Additional December 18, 2024
Wilbur Wright fought typhoid fever for a full month until it took his life May 30, 1912. Milton Wright recorded the day to day struggle in his diary. In his letters to his grand-niece Grace Frazier, he shared his hope for his son's survival, writing her just hours prior to Wilbur's eventual passing. The letter was dated May 29, 1912, postmarked 7:30 that evening. Wilbur would breath his last less than 8 hours later.
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| Wilbur Wright April 16, 1867- May 30, 1912 (1) |
Letter by Wilbur Wright to Mr. W. de Hevesy in
Paris, January 25, 1912, partial content. (2)
“During the past three months most of my time has been
taken up with law suits and I have been away from home most of the time.
I am hoping to be freed from this kind of work before another year has
ended. It is much more pleasant to go to Kitty Hawk for experiments than
to worry over law-suits. We had hoped in 1906 to sell our invention to
governments for enough money to satisfy our needs and then devote our
time to science, but the jealousy of certain persons blocked this plan,
and compelled us to rely on our patents and commercial exploitation. We
wished to be free from business cares so that we could give all our own
time to advancing the science and art of aviation, but we have been
compelled to spend our time on business matters instead, during the past
five years. When we think what we might have accomplished if we had
been able to devote this time to experiments, we feel very sad, but it
is always easier to deal with things than with men, and no one can
direct his life entirely as he would choose...."
Milton Wright to Grand-Niece Grace Frazier, March 13, 1912, partial content. (3)
"Dear Niece:
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| Milton Wright to Grace Frazier, letter dated March 13, mailed March 14, postmarked 9PM. A four page letter, and so perhaps Milton began the letter Wednesday, finished and mailed it Thursday. |
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From Milton Wright's Diary entries (4)-
Tuesday, April 30 ".....Wilbur and Orville arrived at home on Wright Company's automobile at 8:00 from Flying grounds. Lorin came with accounts..."
Thursday, May 2 "Wilbur began to have typhoid fever; first diagnosed, by Dr. D. B. Conklin, as probably mallarial fever, and later as a typhoidal fever."
Friday, May 3 "Wilbur began to have high fever. Nothing else ailed him. He suffered nothing."
Saturday, May 4 "Wilbur had Dr. Conklin called in. He still has high fever. There is no local disturbance any where. His tongue is much coated. The doctor thinks it may be malarial, or it may be typhoidal."
Sunday, May 5 "...Orville and Katharine and Horace went out to the new lot, over south three miles. Wilbur is about the same as yesterday."
Monday, May 6 "....Wilbur is a little better to-day....."
Tuesday, May 7 "Wilbur is better. But still has considerable fever. Ed Sines called in the evening."
Wednesday, May 8 "Wilbur is some better. He has fever still....Lorin's called in the evening. There seems to be a sort of typhoidal fever prevailing. It usually last about a week."
Thursday, May 9 "...Wilbur is about the same...."
Friday, May 10 "I took Lorin, and we agreed upon the lettering to be put on the monument, and how.....Wilbur still has a high fever."
Wilbur prepared his will on May 10th, witnessed by his secretary, Mabel Beck, and lawyer, Ezra M. Kuhns.
"I hereby give to my father Milton Wright, of Dayton, Ohio, my earnest thanks for his example of a courageous, upright life, and for his earnest sympathy with everything tending to my true welfare.....
....I give, will, devise and bequeath to my brother Orville Wright, of Dayton, Ohio, who has been associated with me in all the hopes and labor both of childhood and manhood, and who, I am sure, will use the property in very much the same manner as we would use it together in case we would both survive until old age..."
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| Page 1 of Wilbur Wright's Last Will and Testament, reproduced from the Collections of the Manuscripts Division, Library of Congress.(5) |
Saturday, May 11 "Wilbur is about the same at 8:00, this morning. No change in his condition. Mrs. Sullivan, a hospital nurse came last evening. The doctor comes twice a day."
Sunday, May 12 "Wilbur continues the same. His fever rises in the afternoon. John H. Patterson & Mrs. Crane, his sister, called. The doctor called twice."
