Notable people · Aviation · Inventor
Charles E. Taylor
Mechanic who built the engine for the 1903 Wright Flyer in about six weeks at the Dayton bicycle shop. Born in Illinois, he later moved to California.
At a glance
- Born
- 1868-05-24
- Died
- 1956-01-30
- Known as
- Aviation, Inventor
- Organizations
- Wright Cycle Company
Life story
Charlie Taylor was born in Cerro Gordo, Illinois, and began work as a binder at a Nebraska newspaper at twelve. He became a tool maker with no formal aviation training.
He moved to Dayton in 1892, joined the Wright brothers' bicycle shop about 1898 and ran the shop in 1902 while they tested at Kitty Hawk.
In 1903 he designed and built the 12-horsepower engine for the first Wright Flyer in six weeks. He later worked for the Wright companies in Dayton until 1920 and went to California.
He returned in 1936 to help restore the Wright home, and died poor in 1956; he is in the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
Timeline
- 1868-05-24: Born (Cerro Gordo, IL) source
- 1892: Moved to Dayton; hired by Stoddard Manufacturing (Dayton, OH) source
- 1898: Began work for the Wright brothers' bicycle shop (about) (Dayton, OH) source
- 1902: Managed the shop while the Wrights worked at Kitty Hawk (Dayton, OH) source
- 1903: Built the first Wright Flyer engine in six weeks (Dayton, OH) source
- 1911: Mechanic for Calbraith Rodgers' transcontinental flight (United States) source
- 1920: Left Wright-Martin Company; moved to California (Dayton, OH) source
- 1936: Returned to help restore the Wright family home (Dayton, OH) source
- 1956-01-30: Died (San Fernando, CA) source
What Charles is known for
- Built the 1903 Wright Flyer engine in about six weeks
- Worked on later Wright engines
- Engine for the 1903 Wright Flyer (12 hp)
Honors and things named for them
- National Aviation Hall of Fame (1965)
- FAA Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award
- Aviation Maintenance Technician Day, 24 May
Family
- spouse: Henrietta Webbert Taylor
Ohio places
Where Charles E. Taylor was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Worked: Dayton, Montgomery County ZIP 45402 · Dayton · Montgomery County
Myths and corrections
- Disputed: His burial place is given differently by two sources: the National Park Service says Valhalla Memorial Park in Los Angeles, while another source says the Portal of Folded Wings in Burbank.
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.
- Charles E. Taylor (NPS) born rural Illinois 1868, died 1956 Los Angeles, six-week engine, ~12 hp
- Wikipedia: Charles E. Taylor early life, timeline, family, honors, works