Gustave Whitehead Witness List 1899-1910

Powered Flights Reported

Y-PF = Yes, Powered Flight Observed
A
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49

Witness
Davarich, Mary
Lazay, Louis
Lanye, Frank
Schweikert, Thomas
Conner, Clifford
Havery, John
Bradtmuller, Edward
Davarich, Louis
Pruckner, Anton
Fekete, John
Howell, Richard
Harworth, Junius
Lesko, John S.
Werer, Michael
Ciglar, John
Gluck, Alexander
Savage, Mary
Peschel, Gustave
Koteles, Elizabeth
Cole, Oliver
Kopacsi, Mari
Szur, Frederick
Verzaro, James Jr.
Beach, Stanley Yale
Crittendon, Clarence
McColl, John H
Steeves, Cecil A.
Brown, John
Burns, William
Devine, Marty
Johns, John A.
Ritchey, Charles
Wittemann, Charles
Walsh, Wilfred
Roberts, Carl
Galomboshe, Charles
Brennan, Frank
Dickey, James
Ratzenberger, Joe
Youhouse, Joseph
Lengen, Stephen
London, William
Dorman, Harold
Thomson, James
Suelly, Fred
Pirazolli, Louis
Vecsey, Joseph
Keefe, Raymond J

Date of Event
1899
1900
1901
1901
1903
1905
1907
1899 (Apr., May), 1902
1900, 1901, & later
1901 or 1902, May or June
1901, Aug. 18,
1901, July, Aug.
1901, Sept., 1902, Aug.
1901, Sept., Oct.
1901-1902
1901-1902
1901-1902
1901-1902?
1901-1903
1902-1904
1905-1908
1905-1908
1907-1910
1908+
1908-1911
undated
undated
1899
1899
1899
1899
1900
1908
1911
1949
1899, 1900-1901+
1900-1901
1901, Aug. 18,
1901, Summer
1901-1903
1901-1905, 1922+ estimated
1902, Jan.
1905-1910
1906+
1906+ ?
1907+
1910-1912
undated

Powered Flight
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF
Y-PF

Flight
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y

After Flight

Y
Before fl.
Y
N
N
N
N
Denies
Y
Y
N

N
N
N
Y

Location
PA
Bridgeport
Fairfield Beach
Bridgeport
?
Bridgeport
Fairfield
PA, CT
Lordship, Bpt - Seaside Park
Sports Hill, Easton
Fairfield
Bridgeport, Lordship
Bridgeport, Fairfield
Fairfield (Tunxis Hill)
Bridgeport
Bridgeport
Bridgeport
Fairfield (Tunxis Hill)
Fairfield
Fairfield (Tunxis Hill)
Bridgeport - Villa Park, State St.
Bridgeport - Villa Park, State St.
Fairfield (Orr's Castle)
Fairfield (Tunxis Hill)
Bpt. - Seaside Park
Bridgeport
Bridgeport
PA
PA
PA
PA
Pittsburgh, PA
Fairfield (Tunxis Hill)
Fairfield (Tunxis Hill)
N/A
PA; Bridgeport
Fairfield (Tunxis Hill)
Bridgeport, Fairfield
Bridgeport
Bridgeport

Affidavit
N
Y

Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y

Y
YY
Y
Y
Y

Y
Y
Y
Y
Y

Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y

Y
Y - notes on
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
?
Y
Y

Y
Y

N
Y

Lordship
Fairfield (Tunxis Hill)
Fairfield (Tunxis Hill)
Likely
Fairfield (Tunxis Hill)
N
N
Fairfield (Tunxis Hill)
Y
Fairfield (Orr's Castle)
Y
Fairfield
Locations of Documents
CT = Fairfield Museum
TX= U of TX, Dallas
Susan Brinchman 2014
sbrinchman@aol.com

Statement
Y

Y
Y
SR notes, bk
Y
Y - notes on
Y
Y
article
Y
Y

Y
Y
Y
Y

Statement/Affidavit/Interview Date
1964
1936
1964
1936
1987
1948
1964
1934, 1937
1934, 1963, 1964, 1966
1936 [Crane], 1948
1901
1934, 1934-1962
1934, 1936
1934
1936
1934, 1936 [Crane]
1930's, 1964
1987
1964, 1974
1966
1936 [Crane]
1936 [Crane]
1964
1934
1964
1948
1936, 1963, 1964
1935
1935
1936
1935
1936
1964
1966
1988
1934
1969
1937, 1963
1936
1963
1977
1948
1970
1964
1964
1964
1964

1960's-1980's - O'Dwyer interview

1930's - 1940's (Randolph, Crane, Ghormley)

Gustave Whitehead Witness List 1899-1910

Powered Flights Reported
Y-PF = Yes, Powered Flight Observed
J
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49

