber production there. He directed the group, "Well, you think it over who should go, and after you get it all decided, if you don't pick the man I do, I'll tell you who we will send." Ford had already decided on McCarroll. McCarroll did go to Sumatra for Ford in January 1928. His wife and their two daughters, Charlotte and Marjorie , accompanied him on what became a glorious around-the-world trip. He returned with considerable useful information, presented a comprehensive written report, but said privately he...