Updated September 19, 2025
The purpose of this post is to raise awareness of the lost Autobiography and History books written by Bishop Milton Wright, father of the Wright Brothers, Wilbur and Orville. Milton wrote 41 volumes of diaries from the years 1857 through 1917 that essentially provide his autobiography in day to day diary entries. These are within the Special Collections and Archives at Wright State University. However, in addition to these, Milton wrote that he was working on his Autobiography and multiple History books. These manuscripts apparently have not survived. It has been suggested he lost his Autobiography in the Dayton 1913 flood, but he does not mention this in his correspondence concerning the flood.
The following lists Milton's diary entries from 1908 through 1913 where he mentions he is working on his autobiography, or his history books. Additionally, I've quoted a number of letters where he mentions working on history books, and discusses his losses in the 1913 Dayton flood. There likely were many other days Milton worked on these documents; the list below simply indicates when he chose to record it in his diary entry for that day.
Milton Wright diary entries for 1908-(1)
Monday, January 6- .....I to-day began to write my autobiography....
Wednesday, January 8- ...I wrote several pages in my book.
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| Milton Wright's diary entry, Monday, 6th of January, 1908, "I to-day began to write my autobiography." Courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University. |
Milton wrote to his daughter Katharine, February 22, 1909, as she, Wilbur, and Orville were all overseas and mentioned, "I do not get a bit lonely; I have too much to do, keeping all straight. I am writing my autobiography. I have fourteen large (15 inch) pages typewritten."
Milton Wright diary entries for 1909-(1)
Monday, February 8- Wrote on my Autobiography.
Thursday, February 25- Orville and Katharine take a balloon ride in France. Wrote considerable in My autobiography.
Friday, February 26- ...Wrote in my auto-biography.
Saturday, February 27- Wrote on my Autobiography...
Monday, March 1- ...Wilbur is reported to have broken his rudder in France, at Pau. I wrote much on my autobiography....
Tuesday, March 2- Leontine is thought to have [tonsilitis.]...I wrote much of my autobiography.
Wednesday, March 3- Congress voted gold medals to the Wright brothers. I wrote much in my book....
Wednesday, March 17- Wrote considerable for my Autobiography. King Edward is reported to have visited Wilbur & Orville at their grounds at Pau, and witnessed Wilbur's two flights of seven and six minutes, that latter with Katharine.
Thursday, March 18- The papers say that Orville and Katharine have gone to Paris. I write much in the afternoon on my book.
Saturday, March 20- ....I wrote much on my Autobiography.
Monday, March 22- Wrote in Autobiography...
Friday, April 2- I wrote much on my Autobiography...
Saturday, April 3- Wrote much on my autobiography...
Wednesday, April 7- Wrote Wilbur a letter. Wrote on my autobiography, reached page 101.
Wednesday, April 14- ...Wrote several pages of my book.
Thursday, April 15- Wrote several pages of my autobiography....
Saturday, April 17- Wrote several pages on autobiography.
Monday, April 19- At home. Wrote on my autobiography. Moving Picture of Wilbur's flights were shown at Theater.
Tuesday, April 20- Continued to write to page 120 of autobiography...
Milton Wright diary entries for 1910-(1)
Saturday, March 5- ..I have, in the past three days, written five pages on my Church History.
Monday, April 4- ..I wrote a page of church History...
Wednesday, May 25- ...We all went to Sim[m]s Station. Orville rose 1600 feet and 2600 feet in flights. Orville & Wilbur took a first flight together. Orville took me up 350 feet and 6.55 minutes.
Milton diary entries and letters for 1911-(1)
Wednesday, January 4- ...I received letter from Pres. F.H. Gragg urging that I write Church History from Lawrence's time...
Monday, January 9- I was rewriting my autobiography....
Tuesday, February 7- Letter from J. Howe, giving the voice of Book Committee that I should be asked to write our Church History.
Milton wrote to his grandniece Grace Frazier March 8, 1911, "I have engaged to produce three books. One a history of the United Brethren as the Church has been called for more than a thousand years. It is a history of vital religion in the ages of the world, and includes the history in brief of our denomination and progress to the time of the division. This is a separate volume.