Location of Documentation
CT
TX
CT
TX
CT
TX
CT
CT, TX, Media Interviews
CT, TX, Media Interviews, Letters
TX
Media Article, LOC archives
CT, TX, Media Interviews, Letters
TX
TX
TX
TX
CT
CT
CT [taped interviews, transcripts)
CT

CT
TX
CT
TX
CT, TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
TX
CT
CT
CT
TX, SR books
CT
TX, CT
TX
CT
CT
CT
CT
CT
CT
CT
CT

Details
saw and participated in short flight in Pittsburgh
old circus grounds
saw multiple plane flights at Fairfield Beach in 1901
Cherry Street flight
saw triplane powered flight with his class
old circus grounds
biplane flight successful, up and down the street
multiple flights - Pittsburgh; street flights
multiple flights over Long Island Sound; also flew plane
present for flight at Sports Hill on a farm, other witnesses present
editor/publisher, wrote article about eyewitness to sustained first powered flight
multiple flights
Fairfield Ave., Bpt; Gypsy Springs; horse & wagon pulled plane
nr. Mountain Grove Cemetery, Tunxis Hill Road
unmanned plane flew, crashed, burst into flames
Cherry Street flight longest. Saw airplane flights in 1901 and 1902.
flew from Pine Street to harbor, over neighborhood
saw powered flt test experiments, helped carry plane up hill
witnessed flight at Tunxis Hill
saw biplane fly 10' elevation Orr's Castle, then crash into bits
multiple flights
multiple flights
near Orr's Castle, Tunxis Hill; lived near GW; knew Davarich also, who told of 2 flts
told SR that GW worked for him as mechanic, SYB was the inventor
flew over water, circled, returned and landed at Seaside Park
saw plane in air, old circus grounds
tethered to pole flights; Gilman estate flight to circus lots
his father a fireman in Pittsburgh, told him of GW aeroplane
present after crashed into bldg
saw GW aeroplane "heated for flight"
saw tethered plane with engine running; heard of flight / crash
worked with GW for one week, bought and sold working GW engines
worked for GW in 1911 briefly, heard talk early flight SYB, GW, heli.
worked with Junius Harworth, talked about GW
heard of Pittsburgh flt when in Pittsburgh; helped GW 1899 PA, Bpt. 1900+ struck bridge
knew GW, engines wk'd, blt engines with GW, knew Howell - descr'd
worked w/ GW, "investor", denied flts., angry with GW over $
Pine and Cherry Streets, traveled to Bostwick Ave.; Black Rock flt.
"saw several plane trials", photos of poss. GW planes sent to dump
saw fabric sewn -child; visited as adult, GW told why quit
saw plane after flight (crashed); heard about flight from others
Family caretakers Mtn. Grove Cemetery, took pics of biplane w/ Brownie camera, helic.
knew GW, didn't see flights
next door neighbor, worked w/ GW, photo'd inside plane 1908?
testimonial sent by Beaudoin relative
monoplane, pedaling down the hill to get start - plane or glider
found plane in Mt. Grove Cemetery
Locations of Documents
CT = Fairfield Museum
TX= U of TX, Dallas
Susan Brinchman 2014
sbrinchman@aol.com

Age
adult
teen
adult
adult
youth
youth
youth
adult
adult
adult
adult
teen
youth
adult
youth
youth
adult
teen
adult
youth
adult
adult
teen
adult
adult
teen
teen

Vocation
homemaker
Toolmaker
Navy veteran
Silk weaver
Retired
Machinist
Painter
Engineer
Mechanic
Machinist
Publisher, Editor
Engineer
Undertaker
Machinist
Clerk
Clerk
homemaker
Mechanic
Grocery Store Ownr
Electrical contractor

adult
adult
adult
adult
adult
adult
teen
youth
youth, adult
adult
youth
teen
adult

airplane manufactu.

Distance
180 ft
1/4 mile
300 ft
200 ft
200 ft
1/2 mile
1/2 mile
200 ft
1/2 mile
1.5 miles
50 - 80 ft
400 ft.
30 ft.
60 ft.
1/2 mile

Elevation
low
30-40 ft.
15 ft
10 ft
10 ft
20-25 ft.
50 ft
30 ft.
40-50 ft.
200 ft.
4 ft.
6 ft.
12 ft.
15-20 ft.

up to 250 ft.

?
5-6 ft
10 ft

short hops

3-4 ft

100-200 ft

low

1,000 ft

3-5 ft.

Toolmaker
Sci Am Aviation Editr
Carpenter
VP 1st Nat. Bank

20 ft.

youth
youth

Engineer ?
Machinist
Draftsman
Gravel Contractor
Police Officer
Mobil Sales
Town Selectman
Cemetery Superint.

N/A
N/A
N/A

N/A
N/A

N/A
denies
1-2 blks.

denies
12 ft.

N/A
a few feet

low

150 ft

5-10 ft

GE plant supervisor
1960's-1980's - O'Dwyer interview
1930's - 1940's (Randolph, Crane, Ghormley)