behind AotW

Lieutenant William Baxter Stinson, 18th Mississippi Infantry was wounded at Sharpsburg and captured there. He was exchanged in October, afterward furloughed, then detailed to to the Medical Director’s Office, Richmond into Autumn 1863. He returned to his Company but retired for disability in May 1864.

After the war he married and had 9 children. His oldest, son Edward had 4 children (Eddie, Kate, Madge, and Jack), all of whom became pilots. Jack and Eddie founded the Stinson Aviation Company in Arkansas and Stinson Aeroplane Company in Ohio, respectively.

In 1912 Kate Stinson, pictured here, became the fourth woman in America to be licensed a pilot (her sister Madge was #9). She set several air records and became known as “The Flying Schoolgirl.” Her photograph is from the Library of Congress.