ORVILLE WRIGHT
Orville Wright signed this document in 1945 to lease 135 acres of farm and pastureland that he owned in Indiana. This document was signed three years before Wright's death and offers a look into how he paid his bills late in life.
Lease signed "Orville Wright" as Lessor. 2 pages, 8½x12¾, single-sided sheets, bound with two staples at top edge. Feb. 6, 1945. Wright signed this lease agreement to lease 135 acres of farm and pastureland in "Township 23 North", Indiana [possibly Fowlerton] to Clayton W. Dickerson of Jonesboro, Indiana. The lease's term was from March 1, 1945, to Feb. 28, 1946. Dickerson leased the farm - which included improvements like an orchard, garden lot and barn - for $6 per acre or a total of $810, paid in full to Wright on Sept. 1, 1945. This lease also laid out Dickerson's responsibilities. In short, he had to maintain the land and its buildings out of his own pocket and pay one-half the cost for seed and fertilizer and for threshing and hulling any crops, with Wright paying the other half. Wilbur (1867-1912, born near Millville, Indiana) and Orville (1871-1948, born in Dayton, Ohio) formed the Wright Cycle Company in 1892 and manufactured bicycles. The brothers designed and built the first motor-powered airplane and conducted its first successful flight on December 17, 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The historic flight of the 12-horsepower biplane, Flyer, covered 120 feet and lasted 12 seconds. The two are credited with the first flight of a motorized, heavier-than-air vehicle. Following his brother Wilbur's death in 1912, Orville became President of the Wright Company and continued as a pioneer in the aviation industry. Following Wilbur's death in 1912, Orville became President of the Wright Company and continued as a pioneer in the aviation industry. During World War I (1914-1918), he was a consultant to the Aviation Service of the Army Signal Corps. Lightly toned, soiled stained and creased. Typewriting, but not signature, is lightly smeared in places. Staples are rusted, with rust stains near bottom edge of page 1. Folded three times and unfolded. Lightly torn on right edge of page 2. Otherwise in fine condition.