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Marie Meyer (aviator)

May 08, 2023

Marie Meyer (January 17, 1899 – May 24, 1956), later Marie Meyer Fower, was an American barnstorming pilot who ran the Marie Meyer Flying Circus in the United States in the 1920s.[1][2] She was a pilot, a wingwalker and a parachutist.[2] She competed in international air races in both St. Louis and Dayton.[3]

Marie Meyer
Marie on a Flint Motor car, 1924
Born
Marie Meyer

(1899-01-17)January 17, 1899
Illinois, U.S.[vague]
DiedMay 24, 1956(1956-05-24) (aged 57)
Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S.
Burial placeMacon, Missouri, U.S.
Spouse
Charles Lee Fower
​
(m. 1924)​

Early life

Marie Meyer was born in Illinois on January 17, 1899. Soon after her parents, John and Dora Meyer, moved to St. Louis, Missouri. After graduating from high school, Marie worked in a store and saved money for flying lessons. She learned to fly with William B. Robertson, who opened a flying school in 1918 at the St. Louis Flying Field. St. Louis was one of a few cities in the United States to have a civilian airfield. Meyer completed her last hour of practice flying in 1921, at the State Fair in Sedalia.[2][4]

Career

 
Stunts which were seen at the Marie Meyer Flying Circus, 1924

By 1922, Marie had earned her pilot’s license, bought one of the training "Jennies" being sold off by the US Army, and formed the Marie Meyer Flying Circus.[2][5] The Marie Meyer Flying Circus performed at state fairs across the American Midwest. Her pilots included Charles Lee Fower, Joe Hammer, Jimmie Donohue, John Hunter,[2][3] Joe Lawrence, Frank Dunn,[6] and even Charles Lindbergh during his barnstorming days.[2][3] At one point, future NASA scientist Robert T. Jones worked for the Marie Meyer Flying Circus. He took flying lessons in return for doing engineering maintenance jobs, "carrying gas and patching wing tips".[7][8] Marie was successful in getting sponsorships from companies such as Flint automobiles and Texaco oil and gas, who partnered with her in advertising.[9][10] Companies such as the Jefferson County Oil Company donated oil and gas for events.[11]

Marie Meyer performed as a pilot, a wingwalker and a parachutist.[2][5] The stunts she performed included standing on the upper wing of the biplane while it looped-the-loop, sometimes while holding a rope and sometimes with her feet tucked into stirrups so she could wave to the audience.[3] Another stunt was to leap from the lower wing of the plane while wearing a parachute.[3][12][13] Meyer also hired Elbert “Bertie” Brooks, a trapeze artist, to perform while hanging below the plane.[2]

  •  

    Marie on the lower wing, 1924

  •  

    Marie on the top wing, 1924

  •  

    Marie looping the loop, 1925

  •  

    Cartoon of trapeze artist “Bertie” Brooks, 1924

In 1924, the Marie Meyer Flying Circus did a benefit performance on behalf of the St. Louis airfield. To promote the event, the St. Louis Flying Club asked Marie to stand on top of her plane while flying along a downtown St. Louis street, between buildings. The St. Louis Safety Council protested that such a stunt would be too dangerous, but the planners went ahead. The stunt was planned for lunch hour on June 24, 1924, but the flying conditions that day were terrible. At 1:30 p.m. Charles Fower finally flew the plane down the street. Marie Meyer was able to stand upright briefly, holding a rope, but had to drop back onto the wing due to wind gusts. The plane came dangerously close to the top of the Railway Exchange Building.[2]: 34–35 [14] Years later, Meyer told a reporter:[2]: 34–35 

"We never had an accident, or lost a life with the circus, but no one will ever know how close we came to ending it all that day... We did give them a show though!"[2]: 34–35 

 
Texaco advertisement, 1925

In 1924[2] Marie Meyer married stunt pilot Charles Lee Fower. Fower was born in Macon, Missouri on December 23, 1894.[1] The Marie Meyer Flying Circus continued to operate until 1928 or 1929. Flying was becoming less novel for the spectators, stunts were more regulated, and owning and running aircraft was becoming more expensive.[2] By 1929, the circus was down to its last Standard J-1.[8]