Monday, May 13 "Wilbur continues to have strong fever."
Tuesday, May 14 "Wilbur has high fever. William Andrews called in the evening. Lorin and Netta called....Miss Sheers came as a nurse."
Wednesday, May 15 "Wilbur has not as high fever as some days...."
Thursday, May 16 "Wilbur's fever is unchanged. Orville left for Washington City, at 9:00, to deliver a machine to the Government."
Friday, May 17 "Letters from Reuchlin and Emma Dennis. Katharine mailed a letter to Reuchlin, informing him of Wilbur's sickness. He is about as he was yesterday."
Saturday, May 18 "Wilbur is no better. He has an attack mentally, for the worse. It was a bad spell. He is put under opiates. He is unconscious mostly."
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Milton Wright to Grand-Niece Grace Frazier, May 18, 1912, partial content.(3)
"Dear Niece:
.....Your Uncle Harry's warding off an operation for appendicitis is well. Wilbur many years ago warded off the same. Operations were more dangerous then than now. But he had a strong attack of typhoid fever, two weeks ago, yesterday, and it is yet too soon, to expect any abatement of it. We will have a consulting physician to-day. He has the best medical aid and two hospital nurses. We are obliged to trust in God's mercy for the rest.......
Except Wilbur, we are all well. May this find you well. Your Uncle, Milton Wright."
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| Milton Wright to Grace Frazier, May 18, 1912, postmarked 3PM. It is probable that Wilbur's "attack mentally, for the worse" occurred later in the day of May 18, after this letter was written. |
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Milton Wright Diary entries continued (4)-
Sunday, May 19 "Wilbur ceases to take opiates, but is mostly quiet and unconscious. His sickness is very serious. He is mostly unconscious."
Monday, May 20 "Drs. Spitler came afternoon and at night with Dr. D. B. Conklin. Wilbur's case very serious. He noticed little."
Tuesday, May 21 "Orville's automobile came. The Doctors came at 7:30, thought Wilbur had held his own- Spitler thought a little better.....Wilbur seems a little better at 8:00 in the evening...."
Wednesday, May 22, "Frank J. Southard picked the lock, got out his machine, early yesterday morning, and dashed to his death, at Simm's flying grounds. He was the first to lose his life there, contrary to advice! The doctors had Dr. Bushheimer of Cincinnati come in to consult in Wilbur's case. The doctor's think him better."
Thursday, May 23 "The Journal represents Wilbur as changed for the worse- probably on Dr. Conklin's statement, tho' not to us. He seems about the same. This is 21st day."
Friday, May 24 "Wilbur seems, in nearly every respect, better. The doctors have a long examination before noon.....Reuchlin came from Kansas, to-day."
Saturday, May 25 "Wilbur seems a little better to day."
Sunday, May 26 "Wilbur's symptoms are better to-day. Orville takes Ivonette to Miami City. Wilbur was worse in the night. Orville slept but little...."
Monday, May 27 "Both Conklin and Spitler came at 7:00 morn. They think the case very bad. His fever was higher and he has difficulty with the bladder, and his digestion is inadequate.....Reuchlin saw him in the afternoon. I slept with my clothes on. We thought him near death. He lived through till morning."
Tuesday, May 28 "I slept some in the night. I awoke at 4:00. Wilbur is sinking. The doctors have no hope of his recovery.....At 6:30 eve. the doctor thought him dying. He revived in about an hour."
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| Dayton headlines, May 28, 1912, offering the Wright family no hope of Wilbur's survival. |
Wednesday, May 29 "Wilbur seemed no worse, though he had a chill. The fever was down, but rose high..........