Then I revise Lawrence's Church History of the United Brethren in Christ for Volume I, in Church History. Then from Lawrence's time I write our Church History, for Volume II. The first volume- History of the United Brethren- is pretty well along. I am gathering for the Revision of Lawrence, and the Modern U. B. History. I may not live to see it done. It is not a secret, but I do not allow it to go into Church Papers."
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| Portion of page 2 of Milton Wright letter to grandniece Grace Frazier, March 8, 1911. "I have engaged to produce three books...." (2) |
Friday, March 10- ...I wrote my United Brethren History.
Saturday, March 11- I wrote on United Brethren History...
Thursday, March 16- Writing on History of "United Brethren"....
Milton Wright diary entries and letters for 1912-(1)
Thursday, February 1- ...I began a revision of the history of Indiana Conference.
Saturday, February 3- ..I wrote some History...
Monday, February 5- ...I was preparing for the Church History....
Thursday, May 30- This morning at 3:15, Wilbur passed away, aged 45 years, 1 month, and 14 days....
Milton wrote to his grandniece Grace Frazier July 8, 1912, "I have been gathering information for my Church History. I am about ready to write a number of pages." (2)
Milton diary entries and letters for 1913-(1)
Friday, January 10- ...Wrote a little on Church History..
Monday, March 24- I apprehended a flood. Felt the danger of it.
Milton wrote to his grandniece Grace Frazier April 14, 1913, "I lost little. Perhaps, fifty dollars in books; saved 1500 books, and valuable papers...." There is no mention of losing his autobiography or his Church History, which I assume were amongst his "valuable papers". (2)
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| Page 1 of four page April 14, 1913 letter Milton wrote to his grandniece Grace Frazier concerning the 1913 Dayton flood. "I lost little. Perhaps, fifty dollars in books; saved 1500 books, and valuable papers...." (2) |
So what became of these documents? A number of possibilities are suggested:
- Perhaps Milton lost them in the 1913 flood. I strongly doubt this. It would have been a serious loss for him after years of work on his autobiography, and two years of work on his Church history. It is highly doubtful that these manuscripts would have been stored at the first floor level, and not within his second floor bedroom, and highly doubtful he would make no mention of the loss. Ian Mackersey, "The Wright Brothers" 2003, Ch 32, pg 470 wrote of the 1913 flood, "A tide of brown water surged into the downstairs rooms, and the manuscript of the bishop's precious autobiography was lost." But Mackersey doesn't list his source for this information.
- Perhaps Milton lost interest and discarded the manuscripts during the move to Hawthorn Hill in 1914, or prior to his death in 1917. I also strongly doubt this. Milton put much time in producing his autobiography, and the history manuscripts.
- Perhaps Orville and Katharine discarded the unpublished manuscripts after Milton's death. I also doubt this scenario, as Orville and Katharine would have known the amount of effort their father had placed in producing the manuscripts, and their father's autobiography especially would have had great sentimental value.
- Perhaps the manuscripts were distributed to a family relative(s) after the death of Orville Wright by the executor Harald S. Miller, Ivonette Wright Miller's husband. If this occurred, the autobiography and Church history manuscripts may still survive within a relative's possessions. Or, through a house fire, or tornado, or other disaster, the manuscripts were then lost by the relative that had received them.
For an example of a natural disaster through which Wright artifacts could have been lost but fortunately were not, see my post:
The 1974 Xenia Tornado and the Wright Family
Any Wright family relatives or acquaintances, or anyone with information concerning Milton's lost autobiography, and Church history books, please leave a comment. Perhaps the Church history books were completed and published. More research on my part is required.
Copyright 2025-Getting the Story Wright
Related posts:
Bishop Milton Wright, Editor of the Religious Telescope and Father of Wilbur and Orville Wright
Bishop Milton Wright, Father of the Wright Brothers
Notes-
- Milton Wright Diaries 1857-1917, Published 1999, Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University.
- From Author's collection.
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