| Description | HILZ, W. M., Sr. Founder, City Machine Shop, Pilot Point, Texas, 1928. Family background, education; blacksmithing; making steam engines, cotton boll crushers, gin saws; working in steam and gas engine repair shop during World War I; International Correspondence Schools auto course; founding of City Machine Shop with partner Mike Amon, 1928; evolution of machine shop equipment; Depression; National Recovery Administration; World War II; selling his interest to son George; semi-retirement; financing methods.
HILZ, Mrs. W. M., Sr. Wife of founder, City Machine Shop. Family background, education; her community and church work; marriage, family life, rearing nine children.
HILZ, George W. Owner and operator of City Machine Shop. Family background; boyhood jobs; work as youth in father’s City Machine Shop; education; military service in World War II; becoming sole owner of City Machine Shop; growth of business; changing services; financing methods; customer problems in small town; satisfactions of self-employment; tenure as Mayor of Pilot Point.
HILZ, W. M., Jr. President, Hilz Ford Sales, Pilot Point, Texas. Family background; boyhood chores; work as youth in father’s City Machine Shop; Depression; National Recovery Administration; military service in World War II; education; computing work with Marine Seismic Survey; branch manager for U.S. Electrical Motors; merger with Emerson Electric; decision to quit big company; buying into Ford agency.
HILZ, Sue. Founder, accountant, secretary, Hilz Ford Sales. Family background (maiden name Roane), education; marriage and family life; starting Ford agency in husband’s absence; creation of bookkeeping system.
HILZ, W. M. and Sue (joint Interview). Goal setting; growth of agency; hard lessons learned; customer credit; small town atmosphere, problems and advantages; relationship with Ford Motor Co.; public tastes in vehicles; cash flow sources; advertising; reasons for success; employee relations; customer problems; incorporation. |
