David Dunbar Buick died a poor man.
During David Buick's hay day years, his net worth totaled at least fifty times that of most men in that day. The first car he designed in 1903 had two-cylinders and only had twenty-one horsepower. He sold 37 automobiles in 1904. David Buick was a versatile inventor, few people know he designed the modern lawn sprinkler, enameled the bathtub, and help modernize indoor toilets.
It wasn't until William C. Durant decided to back David Buick in manufacturing his car on a large scale that Buick became rich. By 1910, Buick had become one of the top ten car makers in America. But Buick didn't accomplish all this on his own.
William Durant hired men like Charles W. Nash, Walter P. Chrysler, and Louis Chevrolet to help out with the early Buick manufacturing operation. By 1908, Durant had formed General Motors. By this time, the original inventor of the Buick was no longer in the group. As I stated in the beginning, Buick died in poverty. The only thing General Motors kept was Buick's name.
