THE WRIGHT

FAMILY

We’ve met Wilbur Wright (1867–1912) and Orville Wright (1871–1948), but they were just part of the Wright clan. Let’s meet the rest of them:

Parents

Milton, 1828–1917. Wilbur and Orville’s father was a minister and later bishop in the Church of the United Brethren, and editor of the church’s newspaper.

Susan, 1831–1889. The daughter of a carriage builder, Wilbur and Orville’s mother was skilled with all sorts of tools. She died from tuberculosis shortly before the brothers opened their bicycle shop.

Siblings

Reuchlin, 1861–1920. Wilbur and Orville’s oldest brother lived in Missouri and Kansas. Wilbur left him an inheritance in his will, but Reuchlin didn’t want to accept it, saying he had never been a part of the brothers’ airplane business.

 

Lorin, 1862–1939. Lorin worked with Wilbur and Orville in their print shop, helped Katherine manage the bicycle shop while the brothers were away, and later worked for the Wright aircraft company.

 

Katherine, 1874–1929. Katherine was the only one of the Wright children to attend college and worked as a teacher before becoming part of her brothers’ airplane business.