The Descriptive Finding Guide for the John J. Montgomery Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10101
Alan Renga
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
11/10/2014
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park
San Diego 92101
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: John H. Montgomery Personal Papers
source:
Wright, Wilbur
source:
Montgomery, John J. (John Joseph)
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10101
Physical Description:
1.44 Cubic Feet
Four archival boxes 5” X 10” X 12.5”. Many of the items in this collection were damaged by a fire at the museum in 1978.
Date (inclusive): 1858-1911
Abstract: John J. Montgomery was born in Yuba City, California on February 15, 1858. 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. He began conducting flight experiments
culminating in a glider which he launched in August 1883.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Conditions Governing Use
Some copyright may be reserved. Consult with the library director for more information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The materials in this Collection were donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
Preferred Citation
[Item], [Filing Unit], [Series Title], [Subgroups], [Record Group Title and Number], [Repository “San Diego Air & Space Museum
Library & Archives”]
Biographical / Historical
John J. Montgomery was born in Yuba City, California on February 15, 1858. 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 1883. This glider flew a total
of 600 feet and landed safely. He continued his experiments with gliders, making a different design in 1894. 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 and Contents
Four archival boxes 5” X 10” X 12.5”. Many of the items in this collection were damaged by a fire at the museum in 1978.
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 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 Materials
Related SDASM Resources: Montgomery Manuscript Soaring Flight 1893-1895.
Quest for Flight: John J. Montgomery and the Dawn of Aviation in the West Hardcover –
by Craig S. Harwood, Gary B. Fogel Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (October 26, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0806142642
ISBN-13: 978-0806142647
Subjects and Indexing Terms
University of Santa Clara
Gliders (Aeronautics)
Otay Ranch
Wright, Wilbur
Wright, Orville
Waterman, Waldo Dean
Chanute, Octave
Montgomery, John J. (John Joseph)
Folder 01
Physical Description: 1. Book: Knights of the Air, owned by Glenn Ford, star of the movie Gallant Journey.
Folder 02 – Montgomery Monument Information
Physical Description: Containing 48 items:
1. Construction diagram by Ace Campbell.
2. Montgomery monument commemoration program dated Nov. 11, 1961.
Folder 03 – Glider Design
Physical Description: 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
Physical Description: 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 1987.
Folder 05 – Montgomery Manuscript & Correspondence
Physical Description: Including correspondence dated 1894 (containing 6 items):
1. Montgomery, John J. “Soaring Flight”, 1894.
Folder 06 – Newsprint Articles
Folder 07 – Photographs of Montgomery Monument
Physical Description: Containing 23 items:
1. Photographs of William Chana at Montgomery Memorial.
Folder 08 – Articles on Newsprint from Flights Otay folder (containing 5 items):
Physical Description: 1. Is glider legend fact or fancy, San Diego Union-Tribune Nov.3, 1996.
Folder 09 – Montgomery Glider Contest
Physical Description: Containing 60 items:
1. A hand written letter from Waldo Waterman to A. G. Klein dated Dec. 8, 1968.
2. A letter to Michael Collins, Director, National Air and Space Museum, from Waldo Waterman Dec. 7,1971.
3. A handwritten letter from Florence Bergstrom dated Jan. 15, 1973.
4. A list of entries for the contest dated Oct. 3, 1973.
5. Contest flyer titled “Win $1500”.
6. A hand written letter (pencil) to Governor Brown regarding Montgomery gliders dated 1962.
Folder 10- Drawing of Control System.
Physical Description: This folder is restricted due to brittleness. (1 item)
Folder 11 – Montgomery Experiments
Physical Description: Containing 27 items, includes non-Otay Mesa experiments.
Folder 12 – Reproductions folder
Physical Description: Containing 2 items:
1. “Proceedings of the International Conference on Aerial Navigation,” American Engineer and Railroad Journal, New York, 1894.
Folder 13 – News articles & Information from film: “Gallant Journey”
Folder 14 – Montgomery lawsuit documents and news articles
Folder 15 – Montgomery patent correspondence
Physical Description: Containing 4 items:
1. Statement by Charles Perry regarding Montgomery research.
Folder 16 – Albert Arnhym folder
Folder 17 – Charles Leahy folder
Physical Description: Containing 1 item:
1. Affidavit regarding 1905 flight.
Folder 18 – Additional Montgomery Articles and Information
Physical Description: Containing 21 items:
1. Article, First Man on Record to Leave Earth on Wings, Popular Science October, 1930.
2. Article, Montgomery and the Birds, John Hettich, Aero Digest, 1946.
3. Pamphlet, Proceedings of the International Conference on Aerial Navigation, The American and Railroad Journal, 1874.
Folder 19- Waldo Waterman folder
Physical Description: 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, 1971.
Folder 20 – Octave Chanute folder
Folder 21 – Thomas Baldwin folder
Physical Description: 1. Letter from Thomas Baldwin to J.J. Montgomery regarding “great Ship”,June 20, 1903.
Folder 22 – Victor Loughead book, Aeroplane Designing for Amateurs
Physical Description: 1. Letter from Glenn Curtis to James E. Plew regarding Montgomery patents, Oct. 20, 1911
Folder 23 – Articles on newsprint from Glider Contest folder
Physical Description: Containing 2 items:
1. Article, Want $500? Go Fly a Kite, San Diego Independent, July 21, 1968.
Folder 24 – Photographs from the Glider Contest folder
Physical Description: Containing 2 items:
1. Thirteen sleeved photos of glider contest entries.
Folder 25 - Articles on newsprint from Reproductions folder
Physical Description: Containing 8 items:
1. Article, Montgomery’s flight copied, Chula Vista Star-News, July 17, 1975.
2. Photo article, Mission Scrubbed, San Diego Evening Tribune, Aug 29, 1983.
Folder 26 - Articles on newsprint from Waldo Waterman folder
Folder 27 – Articles on newsprint from Gallant Journey folder
Physical Description: Containing 5 items:
1. Article, Air Pioneer’s Brother Here, San Diego Daily Journal, Sept. 23, 1946.
Folder 28 – Articles on newsprint from Montgomery Experiments folder
Physical Description: 1. Article, Obscure Aviation Pioneer Remembered, Los Angeles Times, Feb. 19, 1978.