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Milton Wright to Grand-Niece Grace Frazier, May 29, 1912, postmarked 7:30pm (3)
"Dear Grace:
Wilbur took typhoid fever the 2nd day of this month, and has been very sick ever since. For nearly a week, his life was despaired of. Now there seems to many chances of his not getting well, to one of his recovery. But we begin to build on hopes of his recovery, thought news of his death may reach you before this letter does. What the papers say are, like most else that they say, only lies, varied to produce the finest effect on the readers! It has been a desperate case, and we have fought it with the best doctors, and two most faithful hospital nurses. His fine constitution has borne one of the worst attacks, so far. Reuchlin came from Kansas, last Friday evening, and Lorin's are here. He has not spoken a word for a week, and he is partially unconscious all the time, for that long. This unconscious state has been one of the most dangerous features of his case.
The doctors, to counteract the newspaper lying, began to publish, under their signatures, his situation to-day. Lying, in everything, is the custom of the newspapers of today, and yet the people believe them!
The rest of us are as well as could be expected. Hopeing this will find you all well, I am Your Aff. Uncle, Milton Wright.
Wilbur thought he contracted this fever, by eating schell-fish in Boston, two weeks before. It is often contracted in that way. M.W.
His very temperate life, has been greatly in his favor, in this trying time."
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| Milton Wright to Miss Grace Frazier, May 29, 1912, 7:30PM.(3) |
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Milton Wright Diary entries continued (4)-
Wednesday, May 29 ".....He remained the same till 3:15 in the morning, when, eating his allowance 15 minutes before his death, he expired, without a struggle. His life was one of toil. His brain ceased not its activity till two weeks of his last sickness had expired. Then it ceased."
Thursday, May 30 "This morning at 3:15, Wilbur passed away, aged 45 years, 1 month, and 14 days. A short life, full of consequences. An unfailing intellect, imperturable temper, great selfreliance and as great modesty, seeing the right clearly, pursuing it steadily, he lived and died. Many called- many telegrams. (Probably over a thousand.)"
Friday, May 31 "Boyers are the undertakers. We get many letters and telegrams and cablegrams of sympathy from all people of every sort, and from all societies, and from dignities. Flowers come from individuals and societies, most beautiful...."
Saturday, June 1 "I awakened before midnight and got up near two hours. I slept then till nearly 5:00. Arose and washed off and dressed till near seven. The undertakers put Wilbur in the burial casket. Took him to the church at nearly ten. Many relatives come; many friends. Wilbur's body lay in state at First Presbyterian Church from 10 till 1:00. Rev. Maurice Wilson assisted by J. Howe & conducted funeral services 3:00."
Sunday, June 2 "....I was at Lorin's several times. Orville & Katharine & Horace rode in the automobile to Middletown and back."
Monday, June 3 "Wilbur is dead and buried! We are all stricken. It does not seem possible that he is gone. Probably Orville and Katharine felt his loss most. They say little.....I ride 20 ms. with Orville in auto."
Thursday, June 6 "I felt Wilbur's absence as never before....."
For those readers who have lost a loved one, these few words written by Milton on June 6, 1912 resonate. The grief can hit days, weeks, or months later. Milton knew the truth of Wilbur's everlasting home with his Savior, and this was a great comfort....but the emptiness in the now has to be experienced, and the passage of time will eventually lead to healing.
Monday, June 17 "I answered many letters of sympathy."
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| Acknowledgement of sympathy card sent out by the Wright family, following Wilbur Wright's death.(5) |
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Milton Wright to Grand-Niece Grace Frazier, June 27, 1912 (3)
"Dear Niece:
I gave for you, and other friends (writing me in sympathy) an answer to Fannie Augusta, to them all, in acknowledgment. We see Wilbur no more!
Orville and Katharine have most felt his loss. Though overstrained, I think they will survive the shock.
I hope you are all well. The same to my other Rush county friends. Your uncle, Milton Wright.
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| Milton Wright to Grace Frazier, June 27, 1912. "We see Wilbur no more!" |
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Milton Wright Diary entry (4)-
Monday, July 8 "....I read the Dayton notices of Wilbur's death and burial. Orville and I went to Brookville and came back partly on the Jalapa Road."
