The Wright Brothers: A Pioneer Of Aviation

The Wright brothers were engineers and pioneers of aviation. Wilbur Wright was born April 16, 1867, near Millville, Indiana. He was the middle child in a family of five children. His father, Milton Wright, was a bishop in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. His mother was Susan Catherine Koerner. When Wilbur was a child, his playmate was his younger brother, Orville Wright, born in 1871. The Wright brothers achieved the first powered, and controlled airplane flight. They surpassed their own milestone two years later when they built and flew the first fully practical plane.
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 1885-1886, an accident changed the course of Wilbur’s life. He was badly injured in an ice hockey game, when another player’s stick bashed him in the face.

Wilbur and Orville worked hard trying to figure out how to design wings for flight.

They found that birds tilted their wings for balance and control, and tried to simulate this, developing a concept called “wing warping.” When they added a moveable rudder, the Wright brothers found they had the formula-on December 17, 1903, they succeeded in flying the first controlled flight of a power-driven airplane. Wilbur flew their plane for 59 seconds, at 852 feet, a crazy

achievement.

In France Wilbur found a much more interested audience. He made many public flights, and gave rides to officials, journalists and statesmen. in 1909 Orville joined his brother in Europe, also their younger sister Katharine joined Willbur. The Wrights became huge celebrities there, hosted by royals and heads of state, and constantly featured in the press. The Wrights began to sell their airplanes in Europe, before returning to the United States in 1909. The brothers became wealthy businessmen, filling contracts for airplanes in Europe and the United States.
Wilbur and Orville always took shared credit for their innovations, and kept a close relationship throughout their lives. 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 Wright company.
Wilbur felt sick 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,”

Milton Wright

Milton Wright was a bishop born on 1828, on his father's farm in Rush County, Indiana. He was the father of Orville and Willbur Wright, husband of Susan Catherine Koerner.
He had his own personal conversion, which came over him in 1843 when he was just 15 years old . He did not suddenly join a church, but looked over the various faiths. In 1847, he chose to become a United Brethren with his brother William. Milton rose quickly in the church. He was a deacon in just two years, then gave his first sermon a year later, and joined the local church governing body in 1853.
Milton Wright Marriage
It was here he met Susan Koerner, his, “future wife.” It was a long courtship. Milton fell ill that year and had to return to his farm. He recovered and taught school at Neffs Corner, in Decatur County, Indiana for two years while he studied for the ministry. In 1856, he was ordained by a minister close to the White River Conference of the Church of the United Brethren. They called him a "circuit preacher," traveling from church to church in Indiana. His circuit took him by Hartsville, where he continued to see Ms. Koerner. In 1857, he accepted an appointment as a missionary in the gold fields of Oregon. He asked Susan to marry him and travel west. She agreed to marry but refused to go to Oregon. Instead, she said she would marry Milton when he returned from the west, provided the two of them still felt the same way about each other.