Birth: | January 26, 1886, Detroit, Michigan |  |
Death: | May 8, 1950, Chandler, Arizona | |
Spouse: | Grace M Cahoon | |
Children: | Jack Davis McCullough | |
Parents: | Gilbert C. McCullough |
William D. McCullough was born in Detroit in on January 26, 1886 to Gilbert C. McCullough and Marcelena Davis.1 His father died of tuberculosis in 1899, when McCullough was only 13.2 McCullough was forced to fend for himself, driving a grocery delivery wagon. He obtained a position in the Charles Lang Freer’s Michigan-Peninsular Car Company where he stayed until until 1901.
In 1901, he headed west and spent two years on a cattle ranch. In 1903, he moved to Indianapolis where he worked as a clerk and messenger for the Adams Express Company. In 1905 McCullough moved to New York and became a traveling salesman for the Motor Parts Corporation of New York.
In 1910 McCullough returned to Detroit and became a purchasing agent for Cadillac Motor Company, a job he held for three years. He next moved to Detroit Wire Spring, and in 1915 organized his own company, the Premier Cushion Spring Co. During World War I, McCullough organized the Premier Machine Company, and supplied parts to Dodge and Ford. William D. McCullough lived at 1115 West Boston in the 1920s and 1930s.3
3Courtesy of Historic Boston Edison Association's website: http://www.historicbostonedison.org/history/people_man.shtml  accessed July, 7, 2014.
He was next with the Detroit Wire Spring Company until
1915, when, desirous that his labors should more directly benefit himself he organized the Premier Cush- ion Spring Company in 1915 and became its president, continuing as the chief executive officer through the intervening period. This company has been verv successful, and in 1920 erected a large plant on Belle- vue avenue, covering two acres of ground, whereby its facilities were greatly enlarged, leading to an increase in its working force, until there are now four hundred names on its payroll. During the war Mr. McCullough organized the Premier Machine Com- pany for the purpose of making tools for plants en- gaged in munition work,, and furnished a large quan- tity of tools, dies and fixtures to the Ford and Dodge corporations, also supplied parts for airplanes and Liberty motors. In fact, the company was entirely devoted to patriotic work during the war period.
Mr. McCullough was united in marriage to Miss Grace Cohoon of Detroit. That social pleasures claim a reasonable share of his time is indicated in his membership with the Detroit Athletic Club, the De- troit Boat Club, the Oakland Hills Country Club and in the Player's Club. He also belongs to the Board of Commerce. The interests of his life are evenly balanced, for he does not allow social affairs to interfere with the demands of business. He is pos- sessed of notably sound judgment and executive ability and is a masterful man in business circles. From the humble position of driver of a delivery wagon he rose to the presidency of an important cor- poration before reaching the age of thirty years, and in fact has built up the whole business structure him- self. He is the head of the office of the Premier Cushion Spring Company, and looks after all outside worJi: as well. He is a human dynamo running with- out friction and with accelerated speed as the demand increases, and producing the results that spell success.