Descriptive Finding Guide for. John J. Montgomery ( )

Transcription

1 Descriptive Finding Guide for John J. Montgomery ( ) Prepared by: Stephen P. Clark December 3,

2 Cataloging Information ACC#: L.C. MS.#: TL.544.M.787 SCP Location: Archives Restrictions: One folder restricted due to brittleness of contents. URL: Flickr URL: Copyright: SDASM Provenance The materials in this collection were donated to the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The collection has been processed and is open for research with only conservation restrictions. History John J. Montgomery was born in Yuba City, California on February 15, He attended St. Ignatius College and received a degree in physics. In 1883 he moved from Oakland, CA, to his family s ranch on Otay Mesa. According to his biography, in that year he saw a flock of pelicans, studied their movements, and their shapes, and reasoned that if birds could be supported in the air, why not a man? He began conducting flight experiments culminating in a glider which he launched in August This glider flew a total of 600 feet and landed safely. He continued his experiments with gliders, making a different design in In 1905 he moved to Santa Clara, CA, and became a Professor at the University of Santa Clara, and in the meantime designed and flew the Evergreen glider and continued his experiments. During this time, he patented various control systems. In October 1911, Montgomery was killed while flying his latest design. Decades later, however, there emerged some controversy regarding the viability of his first glider design, though it is still largely believed to have taken place. In 1973 a contest was proposed to settle this controversy. There were no clear winners. Scope & Content Notes Four archival boxes 5 X 10 X Many of the items in this collection were damaged by a fire at the museum in Due to space and preservation requirements, the original collection has been reorganized within the original order. The original Monuments and Memorials folder was divided in two folders: Monuments and Memorials, and Montgomery Monument, focusing on the monument in Chula Vista. Due to size, the John J. Montgomery folder was divided into two parts. The Glider Drawings and Information Files were divided into two parts. Additional materials found loose in the 2

3 original container were assembled into The Additional Montgomery Articles and Information folder numbers I and II. Note: Only items of particular relevance have been individually listed in the Box Listing. Related SDASM Resources: Montgomery Manuscript Soaring Flight Related Research Institutions: Secondary Sources: Important Personalities & Subjects Baldwin, Thomas; California; Chana, William; Chanute, Octave; Chula Vista Historical Society; Early aviation; Fleet, Reuben H.; Ford, Glenn; Glider; Kelly, Herbert; Loughead, Victor; Montgomery Airport; Montgomery Glider contest; Montgomery Memorial; Montgomery Monument; Montgomery, John J.; National Air and Space Museum; Otay Ranch; San Diego Junior Chamber of Commerce; University of Santa Clara; Waterman, Waldo; Wilson, Bob; Wright, Orville Box 01 Box Listing Folder Book: Knights of the Air, owned by Glenn Ford, star of the movie Gallant Journey. Folder 02 Montgomery Monument Information Containing 48 items: 1. Construction diagram by Ace Campbell. 2. Montgomery monument commemoration program dated Nov. 11, Folder 03 Glider Design Information on basic Montgomery glider design, including: 1. A hand written letter to Don Driese from Garland Godwin. 2. Drawings of glider # 1. Folder 04 Flights Otay Information on Otay experiments (containing 27 items): 1. A deposition by Charles Burroughs regarding the first Otay flight. 2. A presentation by Edward Leiser in June of Folder 05 Montgomery Manuscript & Correspondence Including correspondence dated 1894 (containing 6 items): 1. Montgomery, John J. Soaring Flight,

4 Folder 06 Newsprint Articles Containing 17 items: 1. David Farmer. Teener Emulates Glider Pioneer, San Diego Union, May 2, Folder 07 Photographs of Montgomery Monument Containing 23 items: 1. Photographs of William Chana at Montgomery Memorial. Folder 08 Articles on Newsprint from Flights Otay folder (containing 5 items): 1. Is glider legend fact or fancy, San Diego Union-Tribune Nov.3, Box 02 Folder 09 Montgomery Glider Contest Containing 60 items: 1. A hand written letter from Waldo Waterman to A. G. Klein dated Dec. 8, A letter to Michael Collins, Director, National Air and Space Museum, from Waldo Waterman Dec. 7, A handwritten letter from Florence Bergstrom dated Jan. 15, A list of entries for the contest dated Oct. 3, Contest flyer titled Win $ A hand written letter (pencil) to Governor Brown regarding Montgomery gliders dated Folder 10- Drawing of Control System. This folder is restricted due to brittleness. (1 item) Folder 11 Montgomery Experiments Containing 27 items, includes non-otay Mesa experiments. Folder 12 Reproductions folder 1. Proceedings of the International Conference on Aerial Navigation, American Engineer and Railroad Journal, New York, Folder 13 News articles & Information from film: Gallant Journey Containing 5 items. Folder 14 Montgomery lawsuit documents and news articles Containing 15 items: 1. Book, Summary of Montgomery s Work, no author noted. Folder 15 Montgomery patent correspondence 1. Statement by Charles Perry regarding Montgomery research. 4

