NOVEMBER 5

On this date in 1895, 16 years after he originally filed, George B Selden was given a U.S. patent for an automobile.  It was the first patent in the world for a motorized car.  Benz filed in Germany eight years later.

Selden had included in his patent many individual features for the cars.  He sold the rights to manufacture cars of his design to William Whitney, for the grand sum of $15 per car with a $5,000 per year guarantee.  Together, they collected royalties from a number of the fledgling manufacturers of motor cars, for many innovations included in Selden's design. 

After the turn of the century (1906), Henry Ford got into the auto manufacturing business and fought to avoid Selden's patent rights.  They were in the courts for eight years.  Ford's main innovation was in the manufacturing process.  But in the end, the courts decided the future of the auto industry.  Ford won out and from that point, Selden received no patent royalties - from anyone.   That may be why you never heard of George B. Selden.  No matter, he is the one - 123 years ago today.
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