The Wright Family
Wilbur & Orville Wright
1867—1912 1871—1948
Wilbur was a bright and studious child, and excelled in school. His personality was outgoing and robust, and he made plans to attend Yale University after high school. In the winter of 1885-86, an accident changed the course of Wilbur’s life. He was badly injured in an ice hockey game, when another player’s stick hit him in the face.
Though most of his injuries healed, the incident plunged Wilbur into a depression. He did not receive his high school diploma, canceled plans for college, and retreated to his family’s home. Wilbur spent much of this period at home, reading books in his family’s library, and caring for his ailing mother.
In 1889 the brothers started their own newspaper, the West Side News. Wilbur edited the paper, andOrville was the publisher. The brothers also shared a passion for bicycles, a new craze that was sweeping thecountry. In 1892 Wilbur and Orville opened a bike shop, fixing bicycles and selling their own design. Always working on different mechanical projects and keeping up with scientific research, the Wright brothers closely followed the research of Germanaviator Otto Lilienthal. When Lilienthal died in aglider crash, the brothers decided to start their own experiments with flight.
Wilbur and Orville set to work trying to figure out how to design wings for flight. They observed that birds angled their wings for balance and control, and tried to emulate this, developing a concept called “wing warping.” When they added a moveable rudder, the Wright brothers found they had the magicformula. On December 17, 1903, they succeeded in flying the first free, controlled flight of a power-driven plane. Wilbur flew their plane for 59 seconds, at 852 feet, an extraordinary achievement.Wilbur and Orville always shared credit for their innovations, and maintained a close relationship throughout their lives. Behind the scenes, however, there was a division of labor. With his sharp instincts, Wilbur was the business mind and executive of the operation, serving as president of the WrightCompany.
What began with the design and flight of kites, soon moved into gliders and then more elaborate aircraft inventions. Relying mostly on trial and error, the Wright brothers eventually designed a powered airplane with a 12-horsepower engine.
After their successful flight in Kitty Hawk, N.C. (an area chosen based on its weather patterns), Orville and Wilbur Wright went on to develop their invention into the first practical airplane. They obtained a patent in 1906, started their own business (the Wright Company) and began building and selling more sophisticated airplanes. The Wright brothers' invention is so technically and culturally significant that the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., keeps the Wright Flyer on permanent display.
Wilbur fell ill on a trip to Boston in April 1912. He was diagnosed with typhoid fever, and died on May 30 at his family home in Dayton, Ohio. Milton Wright wrote in his diary, “A short life, full of consequences. An unfailing intellect, imperturbable temper, great self reliance and as great modesty."
Katharine Wright Haskell
1874—1929
Katharine was born on August 19, 1874, exactly three years after Orville Wright, as the only surviving girl of Milton Wright and Susan Koerner. She was especially close to Wilbur and Orville and when their mother died in 1889, she took over the responsibility for the household. Katharine graduated from Oberlin College in 1898. She then took a position at Steele High School in Dayton, Ohio. To help with the household chores, she hired a maid, Carrie Kayler, who remained with the family for decades.
Wilbur asked Katharine to go to France with Orville, and in 1909 they joined him in Pau. She quickly dominated the social scene, being far more outgoing and charming than the notoriously shy brothers. French newspapers were fascinated by what they saw as the human side of the Wrights. Rumors began to circulate as to Katharine's importance in the invention of the Wright Flyer. Some myths, such as her funding of the experiments, or sewing the wing coverings or help with math needed to design the airplane lived on, despite strenuous denials by her and the brothers at the time.
When they returned to Dayton, Ohio, all three siblings were huge celebrities and Katharine took on business responsibilities, becoming an officer of the Wright Company in 1912 after Wilbur died. The company was sold in 1915 by Orville. In 1917, their father Milton died, three years after he, Katharine, Orville, and Charles and Carrie Kayler Grumbach moved to Hawthorn Hill, a newly constructed mansion in the Dayton suburb of Oakwood. Orville became increasingly dependent on Katharine. She looked after his social schedule, correspondence and business engagements along with his secretary, Mabel Beck, and ran the household as before.
In the 1920s, Katharine renewed correspondence with an old boyfriend from college days, newspaperman Henry J. Haskell, a widower who lived in Kansas City. They began a romance through their letters, but Katharine feared Orville's reaction. After several attempts, Henry broke the news to Orville. He was devastated, and stopped speaking to his sister.
Katharine wed in 1926. Orville refused to attend the ceremony. Katharine and her husband moved to Kansas City, but she grieved over her broken relationship with Orville. She tried many times for a reconciliation, but Orville refused.