5 Folder 16 Albert Arnhym folder Containing 2 items. 1. Presentation by Arnhym on Montgomery, Nov. 1, Folder 17 Charles Leahy folder Containing 1 item: 1. Affidavit regarding 1905 flight. Folder 18 Additional Montgomery Articles and Information Containing 21 items: 1. Article, First Man on Record to Leave Earth on Wings, Popular Science October, Article, Montgomery and the Birds, John Hettich, Aero Digest, Pamphlet, Proceedings of the International Conference on Aerial Navigation, The American and Railroad Journal, Folder 19- Waldo Waterman folder Containing 9 items: 1. Letter from Michael Collins, Director, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, to Waldo Waterman, Early Birds of Aviation, Nov. 24, Folder 20 Octave Chanute folder Containing 19 items: 1. Photo static copy of letter to J.J. Montgomery from Octave Chanute, Mar. 30, Folder 21 Thomas Baldwin folder Containing 12 items: 1. Letter from Thomas Baldwin to J.J. Montgomery regarding great Ship,June 20, Folder 22 Victor Loughead book, Aeroplane Designing for Amateurs 1. Letter from Glenn Curtis to James E. Plew regarding Montgomery patents, Oct. 20, Folder 23 Articles on newsprint from Glider Contest folder 1. Article, Want $500? Go Fly a Kite, San Diego Independent, July 21, Folder 24 Photographs from the Glider Contest folder 1. Thirteen sleeved photos of glider contest entries. Folder 25 - Articles on newsprint from Reproductions folder Containing 8 items: 1. Article, Montgomery s flight copied, Chula Vista Star-News, July 17, Photo article, Mission Scrubbed, San Diego Evening Tribune, Aug 29,

6 Folder 26 - Articles on newsprint from Waldo Waterman folder 1. Article, Rerun of Montgomery Flight proposed by Doubting Birdman, San Diego Independent, June 30, Folder 27 Articles on newsprint from Gallant Journey folder Containing 5 items: 1. Article, Air Pioneer s Brother Here, San Diego Daily Journal, Sept. 23, Folder 28 Articles on newsprint from Montgomery Experiments folder Containing 1 item: 1. Article, Obscure Aviation Pioneer Remembered, Los Angeles Times, Feb. 19, Box 03 Folder 29 Montgomery Glider Drawings and Information I Containing 32 items: 1. Booklet, Early Development of the Warping Principle. 2. Pencil drawings and calculations on graph paper. 3. Newsletter Low and Slow, Self-Soaring Society, June 18, Folder 30 Montgomery Drawings and Information II Containing 32 items: 1. Research paper, Wind Tunnel Tests of the Montgomery Glider, Ron Ridenour, and May 3, Drawings, Montgomery 1883 glider, fuselage assembly and details. 3. Second proposal drawing Montgomery glider, Mar. 23, John J. Montgomery glider wing fabric plan, Howard Ace Campbell Nov. 19, Folder 31 Articles on newsprint from Montgomery gliders and information folder I 1. Article, Forgotten Man of Aviation, James Spurgeon, Southern Cross, Jan. 18, Folder 32 Articles on newsprint from Montgomery gliders and information folder II Containing 5 items: 1. Article, Aeronaut! Butterfield Express, Nov Folder 33 Articles on newsprint from Montgomery Monument folder 1. Article, Honoring aviators soaring achievements, Rachel Cromidas, San Diego Union- Tribune, Aug. 23, Folder 34 Montgomery Monument folder Containing 42 Items: 1. Program, Montgomery Memorial service, Aug 5,