Marie and her husband moved to Macon, where they ran several businesses reflecting the trends of the times. The Fower Oil Company met the need for gas for increasingly popular cars, while Louie's Sweet Shop took advantage of the availability of electricity to serve sodas and ice cream. They kept one of their planes and bought a farm outside of town, where they built a private landing strip. In 1965, Charles Fower donated the landing strip to the city. It became the Macon Fower Memorial Airport.[1][2]

Marie Meyer and Charles Fower were honored in 1953 by the St. Louis Chapter of the National Aviation Academy (NAA) for "contributing materially to the progress of aviation by exhibiting faith in the future of powered flight during the dawn of the air age".[1][15]

Marie died in a car accident in Hot Springs, Arkansas on May 24, 1956, while traveling with friends.[16][17][3] Charles died on February 2, 1967. They are buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Macon.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Famous Maconites: Charles Lee Fower and Marie Meyer Fower". Macon, Missouri's Sesquicentennial Celebration!. from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Montgomery, Christine (2015). Marie Meyer Fower : barnstormer (PDF). Kirksville, Missouri: Truman State University Press. ISBN 978-1-61248-149-4. (PDF) from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2023.[unreliable source?]
  3. ^ a b c d e f Cooper, Joan (1999). "Marie Meyer's Flying Circus". In Corbett, Katharine T. (ed.). In her place : a guide to St. Louis women's history. St. Louis: Missouri Historical Society Press. pp. 241–242. ISBN 978-1883982300. from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  4. ^ Thomasson, Ellen Messerly (Summer 2003). "Nerve and Cold Courage: Early women fliers in St. Louis". Gateway Heritage: The Magazine of the Missouri Historical Society. 24 (1): 28–33.
  5. ^ a b "Marie Meyer Fower, a Missouri Barnstormer". John Hare. from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  6. ^ "Flying circus pleases crowd today". The Intelligencer (via Wikipedia Library). Vol. 45, no. 165. Mexico, MO. August 1, 1924. p. 1.
  7. ^ Vincenti, Walter G. (January 1, 2005). "Robert T. Jones, One of a Kind". Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics. 37 (1): 1–21. Bibcode:2005AnRFM..37....1V. doi:10.1146/annurev.fluid.36.050802.122008. ISSN 0066-4189. from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Jones, R. T. (January 1977). "Recollections From an Earlier Period in American Aeronautics". Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics. 9 (1): 1–12. Bibcode:1977AnRFM...9....1J. doi:10.1146/annurev.fl.09.010177.000245. ISSN 0066-4189. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  9. ^ "Three-wheeled Flint Car Carries Woman Stunt Flyer". St Louis Globe Democrat. July 6, 1924. p. 1.
  10. ^ "Advertisement for Texaco gasoline and motor oils, as used by the Marie Meyer Flying Circus". The Muscatine Journal. October 2, 1925. p. 12.
  11. ^ "Flying circus held last week a big success". Jefferson County Republican. Vol. XXXIII, no. 41. October 2, 1924. p. 1.
  12. ^ "Daredevils". Digital Public Library of America. from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  13. ^ Cox, Jeremy R. C. (2011). St. Louis Aviation. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 20–21. ISBN 978-0-7385-8410-2. from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  14. ^ "Downtown crowds given thrill by stunt flyers". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Vol. 76, no. 290. June 24, 1924. p. 1.
  15. ^ "Fowers honored for pioneering in aviation". Macon Chronicle-Herald. Macon, Missouri. December 18, 1953. p. 1.
  16. ^ "Two Macon women, one a flying circus performer, die in car". Sedalia Democrat Newspaper Archives (available via Wikipedia Library). May 25, 1956. p. 11.
  17. ^ Moon, Katie J. (October 23, 2020). Groundbreakers, rule-breakers & rebels : 50 unstoppable St. Louis women. St. Louis: Missouri Historical Society Press. ISBN 978-1883982980. from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.

