On this date in 1946, Arthur Chevrolet, an auto racer and sibling to Louis Chevrolet, the namesake of the Chevrolet brand, took his own life in Slidell, Louisiana.
Louis Chevrolet, born in Switzerland in 1878, has his brother Arthur’s birth year recorded as either 1884 or 1886. By the early 1900s, the brothers Louis and Arthur, along with their younger brother Gaston, had migrated from Europe to America, where they pursued careers in auto racing.
In 1905, Louis achieved victory against racing legend Barney Oldfield at a New York event. His racing talents garnered the attention of William C. Durant, who went on to establish General Motors (GM) in 1908. As a result, Chevrolet began designing and competing with cars for GM’s Buick racing team. In 1911, he collaborated with William Durant to create the first Chevrolet vehicle. A clash erupted between the two regarding their vision for the car, with Durant favoring a low-cost model to rival Henry’s Model T while Chevrolet advocated for a more upscale option. Chevrolet eventually sold his stake in the company to Durant in 1915, and the following year, the Chevrolet Motor Company merged with General Motors.
During this period, Louis Chevrolet’s brothers continued their racing and automotive endeavors. Arthur Chevrolet participated in the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911, but mechanical failures led to his premature exit from the race. He made another attempt at the Indy 500 in 1916, only to withdraw again due to mechanical problems. In 1920, Gaston Chevrolet claimed victory at the Indy 500 in a Monroe car designed by his brothers, though he tragically lost his life later that year in a racing accident.
Despite the significant racing and design talent possessed by Louis and Arthur (they also devised aircraft engines in addition to building cars), they struggled with financial acumen and often found themselves ousted from their ventures before enjoying the rewards they deserved.
By the 1930s, both individuals faced financial ruin, and their racing careers ended. Louis returned to Detroit to take a position within GM’s Chevrolet division.
He passed away on June 6, 1941, with Arthur taking his own life five years afterward.
