Silas Christofferson

Silas G. Christofferson, one of the Early Birds of Aviation, was a pioneering inventor and pilot. He was the brother of Harry Christofferson, a fellow Early Bird, and the husband of aviator and X-ray technician Edna Christofferson.

Silas Christofferson
Christofferson in 1912
Born
Des Moines, Iowa
Died
Redwood City, California
Cause of deathPlane crash

Christofferson was born in Polk County, Iowa in 1890.[1] When he was six, his family moved to California.[1] He had six brothers, four of whom also became aviators.[2] The most notable of these was Harry Christofferson.[2]

By 1908, Christofferson had moved to Los Angeles, California, where he worked as a chauffeur.[3]

In 1910, Christofferson co-founded the Bennett-Christofferson Airship Company in Portland, Oregon.[4] Also named on the incorporation papers were Fred and Mabel Bennett.[4] The company started out with a capital stock of 3000 dollars.[4] By 1911, Christofferson and Fred Bennett were making practice flights on the artillery drill grounds of the Vancouver Barracks.[5] They were only permitted to fly in the early morning and after 4 PM to avoid spooking the mules at the barracks.[5] On at least one of these flights, Christofferson took a passenger, Edna Becker.[6] Becker and Christofferson married on November 19, 1912.[7]

In 1912, Christofferson flew eight miles[8] from the roof of the 150-foot-tall[9] Multnomah Building in Portland, Oregon to the Vancouver Barracks in Vancouver, Washington.[8] The flight took him twelve minutes and was observed by a crowd of over 45,000.[8] Upon landing, he said that "[w]hile my trip was not as pleasant as some might think, I enjoyed it immensely."[8] The Oregonian declared it a record-setting feat, claiming Christofferson was the first to "[trust] his heavier-than-air machine in a start from the midst of a business section of a great city."[9]

In 1914, Christofferson reached an altitude of 15,728 feet in a flight over Mount Whitney, setting a national record.[10] It was his second attempt of the day to fly over the mountain: his first attempt, at 5:21 AM that morning, was unsuccessful due to strong winds.[11]

On October 31, 1916, Christofferson was testing a new biplane prototype to demonstrate its safety.[12] Two hundred feet above the ground, his engine died.[12] He was rushed to the Redwood City Hospital by Edna and Harry.[12] A few hours after the crash, Christofferson died of internal injuries.[12] He was buried beside Lincoln Beachey in Cypress Lawn Cemetery.[12]

References
  1. Harris, Patrick (Fall 1986). "The Exhibition Era of Early Aviation in Oregon, 1910-1915". Oregon Historical Quarterly. 87: 245–276 – via JSTOR.
  2. "Youngest of Noted Family Dies In Wreck". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  3. "Six Persons in Crash of Autos". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  4. "New Corporations". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  5. "Mules to Graze in Peace". The Oregonian. 27 May 1912.
  6. Jones, Webster (13 March 1932). "Edna Christofferson: A Remarkable Woman". The Oregonian.
  7. "Death Reminder No Deterrent To Daring Aviator". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  8. "The Sensation of Flying High". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  9. "Aviator Flies Off Hotel Top Safely". The Oregonian. 12 June 1912.
  10. "Blazing Trails In California Skies". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  11. "Great Flight". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  12. ""Perfect" Biplane Kills Christofferson". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
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