7 2. Letter to Junior Chamber of Commerce from Johnson Construction containing bid proposal for Montgomery Monument, Dec. 15, Montgomery commemoration fact sheet dated May 20, Specifications for Montgomery Memorial by L. Ruocco, architect. Folder 35 General glider information folder Containing 42 Items: 1. J. J. Montgomery 1883 glider landmark presentation folder, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, May 11, Research paper, John Joseph Montgomery and the Controversy of 1883, Arthur Martin, Mar Paper, 1883 John J. Montgomery Flight Attempt, Bob Fronius. 4. Deposition, Isabel Arnold, Nov Box 04 Folder 36 Articles on newsprint from J.J. Montgomery I Containing 12 items: 1. Article, A rare look at John J. Montgomery, San Diego Union, Jul. 14, Article, He gave us wings, Peninsula living, Sept. 10, Article, Montgomery, Flight or fancy? San Diego Independent, Aug. 28, Folder 37 J. J. Montgomery file I Containing 42 items: 1. Hand written correspondence from Don Dreise to Brewster Reynolds, Aug. 27, Magazine article, His head was in the clouds, Howard Watkins, Westways, October, Article, Faculty appointment, San Jose Mercury & Herald, Aug. 13, Handwritten letter from Charles Lindbergh to Owen Clark, Dec. 17, Folder 38 Articles on newsprint from J.J. Montgomery file II 1. Article, California s first flier, Harry P. Bagley, Sacramento Bee, Nov. 16, Folder 39 J.J. Montgomery folder II Containing 37 items: 1. Commemoration program from Nov. 11, Photostat of hand written letter from J.J. Montgomery to his sister, Aug. 30, Hand written letter from Herb Kelley to George Williams, Mar. 10, Fabric purported to be from 1883 glider, Sept. 29, Folder 40 Rev. A. D. Spearman, S.J. folder Containing 28 items: 1. Book, John Joseph Montgomery, A Chronology of Achievements, A. D. Spearman, University of Santa Clara, Mar Handwritten letter Rev. Spearman to Mike Higgins, July 20,

8 Folder 41 J.J. Montgomery Youth Glider Program, Inc. Containing 6 items: 1. Montgomery youth glider program certificate for Owen Clarke, Jul. 13, Glider program information manual. Folder 42 Montgomery/ Chanute correspondence folder Containing 32 items: 1. Photstatic copy of letter from Orville Wright to R H. Fleet, Oct. 26, Montgomery 1883 glider construction information notes. Folder 43 Articles on newsprint from Montgomery family and genealogy folder Containing 8 items: 1. Article, checking up on the Montgomery family, San Ysidro Border Press, Feb. 23, Folder 44 Montgomery family and genealogy folder Containing 27 items: 1. Photocopy of handwritten letter from Leo W. Ruth Sr. regarding Montgomery family home location. 2. Biography of Zachariah Montgomery, John J. Montgomery s father, Contemporary Biography of California s Representative Men, Alanzo Phelps, San Francisco, A.L. Bancroft & co., Series of copied photos with information on reverse, Folder 45 Correspondence from Everett Vail Church 1. Letters from E.V. Church to University of Santa Clara, Sept. 30, Folder 46 Winsor Josselyn Book folder Containing 6 items: 1. Article, He Flew in 1883, Harper s Magazine, Nov Manuscript, John Joseph Montgomery, Pioneer Man of Wings, April 22, Folder 47 Victor Loughead book, Vehicles of the Air Containing 2 items 1. Heavier than air machines p Folder 48 Bob Wilson book on John J. Montgomery 1. Chapters I through IV. Folder 49 Martin Cole folder Containing 3 items: 1. Letters from Cole to Historical Committee, Institute of Aeronautical Sciences, San Diego section, Dec. 22, Folder 50 Wright brothers folder Containing 3 items: 8

9 1. Article Montgomery s information helps Wright brothers. Folder 51 Glider drawings folder Containing 6 items: 1. Institute of Aeronautical Sciences drawings. Folder 52 Montgomery/Chanute/Wright correspondence folder Containing 26 items: 1. City of San Diego proclamation John J. Montgomery day issued Aug. 22, Letter from Thomas Baldwin to Orville Wright dated Nov. 1, Letter from Orville Wright to Thomas Baldwin dated Nov. 18, Folder 53 Cemetery plot folder Containing 1 item: 1. Burial plot location for J. J. Montgomery and spouse. End of Box Listing 9