Charles Kettering

Charles Franklin Kettering – Life, Inventions, and Legacy

Discover the life and legacy of Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958), the American inventor and engineer behind the electric starter, leaded gasoline, and many automotive innovations. Learn about his biography, key inventions, philosophy, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Charles Franklin Kettering stands among the great American inventors of the early 20th century. His inventions and leadership in industrial research profoundly shaped the automobile, energy, and medical sectors. Kettering was more than a tinkerer—he was a systems thinker who helped institutionalize research and development in industry. His legacy lives on not only in technological artifacts but in institutions, medical research, and the culture of innovation.

Early Life and Family

Kettering was born on August 29, 1876 on a farm near Loudonville, Ohio, to Jacob and Martha Hunter Kettering.

As a youth, he displayed curiosity and a propensity for experimentation—reportedly trying different tools on the farm to improve tasks like picking potatoes.

After high school, Kettering accepted a teaching position in a one-room school to support himself while aspiring to return to formal education. College of Wooster but due to his eye strain he withdrew and returned to work and teaching. Ohio State University, graduating in 1904 with a degree in electrical engineering.

He married Olive Williams on August 1, 1905. Eugene Williams Kettering, was born in 1908.

Career & Major Inventions

Early Work at NCR

After graduating, Kettering joined the National Cash Register Company (NCR) in Dayton, Ohio, working in its research laboratory.

During his time at NCR, he and colleagues experimented on side projects in what came to be known as the “Barn Gang,” led by Edward A. Deeds.

Founding Delco and the Electric Starter

In 1909, Kettering resigned from NCR to work full time on inventions and cofound Delco (Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company) with Deeds and other partners.

One of his most celebrated inventions was the electric starter for automobile engines, eliminating the need for a hand crank. In February 1911, the system was installed in a Cadillac.

Beyond the starter, Kettering and his team developed a complete all-electric automotive system—starter, ignition, and lighting.

Work with General Motors & Fuel Innovations

Delco was sold to United Motors in 1918, which then became part of General Motors.

He and Thomas Midgley Jr. developed leaded gasoline (tetraethyllead, TEL) as an additive to reduce engine knock.

At DuPont, Kettering also contributed to the development of Duco lacquers—practical colored paints and enamels for mass-produced automobiles.

Additionally, he was involved in:

• Developing lightweight two-stroke diesel engines for locomotives and heavy equipment

• Contributing to refrigeration and air conditioning innovations (e.g. Freon usage)

• Inventing or improving various electrical and mechanical devices, from portable lighting, incubators, to power generation systems for rural areas (Delco Plant)

He held 186 U.S. patents across diverse fields.

Institutional & Philanthropic Endeavors

In 1927, Kettering founded the Kettering Foundation, a nonpartisan research foundation focusing on democracy and public affairs.

He also was a benefactor for medical research. He helped found what evolved into the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York in 1945.

General Motors Institute (GMI) was eventually renamed Kettering University in his honor in 1998.

Historical Context & Milestones

• 1876 – Born in Ohio.

• 1904 – Graduated Ohio State University.

• 1904–1909 – Employed at NCR, secured early patents.

• 1909 – Co-found Delco.

• 1911 – Installation of electric starter in Cadillac.

• 1920 – Joined GM as head of research.

• 1927 – Established Kettering Foundation.

• 1945 – Involvement in founding cancer research institute.

• 1958 – Died in Dayton, Ohio, on November 25.

Throughout his career, Kettering operated in the early century’s era of industrial expansion, automobile revolution, electrification, and later, World Wars and postwar growth. His inventions often addressed the era’s key challenges: mechanization, reliability, energy, and urbanization.

Personality, Style & Philosophy

• Pragmatic inventor: Kettering’s work was oriented not just toward novelty but toward practical, scalable solutions.

• Systems thinker: He saw connections among power generation, transportation, materials, and infrastructure—he didn’t confine himself to narrow specialties.

• Risk-taker & experimental: He tolerated failure and embraced iteration. (“Failures are fingerposts on the road to achievement.”)

• Leadership in research culture: He promoted structured industrial R&D, elevating the role of research labs in corporate organizations.

• Philanthropic vision: He applied his wealth and influence toward democratic research and medical causes.

Even as an inventor, he considered broader social implications, especially later in life.

Famous Quotes

• “Failures are fingerposts on the road to achievement.”

• “It doesn't matter if you try and try and try again, and fail. It does matter if you try and fail, and fail to try again.”

• “My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there.”

These reflect his tenacity, forward-looking mindset, and the value he placed on persistence.

Legacy & Impact

• Kettering’s electric starter transformed vehicular mobility, making cars safer and easier to use (especially for a broader population).

• His fuel innovations and R&D leadership influenced both the benefits and controversies of 20th-century energy and environment. The later-recognized hazards of leaded gasoline sweeten and complicate his legacy.

• Institutions he founded or inspired (Kettering Foundation, Kettering University, cancer research institutions) continue to operate.

• His model of industrial research (corporate R&D labs) influenced how innovation is organized in large firms.

• He left behind a large body of patents and an ethos of inventive confidence.

While not without criticism—especially regarding long-term environmental consequences—Kettering remains a towering figure in American applied science and industry.