William L. Hughson Company.

The William L. Hughson Company was founded by William L. Hughson (1869-1969) in 1902 after meeting Henry Ford and viewing one of his motor carriages at a bicycle show. Hughson bought twelve automobiles from the company and, based in San Francisco, became the first franchised Ford dealership, covering California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. The twelve cars remained unsold until 1906, when Hughson saved half of them from the April 18th conflagration. These autos proved essential during and after the disaster, and proved to many the value of the automobile. The William L. Hughson Company prospered in the years that followed, and finally closed in 1979.