Michael Ford was great-grandson of William Ford of Marshfield, and son of Michael Ford Sr. His father married Roda Copeland in 1778, and settled on a farm purchased from Ebenezer Stetson, 1/2 mile above Cornet's Rocks on the North River. 

Their son, Michael the shipbuilder, worked at Smith's Yard in Hanover in 1799, with William Copeland. He was sergeant in the militia company commanded by Lieut. Tolman.  He did the joiner work on the vessels on the way down river.  While working on the "Samos" he stuck a chisel into his knee, which lamed him for life. 

He had sons: Michael, who was a shipbuilder at the yards in East Boston; William C.; and David Barnes, who married Lavinia Sherman, and resided at Hanover Four Corners. 

In 1819 William Copeland, Michael Ford and Elias W. Pratt formed a shipbuilding partnership under the name of Copeland, Ford & Pratt.  Some time later there entered into this firm Elisha Tolman, Elisha Merritt and one other, and the firm named was changed about 1824 to William Copeland & Co.