Eleanor Clay Ford(1896-1976)

Eleanor Clay Ford was an American patron of the arts, philanthropist, and matriarch of the family behind the Ford Motor Company. Born Eleanor Lowthian Clay to William Clay Jr. and Eliza Clay née Hudson. She was a niece to Detroit's wealthiest merchant, Joseph Lowthian Hudson, who ran the city's largest department store, J.L. Hudson aka Hudson's (which merged with The Dayton Co. to form what is today known as the global department store chain Target). After Eleanor's father passed, Eleanor, her sister Josephine, and their mother moved in with her uncle. Eleanor's uncle was also one of the leaders of the Hudson Motor Company (which merged with another company to form Chrysler). Eleanor married Henry Ford's son, Edsel Ford who became President of the Ford Motor Company. She was at one point the largest shareholder in Ford and after Edsel's passing, used her influence to make her son Henry Ford II the President of the company. Eleanor was a major charitable donor and supporter of the arts throughout her life, and she donated most to Detroit Institute of Arts.