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E. Lillian Todd, American Inventor

Emma Lilian Todd (1865-1937) was a self-taught inventor who grew up with a love for mechanical devices. She received her education in Washington, D.C. and taught herself typewriting to earn a living and worked at the Patent Office. She moved to New York to study law, and became a member of the first Woman's Law Class of New York University. About 1903, she turned her attention to "mechanical and aeronautic toys." She attracted national attention when she exhibited her first design at Madison Square Garden in an aero show. Olivia Sage became Todd's patron and gave her $7,000 to design and build her aircraft. Her plane took flight on November 7, 1910, and flew twenty feet over the Garden City aviation field with Didier Masson as the pilot. Her in airplane design ended abruptly after she was hired by Mrs. Sage in January 1911, despite Mrs. Sage's interest in aviation and the financing of Todd's biplane. Todd died in 1937, at the age of 71 or 72. Her body was cremated and her remains were sent to New York, but her burial site remains unknown.

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Title:

E. Lillian Todd, American Inventor

Caption:

Emma Lilian Todd (1865-1937) was a self-taught inventor who grew up with a love for mechanical devices. She received her education in Washington, D.C. and taught herself typewriting to earn a living and worked at the Patent Office. She moved to New York to study law, and became a member of the first Woman's Law Class of New York University. About 1903, she turned her attention to "mechanical and aeronautic toys." She attracted national attention when she exhibited her first design at Madison Square Garden in an aero show. Olivia Sage became Todd's patron and gave her $7,000 to design and build her aircraft. Her plane took flight on November 7, 1910, and flew twenty feet over the Garden City aviation field with Didier Masson as the pilot. Her in airplane design ended abruptly after she was hired by Mrs. Sage in January 1911, despite Mrs. Sage's interest in aviation and the financing of Todd's biplane. Todd died in 1937, at the age of 71 or 72. Her body was cremated and her remains were sent to New York, but her burial site remains unknown.

Credit:

Album / Science Source / New York Public Library

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Image size:

2550 x 3642 px | 26.6 MB

Print size:

21.6 x 30.8 cm | 8.5 x 12.1 in (300 dpi)

Keywords:

1900'S • 1900S • 1906 • 1990S • 20 XX TWENTIETH CENTURY • 20TH CENTURY • 20TH • 90S • AERONAUT • AERONAUTICAL • AERONAUTICS • AIR TRAFFIC • AIRCRAFT DESIGNER • AIRPLANE DESIGNER • AMERICA • AMERICAN • AVIATION PIONEER • AVIATION • BW • CELEBRITIES • CELEBRITY • E. LILLIAN TODD • EMMA LILIAN TODD • FAMOUS • FEMALE • FIGURE • FLIGHT • FLYING • HISTORIC • HISTORICAL • HISTORY • IMPORTANT • INVENTOR (MALE) • INVENTOR • LILLIAN TODD • NINETIES • NINETIES, THE • NINETY DECADE • NOTABLE • PERSON • PERSONALITIES • PERSONALITY • PHOTO • PHOTOGRAPH • SCIENCE • TECHNOLOGY • TODD • TWENTIETH CENTURY • UNTED STATES • US • USA • WELL-KNOWN • WOMAN • WOMEN