I am helping a neighbor with her genealogy and her great grandfather also holds several patents for the all wood steering wheel. He worked for Lobdell Emery and American Wood Rim Co. There is a good series of articles on the history of this company. Here is the link for the first one:
http://presqueisle.migenweb.net/lobdell.html

Her great grandfather is Charles H Kenrick. As a manager in this company he and his family lived in France near Paris for many years over-seeing the Lobdell/American Rim locatiion. This would have been approx. 1908-1920 ish. I am looking for more info about the plant in France.
Thanks, Gwen