Morris Maxey Titterington (July 20, 1891 – July 11, 1928) was a pioneering aviator, and engineer.
Morris M. Titterington | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Morris Maxey Titterington July 20, 1891 Paris, Texas |
| Died | July 11, 1928 (aged 36) Pottsville, Pennsylvania |
| Cause of death | Plane crash |
| Education | |
| Occupation(s) | Aviator, engineer |
Biography
editTitterington was born in Paris, Texas, the son of George Titterington.
Titterington graduated from Bliss Electrical School in 1913. In 1914 he graduated from the Curtiss Flying School. In 1918 he was working for the Sperry Gyroscope Corporation and was living in Brooklyn.[1] He was included in the 1925 edition of Who's Who in American Aviation.
Titterington and Brice Herbert Goldsborough founded the Pioneer Instrument Company in 1919. Titterington designed the Earth inductor compass in 1924.
In 1928 he took off in a Travel Air, headed across the Pennsylvania mountains and crashed to his death during bad weather after being struck by lightning.[2][3]
Bernice Gamble Andrews
editBernice Gamble Andrews (1905-1928) died with him as his passenger.[4] She was the beneficiary of his insurance policy, and she was the daughter of George A. Gamble of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. She was previously married to Fred Andrews and had a son: Fred Andrews, Jr. She had worked in Hollywood as Patricia Perry.
References
edit- ^ Titterington's World War I draft registration
- ^ "Titterington dies as plane crashes. Inventor of instruments to make flying safe hits mountain". New York Times. July 12, 1928. Retrieved September 25, 2007.
Woman with him killed. She was named beneficiary of insurance policies found on maker of inductor compass. Inventor thrown from plane. Titterington dies as plane crashes. Woman was learning to fly. Hesitated to start flight. Worked to make flying safe. Snyders, Pennsylvania, July 11, 1928. Morris M. Titterington of Brooklyn, one of the best known makers of aeronautical instruments in the country and an inventor of various aviation apparatus, was killed this afternoon ...
- ^ "Died". Time. July 23, 1928. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved September 25, 2007.
Morris M. Titterington, 35, and lady friend, in a plane crash at Pottsville, Pennsylvania. He founded the Pioneer Instrument Co., invented the earth inductor compass, said to have made long airplane flights possible.
- ^ The Evening Independent - Jul 11, 1928; Lightning Strikes Plane, Killing Two
Further reading
edit- New York Times; July 13, 1928. Titterington plane was hit by lightning; Witnesses Saw Machine Smoking Before It Fell With Inventor and Actress.
- Who's Who in American Aviation 1925
- Final Bliss Alumni Address, 1955