Henry Ford and John Tanner

John Tanner was known as one of Brighton's most unusual people. His ten-foot-long beard was always tucked under his shirt and was seen only by his wife and the paying public. His delivery operation from the train depot ran from 1871 to 1910 with his elegant carriage. In later years, the unusual items belonging to John and Emma caught the eye of Henry Ford, who frequented his brother Bill's nearby home. Henry bought the carriage for his new Greenfield Village Museum. The Tanners became good friends with Henry and his wife and were invited for free health checks at his new Dearborn hospital. John, at age 92, and Emma, at age 91, lived into the 1930s. They are buried in Brighton's Old Village Cemetery.

Brighton, Michigan · United States