1912 Letter from Milton Wright of Dayton, Ohio to Curtis Wright of Carthage, Missouri

Selected letter/document from 2006 "Letters of History" Exhibit  (Now closed)

French 1909 Postcard (1984.001.10471) from the Powers Museum Collection. View is the Wright Brothers Biplane.

Letter sent to Curtis Wright, 304 West Macon, Carthage, Missouri from Milton Wright of Dayton, Ohio. The latter Wright was the father of inventor and aviator Wilbur Wright. This letter acknowledges Curtis' letter of sympathy at the time of Wilbur's death in 1912. The Wrights were distant cousins and Curtis had been corresponding with Milton in regard to genealogical matters in anticipation of writing a genealogy book on the Wright Family.

Dayton, Ohio, June 28, 1912

Dear Mr. Wright:

Your letter of sympathy was received, and duly appreciated. Wilbur lived twice forty-five years, in life's brief space. He has gone to his everlasting reward. I am following him in my old age. (84) He was honored in Europe and America, in his life, but still more in his death. Thousands of sad faces at his public funeral, and thousands, with uplifted heart, lined the sidewalks a half mile toward the grave, as over twenty coaches passed to his private burial. But honors do not assuage grief. We see him and hear him no more!

Your kinsman,
Milton Wright

Anyone accessing page and using letter for educational purposes should acknowledge this letter with the following citation as to its source: From the Powers Museum Founding Collection (Carthage MO), Wright-Powers Family Correspondence Collection, gift of the Marian Powers Winchester Estate, 1981. Any commercial use of this image and text without written permission is not permitted. (All rights reserved by the Powers Museum.)