External links

  •   Media related to Marie Meyer at Wikimedia Commons

May 08, 2023
marie, meyer, aviator, marie, meyer, january, 1899, 1956, later, marie, meyer, fower, american, barnstorming, pilot, marie, meyer, flying, circus, united, states, 1920s, pilot, wingwalker, parachutist, competed, international, races, both, louis, dayton, marie. Marie Meyer January 17 1899 May 24 1956 later Marie Meyer Fower was an American barnstorming pilot who ran the Marie Meyer Flying Circus in the United States in the 1920s 1 2 She was a pilot a wingwalker and a parachutist 2 She competed in international air races in both St Louis and Dayton 3 Marie MeyerMarie on a Flint Motor car 1924BornMarie Meyer 1899 01 17 January 17 1899Illinois U S vague DiedMay 24 1956 1956 05 24 aged 57 Hot Springs Arkansas U S Burial placeMacon Missouri U S SpouseCharles Lee Fower m 1924 wbr Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 References 4 External linksEarly life EditMarie Meyer was born in Illinois on January 17 1899 Soon after her parents John and Dora Meyer moved to St Louis Missouri After graduating from high school Marie worked in a store and saved money for flying lessons She learned to fly with William B Robertson who opened a flying school in 1918 at the St Louis Flying Field St Louis was one of a few cities in the United States to have a civilian airfield Meyer completed her last hour of practice flying in 1921 at the State Fair in Sedalia 2 4 Career Edit Stunts which were seen at the Marie Meyer Flying Circus 1924 By 1922 Marie had earned her pilot s license bought one of the training Jennies being sold off by the US Army and formed the Marie Meyer Flying Circus 2 5 The Marie Meyer Flying Circus performed at state fairs across the American Midwest Her pilots included Charles Lee Fower Joe Hammer Jimmie Donohue John Hunter 2 3 Joe Lawrence Frank Dunn 6 and even Charles Lindbergh during his barnstorming days 2 3 At one point future NASA scientist Robert T Jones worked for the Marie Meyer Flying Circus He took flying lessons in return for doing engineering maintenance jobs carrying gas and patching wing tips 7 8 Marie was successful in getting sponsorships from companies such as Flint automobiles and Texaco oil and gas who partnered with her in advertising 9 10 Companies such as the Jefferson County Oil Company donated oil and gas for events 11 Marie Meyer performed as a pilot a wingwalker and a parachutist 2 5 The stunts she performed included standing on the upper wing of the biplane while it looped the loop sometimes while holding a rope and sometimes with her feet tucked into stirrups so she could wave to the audience 3 Another stunt was to leap from the lower wing of the plane while wearing a parachute 3 12 13 Meyer also hired Elbert Bertie Brooks a trapeze artist to perform while hanging below the plane 2 Marie on the lower wing 1924 Marie on the top wing 1924 Marie looping the loop 1925 Cartoon of trapeze artist Bertie Brooks 1924In 1924 the Marie Meyer Flying Circus did a benefit performance on behalf of the St Louis airfield To promote the event the St Louis Flying Club asked Marie to stand on top of her plane while flying along a downtown St Louis street between buildings The St Louis Safety Council protested that such a stunt would be too dangerous but the planners went ahead The stunt was planned for lunch hour on June 24 1924 but the flying conditions that day were terrible At 1 30 p m Charles Fower finally flew the plane down the street Marie Meyer was able to stand upright briefly holding a rope but had to drop back onto the wing due to wind gusts The plane came dangerously close to the top of the Railway Exchange Building 2 34 35 14 Years later Meyer told a reporter 2 34 35 We never had an accident or lost a life with the circus but no one will ever know how close we came to ending it all that day We did give them a show though 2 34 35 Texaco advertisement 1925 In 1924 2 Marie Meyer married stunt pilot Charles Lee Fower Fower was born in Macon Missouri on December 23 1894 1 The Marie Meyer Flying Circus continued to operate until 1928 or 1929 Flying was becoming less novel for the spectators stunts were more regulated and owning