All Episodes

May 31, 2022 • 38 mins

The Life of Mr. Flint, Charles Stewart Mott. Charles Stewart Mott (1875-1973) was an American businessman and philanthropist born in Flint, Michigan. He is best known for his involvement in the automobile industry and his philanthropic work.

Mott began his career as a clerk in his family's business, which manufactured carriage and automobile parts. He eventually took over the company and expanded it into a major parts supplier to the automotive industry. Mott was also involved in developing the Chevrolet Motor Company, founded by his friend and business partner, William C. Durant.

In addition to his business pursuits, Mott was a philanthropist and supported several charitable causes. He was particularly interested in education and helped establish several schools and universities, including Flint College (now known as the University of Michigan-Flint) and Kettering University, which was named in honor of Charles Kettering, another automotive pioneer.

Mott was also active in local and national politics and served on several boards and committees throughout his career. He received numerous awards and honors for his business and philanthropic endeavors and was widely respected and admired for his contributions to society.

This is Part Two of an interview with C.S. Mott biographer Ed Renehan who shares remarkable stories from The life of "Mr. Flint" Charles Stewart Mott. Renehan's book "The Life of Charles Stewart Mott" is a comprehensive look at the life of one of the world's most successful American capitalists. The interview covers Mr. Mott's career, family life, travels, hobbies, devotion to the Flint community, and philanthropy.

-----------

Ed Renehan's critically-acclaimed books published under his name include:

  • Deliberate Evil: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Daniel Webster,
  • The 1830 Murder of a Salem Slave Trader (Chicago Review Press, 2022)
  • Dark Genius of Wall Street: The Misunderstood Life of Jay Gould, King of the Robber Barons (Basic Books, 2006)
  • The Kennedys at War (Doubleday, 2001)
  • The Lion's Pride (Oxford University Press, 1998).
  • The Life of Charles Stewart Mott (University of Michigan Press, 2019)
  • John Burroughs: An American Naturalist (Black Dome Press, 1992)
  • The Secret Six (Crown, 1994).
  • Ed Rehehan has appeared on PBS's The American Experience, NPR, and C-Span's BookTV and has written for publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal to The San Francisco Chronicle.

------------

Books About Charles Stewart Mott:

--------

Learn more about C.S. Mott by visiting the following:

Subscribe to the Radio


Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.