Harry Clayton Stutz was raised in a small town north of Dayton, OH, and opened a machine shop there about 1897. He was one of the first in the city to own an automobile. Through his familiarity with autos, he became manager of the Linsey-Russell Axel Company in Indianapolis in 1903. From 1906-1910, he worked for Marion Motor Company as engineer and factory manager. In 1910 Stutz teamed with Henry Campbell to open the Stutz Auto Parts Company and the following year opened the Ideal Motor Car Company. Following some business maneuvers, the H.C.S. Motor Car Company (Stutz' initials) began to produce luxury cars and taxicabs. The Stutz car became well known and for two years won most of the auto races around the country.