and running aircraft was becoming more expensive 2 By 1929 the circus was down to its last Standard J 1 8 Marie and her husband moved to Macon where they ran several businesses reflecting the trends of the times The Fower Oil Company met the need for gas for increasingly popular cars while Louie s Sweet Shop took advantage of the availability of electricity to serve sodas and ice cream They kept one of their planes and bought a farm outside of town where they built a private landing strip In 1965 Charles Fower donated the landing strip to the city It became the Macon Fower Memorial Airport 1 2 Marie Meyer and Charles Fower were honored in 1953 by the St Louis Chapter of the National Aviation Academy NAA for contributing materially to the progress of aviation by exhibiting faith in the future of powered flight during the dawn of the air age 1 15 Marie died in a car accident in Hot Springs Arkansas on May 24 1956 while traveling with friends 16 17 3 Charles died on February 2 1967 They are buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Macon 2 References Edit a b c d Famous Maconites Charles Lee Fower and Marie Meyer Fower Macon Missouri s Sesquicentennial Celebration Archived from the original on January 27 2022 Retrieved February 23 2023 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Montgomery Christine 2015 Marie Meyer Fower barnstormer PDF Kirksville Missouri Truman State University Press ISBN 978 1 61248 149 4 Archived PDF from the original on July 23 2020 Retrieved February 23 2023 unreliable source a b c d e f Cooper Joan 1999 Marie Meyer s Flying Circus In Corbett Katharine T ed In her place a guide to St Louis women s history St Louis Missouri Historical Society Press pp 241 242 ISBN 978 1883982300 Archived from the original on February 24 2023 Retrieved February 24 2023 Thomasson Ellen Messerly Summer 2003 Nerve and Cold Courage Early women fliers in St Louis Gateway Heritage The Magazine of the Missouri Historical Society 24 1 28 33 a b Marie Meyer Fower a Missouri Barnstormer John Hare Archived from the original on February 23 2023 Retrieved February 23 2023 Flying circus pleases crowd today The Intelligencer via Wikipedia Library Vol 45 no 165 Mexico MO August 1 1924 p 1 Vincenti Walter G January 1 2005 Robert T Jones One of a Kind Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics 37 1 1 21 Bibcode 2005AnRFM 37 1V doi 10 1146 annurev fluid 36 050802 122008 ISSN 0066 4189 Archived from the original on December 15 2019 Retrieved February 22 2023 a b Jones R T January 1977 Recollections From an Earlier Period in American Aeronautics Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics 9 1 1 12 Bibcode 1977AnRFM 9 1J doi 10 1146 annurev fl 09 010177 000245 ISSN 0066 4189 Retrieved February 24 2023 Three wheeled Flint Car Carries Woman Stunt Flyer St Louis Globe Democrat July 6 1924 p 1 Advertisement for Texaco gasoline and motor oils as used by the Marie Meyer Flying Circus The Muscatine Journal October 2 1925 p 12 Flying circus held last week a big success Jefferson County Republican Vol XXXIII no 41 October 2 1924 p 1 Daredevils Digital Public Library of America Archived from the original on February 24 2023 Retrieved February 24 2023 Cox Jeremy R C 2011 St Louis Aviation Arcadia Publishing pp 20 21 ISBN 978 0 7385 8410 2 Archived from the original on February 24 2023 Retrieved February 24 2023 Downtown crowds given thrill by stunt flyers St Louis Post Dispatch Vol 76 no 290 June 24 1924 p 1 Fowers honored for pioneering in aviation Macon Chronicle Herald Macon Missouri December 18 1953 p 1 Two Macon women one a flying circus performer die in car Sedalia Democrat Newspaper Archives available via Wikipedia Library May 25 1956 p 11 Moon Katie J October 23 2020 Groundbreakers rule breakers amp rebels 50 unstoppable St Louis women St Louis Missouri Historical Society Press ISBN 978 1883982980 Archived from the original on February 23 2023 Retrieved February 23 2023 External links Edit Media related to Marie Meyer at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marie Meyer aviator amp oldid 1153780762, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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