Harry E. Pence is the president and general manager of the Pence Automobile Company, was born on October 7, 1867, in the state of Ohio, at the town of Springboro. His father, Charles N. Pence, was a farmer in the vicinity of Springboro, and his son spent his early life on the farm and began his education in the public schools. He remained in Ohio until eighteen years of age, when he went to New York state, and entered the Eastman Business College at Poughkeepsie, taking a course to prepare him self for a commercial life. Then for five years Mr. Pence spent his whole time in travel and in the course of his tours visited almost every part of the world, thus gaining a practical knowledge of the different countries such as few possess. Upon his return to this country Mr. Pence engaged in business, and after a few years came to Minneapolis and has since made this city his home.
He has been connected with several business enterprises here — for a time traded in real estate, for two years was a member of the Cham ber of Commerce and dealt extensively in grains, and during the last five years has been in the automobile business. In 1902 Mr. Pence established the Pence Automobile Company of which he has been from the beginning president and general manager. This company has the local and northwestern agencies for several of the large automobile manufacturing plants, and does a general business in the sale, furnishing and repairing of automobiles. They also handle gas engines. Mr. Pence is a member of the Minneapolis Automobile Club, and is a trustee of that organization. On February 9, 1898, he was married to Miss Dorothy Draper and they have one child, a daughter.
From-“A Half Century of Minneapolis”
by Horace B. Hudson
