1880-1912 |
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Contributed by Mike Schulz, 12-12-10 |
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Collection of Dave Lam, 2-11-05 |
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J. D. Spalding, John Callan & T. Gunn Coronado Polo Field - April 7, 1912 From WALDO: Pioneer Aviator |
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Callan, Clark, Dunlap, Takeshi - May, 1912 US Naval Historical Center, collections of T.G. Ellyson and J. L. Callan From WALDO: Pioneer Aviator |
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Second Female Aviator to be Killed Accident in Fair Grounds at Springfield, Ill. - Practice Flight The Daily Times Chattanooga, Tennessee, June 18, 1912, Transcribed by Bob Davis - 8-13-04 Mrs. Julia Clark, one of the three licensed woman aviators in the United States, was killed in a fall here this afternoon, when a tip of a wing on her biplane struck a tree and the machine crashed to the ground. Admittedly unprepared for exhibition flights, she had contracted to make here Friday and Saturday, the young woman was trying out her machine in the race track enclosure at the fair grounds. But few persons watched her as she guided the machine from the ground and started her spin at low altitude. Whether she lost control or whether it was a case of mistaken judgement which caused the machine to go close to the tree has not been explained. The end of a wing struck the tree, the machine toppled and crashed to the ground. The young woman's skull was fractured, and she died soon after reaching a hospital, to which she was rushed in an automobile. Decisions of Milwaukee authorities were partly responsible for Mrs. Clark not having any recent practice. She had intended to make a flight there two weeks ago, but they refused to allow her to go up because it was deemed her machine was unsafe. It had been a month since she had made a flight, but she nevertheless felt confidence in her ability to fill her contract here. She had arranged for a two weeks practice at the Chicago field after her proposed flights here Friday and Saturday. Mrs. Clark was a native of London, and, it is said, married Mr. Clark soon after arriving in America. It is said she had not been living with her husband for some time. She resided for some time in Chicago, but recently had been making her headquarters in Denver, to which city the body will be shipped. Mrs. Clark is the second woman to be killed in aeroplane accidents. The other was Miss Susanne Bernard, who lost her life at the Farman school at Pau, France, about two months ago. |
If you want to visit the sites, just enter "Julia Clark" in the Google search engine. Good Luck. |
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BEFORE AMELIA Women Pilots in the Early Days of Aviation Eileen F. Lebow Product Details Cloth: 315 pages; 6x9 inches List Price: $26.95 Your Price: $21.56 ISBN: 1574884824 |
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Description: Before Amelia is the remarkable story of the world's women pioneer aviators who braved the skies during the early days of flight. While most books have only examined the women aviators of a single country, Eileen Lebow looks at an international spectrum of pilots and their influence on each other. The story begins with Raymonde de Laroche, a French woman, who became the first licensed female pilot in 1909. De Laroche, Lydia Zvereva, Melli Beese, Hilda Hewlitt, Harriet Quimby, and the other women pilots profiled here rose above contemporary gender stereotypes and proved their ability to fly the temperamental heavier-than-air contraptions of the day. Lebow provides excellent descriptions of the dangers and challenges of early flight. Crashes and broken bones were common, and many of the pioneers lost their lives. But these women were adventurers at heart. In an era when women's professional options were severely limited and the mere sight of ladies wearing pants caused a sensation, these women succeeded as pilots, flight instructors, airplane designers, stunt performers, and promoters. This book fills a large void in the history of the first two decades of flight About The Author: Eileen F. Lebow is an author and former teacher. Her previous books include Cal Rodgers and the Vin Fiz: The First Transcontinental Flight and A Grandstand Seat: The Army Balloon Corps in World War I. She lives in Washington, D.C. This book has two full pages of information on Julia Clark, (Clarke). The coverage of the many other pioneer women aviators is excellent. It deserves to be in the library of anyone who is interested in these remarkable women. For more information and to order, go to the publisher's homepage by clicking on: |
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Email from Baylor Gibson 10-22-02 Julia Clark was the third woman in America to get her pilot's license. (May 19,1912) She was also the first woman in America to die in a plane crash. (June 17,1912) She decided to take a solo flight at dusk. During takeoff, she clipped one of the plane's wings on a tree. The plane crashed,pinning her beneath the wreckage. Sorry I don't know more, but I'm searching for information as well. |
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1912 - At an air show at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Julia Clark, 26, became the first woman in America to die in a flying accident in
the United States and only the second woman air fatality in the world. Courtesy of Dale Summers |
Corrections via email from Dave Lam, 8-16-04 You quote without comment the "fact " that she was the second woman to die in a crash. Not true-- You ignore Denise Moore, who was the first. Clark was the third. Dave |
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If you have any more information on this Early Bird, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper Back 
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