Byington Ford

Parents

Tirey L. Ford 1920

Mary Emma Byington 1888

Byington Ford was born on November 1, 1890 in Downieville, Sierra County, California, the son of Attorney-General Tirey L. Ford and Mary Emma Byington, daughter of Robert Lewis Byington. His family moved to San Francisco in 1895. He experienced the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire when he was fifteen years old.[1]

Ford graduated from Santa Clara College in 1910 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. At Santa Clara College, he acted in the Nazareth The Passion Play and was elected president of the debating team. He went on to get his masters from the University of California at Berkeley, graduating in 1913, where he earned his degree of Master of Arts.[3] The thesis for his master's degree was A History Of The County Court Of England From 1066-1307.[4] Ford studied law at St. Ignatius Jesuit College, now the University of San Francisco, but gave up the idea of practicing law and instead went into the real estate.

On November 17, 1920, Ford married Marion Boisot in Pebble Beach. In 1922, he built their home on 17-Mile Drive in Pebble Beach, which faced the first green of the golf course, and was constructed by Bernard Maybeck. He and his wife Marion had three children, Mary Jane, Patricia, and Audrey Ford. On February 19, 1925, Ford was among the 68 charter members of the Monterey Peninsula Country Club.[5]

On Feb 23, 1937, Ford married his second wife, Ruth Austin Arlen in Reno, Nevada, who was previously married to Richard Arlen.[6] She was one of the original dancers of the Denishawn school in Los Angeles, California.[7]

In 1916, Ford was Director of the Animated Film Corporation in San Francisco, of which his father, Tirey L. Ford, was president. The company produced animated cartoons long before Walt Disney. Ford worked with Benjamin Thackston Knight (1895–1977), aka "Tack" Knight, Pinto Colvig and Angel Espoy. The endeavor ended with the entry of the U.S. into World War I.[1]

In 1917, Ford enlisted in the California National Guard and went to Officers Training Camp at the Presidio of San Francisco where he was commissioned and then sent to France during World War I. He was Captain in the 26th "Yankee" Division. In France, he trained at the Saint-Cyr cavalry school.[8] He was in the engagements of Château-Thierry, Saint-Mihiel and the Toul sector. On March 10, 1919, Ford returned home after recuperating from a poison gas attack suffered during an advance in Troyon, France. Ford saw active service practically the whole time he was in France. He brought a detachment of soldiers to New York from France.[9]

In 1941, he enlisted in the Air force during World War II and became a Lieutenant colonel (United States). Ford established the 1st women's MP at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.

While living in Carmel, Ford got involved in local and national politics. On August 25, 1934, speakers of the Carmel citizens' committee directly accused the John Reed Clubs of being a communistic organization. Ford chairman of the committee, read reports from the national committees and showed charts seized in recently raided communist headquarters. Ford headed the citizens' committee to oppose the JRC and their activities.[10]

In 1919, working with Samuel Finley Brown Morse, Ford became manager at the Del Monte Properties in Pebble Beach, California, heading their real estate department for twelve years. He rode horseback through the undeveloped parts of Del Monte Forest to survey the land for development.[1]

In 1931 he formed the Carmel Realty Company. In October 27, 1933, an ad in The Carmel Pine Cone said: “Announcement, The Real Estate Business of The Carmel Realty Company and Byington Ford have been consolidated under one management. The Carmel Realty Company was located at the Las Tiendas Building on Ocean Avenue.[11][12]

Carmel Valley airport

Carmel Valley Airport

Ford developed the first airpark in Carmel Valley. According to the Carmel Valley Historic Airport Society, "Convinced that mass production of small aircraft would put a plane within the reach of anyone who could afford a car, in the late 1930s Byington bought the northeast corner of Rancho Los Laureles for an airpark.[13]

He and his brother Tirey Ford developed the Carmel Valley Airport for pilot-owners who would want to be at home a minute or two after getting out of their plane. A nearby road was named after him called Ford Road.[14] Ford constructed the first two "hangar homes" when he opened the air park to the public on December 7, 1941. His timing that proved unfortunate as this was the same day Pearl Harbor was bombed.[15]

In 1954, Byington Ford retired and Peter Delfino purchased the Carmel Valley airport property for $35,000.[16]

Ford was active for years as a player and coach in the Peninsula's old Abalone League with other pioneers such as Samuel F.B. Morse and author Jimmy Hopper. In 1928, to raise money for a league diamond, Ford staged plays at the Carmel Arts and Crafts Theater, recognized today as The Golden Bough Playhouse. He was the leading man in the play "The Copperhead" at the Carmel playhouse. He acted in, directed, and wrote more than 45 plays at the Carmel Arts and Crafts Theater.

Cartoon Sketch Book

In 1955, he wrote a sketch book called "A Cartoon Sketch Book for Beginners"[19] On January 28, 1956, Ford put an ad in The Californian, that said "Do you like cartoons? Would you like to draw your own comics? Fill out and mail the coupon, enclosing $1 and your sketch book will be mailed to you promptly."[20]

On September 24, 1970, the Carmel Pine Cone wrote a story about Ford. The title was: “The fabulous career Byington Ford.” It covered his life and accomplishments.[1]

In 1974, Ford and Ruth moved to Apple Valley, California and then to Ventura, California.

On January 19, 1985, at age 94, Ford died of pancreatic cancer at his home in Ventura, California.[21] He was cremated under the direction of the Neptune Society.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Byington Ford.

• Carmel Valley Vintage Airfield website
• Henderson Family Tree website
• Byington Ford at Find a Grave
• Family Search website for Byington Ford