Two years after her marriage, Katharine contracted pneumonia. When Orville found out, he still refused to contact her. Their brother Lorin persuaded him to visit her, and he was at her bedside when she died.
Bishop Milton Wright
1828—1917
Milton joined the Church of the United Brethren in Christ in 1846 because of its stand on political and moral issues including slavery, alcohol, and "secret societies" such as Freemasonry. From 1855 to 1856 he served as pastor of the Church of the United Brethren in Indianapolis. He was ordained in 1856 and was pastor in Andersonville, Indiana from 1856 to 1857. Later that year, he went to Oregon as a missionary and served as pastor at Sublimity and first president of Sublimity College, a denominational institution. From 1868 to 1869 he was professor of theology at Hartsville College.
In 1869, Milton became editor of the church newspaper, the Religious Telescope, moving to Dayton, Ohio. This position gave him prominence within the church and helped him get elected as a bishop in 1877.
He traveled widely on church business, but always sent back many letters and often brought presents home. His gifts stimulated his children's curiosity and exposed them to a world beyond their immediate surroundings. Returning from one of his travels, he brought Wilbur and Orville a toy helicopter. The helicopter was made of bamboo, cork, paper and powered by rubber bands. When the first broke, the boys made several copies. The toy helicopter is responsible for triggering the Wright brothers interest in aviation.
By 1881, the leadership of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ was becoming more liberal. Milton Wright, a staunch conservative, failed to be re-elected to his Bishop's post. The Wrights moved to Richmond, Indiana, where Milton served a circuit preacher once again
As the liberals in his church began to press for change, Milton Wright sensed there would be a showdown with the conservatives. Wanting to get back into the fray, he decided to move back to Dayton, the political center of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, in 1884. It was the last time he would move his family. Wright was once more elected Bishop in 1885. He was to spend the next four years serving the Pacific Coast district.
Susan Koerner Wright
1831—1889
Susan was very attached to her father and since childhood used to give him a hand with designing and constructing carriages. John Koerner was encouraging his daughter’s creativity and her knack for invention. A loving father and a smart man, John made sure that Susan received a substantial, comprehensive education. She entered the Hartsville college in Indiana, where she excelled in literature, natural sciences, and was the best mathematics student in class. In Hartville college Susan met her future husband, a young minister of the United Brethren in Christ Church, Milton Wright.
In the course of the first years of marriage the Wrights moved from place to place throughout the state of Indiana. During this time their three sons were born. Despite frequent absences of their father, and thanks to Susan skillfully managing the family, the boys’ life was interesting and filled with fun.
Susan was an extraordinary mother who made mechanical toys for them all by herself. The sled she once made became their favorite and was passed from the eldest to the youngest throughout years. Susan designed and constructed various gadgets, repaired and made kitchen appliances. Her children were thoroughly fascinated with her. How could they not adore such an amazing mother. In turn, Susan, in every possible way encouraged her sons interest in mechanics, invoked their inspiration to explore and invent. She was always happy and willing to help them with any project at all.
Orville and Wilbur had always been especially close to their mother and to them through her love she had passed her own talent of an inventor. The brothers’ early interest to “how things work” led them to the bicycle business and made them dream of flying. Unfortunately for the children, their amazing mother fell ill with tuberculosis. While Orville was paving the way on the path to his future, Wilbur was at their mother’s bedside, not leaving her for a moment. He was witnessing the deterioration of Susan’s health and soon she had no strength left and stopped struggling. Wilbur was entirely dedicated to his mother’s care. Later Milton Wright stated that Wilber’s attention and dedication had extended Susan’s life for two more years.
Otis Wright
1870 – 1870
Otis was the fourth son of Milton and Susan Wright. Otis, twin brother of Ida Wright, died shortly after his birth in Dayton, Ohio, at the Wright home on Second Street. The city of Dayton’s “Record of Deaths” stated that Otis died of jaundice. He was buried with his sister in Dayton’s Greencastle Cemetery. His remains were removed and buried with the Wright family at Dayton's Woodland Cemetery.
Ida Wright
1870 – 1870Ida was the fifth child and first daughter born to Milton and Susan Wright at their home on Second Street in Dayton, Ohio. Twin sister to Otis, Ida survived him by five days, dying on March 14. Dayton’s “Record of Deaths” noted that Ida died of marasmus – malnutrition – and was buried with her brother at Dayton’s Greencastle Cemetery. Her remains were removed and buried with the Wright family at Dayton's Woodland Cemetery.