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Milton Wright to Grand-Niece Grace Frazier, July 8, 1912, partial content. (3)
"Dear Grace:
Your letter of the 5th is received. The scientific journals are nearly all full of notices of Wilbur. The one published by the Aero Club of America, especially. The Aero Club of Dayton seems likely to erect Grecian Pillars to mark the spot at Simm's Station where the brothers first made substantial flights. I do not try to keep up with the notices in the papers.
Orville received in Wilbur's sickness an automobile, from the Franklin company, which he has since used about 35 hundred miles. On the best pikes he travels at the rate of 30 miles to the hour. I have been to Centerville and to Xenia several times. Centerville is where your great-grandparents, Wright, were married, and where your grandfather was born, ten miles south of Dayton. Xenia is 17 miles south-of-east of Dayton. It has 9,000 inhabitants. Centerville is high land, beautiful, but has only 450 inhabitants.
We telegraphed to a number of our relations and others, expecting no answers. Wilbur's death was noticed ten times as much as we expected. He had a strong hold on the nations. We little thought others knew him as we did. He had a deathless intellect and impurturable good nature........"
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| Milton Wright to Grace Frazier, July 8, 1912, "He had a deathless intellect and impurturable good nature." |
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Milton Wright to Grand-Niece Grace Frazier, October 28, 1912, partial content. (3)
"Dear Niece:
.....Orville has been considerably tossed about by a pending lawsuit at Buffalo. It is a suit against a company and against Glenn Curtiss for infringement of the Wright Company's patent. Orville is president of the Company, since Wilbur's death, and he has a trip east about every two or three weeks. He last week had a four days trip to New York and Washington City. It has been delayed a few weeks for several times. Now it is set for about the twentieth of November. His business house on Third street is being finished off. He has the hill on his lot leveled off and is building the cement foundation for a house about seventy feet long and it is nicely planned for a two-story building. It is in a nice situation. He and Wilbur had planned these buildings before Wilbur's death.
Men with valuable patent rights have to fight for them. They are not exceptions to the rule. This costs much time and money. Wilbur prepared this case mostly for trial. This was unfavorable for him in preparing for and warding off the typhoid fever......"
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| Bedroom, upper level of 7 Hawthorn home where Wilbur Wright died in same room his mother had died in 1889. Milton wrote in 1912, "Never did a son excel him in skill and attention to his Mother and he died in the same room where she died twenty three years ago, July 4th." (6) |
Three years before Wilbur's death, Milton said of Wilbur, "His mother being a declining, rather than a suffering invalid, he devoted himself of taking all care of her, and watching and serving her with a faithfulness and tenderness that can not but shed happiness on him in life, and comfort him in his last moments......"(7)
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Copyright 2024- Getting The Story Wright
Related posts-
Christianity Amongst the Wright Brothers
The Missing Milton Wright to Grace Frazier Letters
Notes:
1. Wilbur Wright original artwork created by Alwin Schmidt, illustration artist, born 1900. Image painted on glass and then transferred to paper. From Author's collection.
2. Partial content of Wilbur Wright to Mr. W. de Hevesy, 4 pages, hand written, January 25, 1912. Sold by RR Auction, April 21, 2016, $13,317. In this letter, Wilbur expresses his regrets of having to engage in law suits in order to defend their patent rights, in lieu of being able to spend his time with Orville in experiments and science of aviation.
3. Unpublished Milton Wright to Grand-Niece Grace Frazier letters, archive from Author's collection. See post on these letters, "The Missing Milton Wright to Grace Frazier Letters", no longer missing.
4. Milton Wright Diaries 1857-1917, Wright State University, 1999
5. From Author's collection.
6. Milton Wright to Rev. J. Howe, 1912. Photo by Author, Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan.
7. "Father Wright Tells About Wilbur and Orville As Children And As Men", June 13, 1909, Wright Scrapbooks, Dayton Montgomery Library. And "Bishop Wright Tells Of Early Work Of Celebrated Sons; Their Ambitions", The Dayton Herald, June 16, 1909, "The story is told in a recent issue of the Newcastle, (Ind.) Times and was written while he was on a visit to his former home in Henry county, Ind."
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