Folder 29 – Montgomery Glider Drawings and Information I
Physical Description: 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, 1973.
Folder 30 – Montgomery Drawings and Information II
Physical Description: Containing 32 items:
1. Research paper, Wind Tunnel Tests of the Montgomery Glider, Ron Ridenour, and May 3, 1975.
2. Drawings, Montgomery 1883 glider, fuselage assembly and details.
3. Second proposal drawing Montgomery glider, Mar. 23, 1957.
4. 1883 John J. Montgomery glider wing fabric plan, Howard “Ace” Campbell Nov. 19, 1974.
Folder 31 – Articles on newsprint from Montgomery gliders and information folder I
Folder 32 – Articles on newsprint from Montgomery gliders and information folder II
Folder 33 – Articles on newsprint from Montgomery Monument folder
Folder 34 – Montgomery Monument folder
Physical Description: Containing 42 Items:
1. Program, Montgomery Memorial service, Aug 5, 1962.
2. Letter to Junior Chamber of Commerce from Johnson Construction containing bid proposal for Montgomery Monument, Dec. 15,
1949.
3. Montgomery commemoration fact sheet dated May 20, 1950.
4. Specifications for Montgomery Memorial by L. Ruocco, architect.
Folder 35 – General glider information folder
Physical Description: Containing 42 Items:
1. J. J. Montgomery 1883 glider landmark presentation folder, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, May 11, 1996.
2. Research paper, John Joseph Montgomery and the Controversy of 1883, Arthur Martin, Mar. 1984.
3. Paper, 1883 John J. Montgomery Flight Attempt, Bob Fronius.
4. Deposition, Isabel Arnold, Nov. 1945.
Folder 36 – Articles on newsprint from J.J. Montgomery I
Physical Description: Containing 12 items:
1. Article, A rare look at John J. Montgomery, San Diego Union, Jul. 14, 1963.
2. Article, He gave us wings, Peninsula living, Sept. 10, 1960.
3. Article, Montgomery, Flight or fancy? San Diego Independent, Aug. 28, 1969.
Folder 37 – J. J. Montgomery file I
Physical Description: Containing 42 items:
1. Hand written correspondence from Don Dreise to Brewster Reynolds, Aug. 27, 1976.
2. Magazine article, His head was in the clouds, Howard Watkins, Westways, October, 1961.
3. Article, Faculty appointment, San Jose Mercury & Herald, Aug. 13, 1911.
4. Handwritten letter from Charles Lindbergh to Owen Clark, Dec. 17, 1972.
Folder 38 – Articles on newsprint from J.J. Montgomery file II
Physical Description: 1. Article, California’s first flier, Harry P. Bagley, Sacramento Bee, Nov. 16, 1940.
Folder 39 – J.J. Montgomery folder II
Physical Description: Containing 37 items:
1. Commemoration program from Nov. 11, 1961.
2. Photostat of hand written letter from J.J. Montgomery to his sister, Aug. 30, 1894.
3. Hand written letter from Herb Kelley to George Williams, Mar. 10, 1988.
4. Fabric purported to be from 1883 glider, Sept. 29, 1981.
Folder 40 – Rev. A. D. Spearman, S.J. folder
Physical Description: 1. Book, John Joseph Montgomery, A Chronology of Achievements, A. D. Spearman, University of Santa Clara, Mar. 1976.
2. Handwritten letter Rev. Spearman to Mike Higgins, July 20, 1971.
Folder 41 – J.J. Montgomery Youth Glider Program, Inc.
Physical Description: Containing 6 items:
1. Montgomery youth glider program certificate for Owen Clarke, Jul. 13, 1967.
2. Glider program information manual.
Folder 42 – Montgomery/ Chanute correspondence folder
Physical Description: Containing 32 items:
1. Photstatic copy of letter from Orville Wright to R H. Fleet, Oct. 26, 1944.
2. Montgomery 1883 glider construction information notes.
Folder 43 – Articles on newsprint from Montgomery family and genealogy folder
Folder 44 – Montgomery family and genealogy folder
Physical Description: 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. , 1882.
3. Series of copied photos with information on reverse, 1906.
Folder 45 – Correspondence from Everett Vail Church
Folder 46 – Winsor Josselyn Book folder
Physical Description: 1. Article, He Flew in 1883, Harper’s Magazine, Nov. 1930.
2. Manuscript, John Joseph Montgomery, Pioneer Man of Wings, April 22, 1946.
Folder 47 – Victor Loughead book, Vehicles of the Air
Folder 48 – Bob Wilson book on John J. Montgomery
Folder 49 – Martin Cole folder
Folder 50 – Wright brothers folder
Physical Description: 1. Article Montgomery’s information helps Wright brothers.
Folder 51 – Glider drawings folder
Physical Description: Containing 6 items:
1. Institute of Aeronautical Sciences drawings.
Folder 52 – Montgomery/Chanute/Wright correspondence folder
Physical Description: Containing 26 items:
1. City of San Diego proclamation John J. Montgomery day issued Aug. 22, 1968.
2. Letter from Thomas Baldwin to Orville Wright dated Nov. 1, 1911.
3. Letter from Orville Wright to Thomas Baldwin dated Nov. 18, 1911.
Folder 53 – Cemetery plot folder
