Samuel P. Langley Collection

Langley's staff engaged in his aeronautical work as listed in waste books, drawings and correspondence: F. C. Bache Laborer with the U.S. Fish Commission, then located at the Smithsonian. Carl Barus Formerly of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Weather Bureau. Hired in 1893 as a physicist; acted as the liaison between Langley and the Aerodrome project staff. Part of the crew on the houseboat. Louville Eugene Emerson Laborer. George L. Fowler An engineer, Fowler was hired by Langley to help design an engine for the aerodromes. William Gaertner Instrument maker. - Heed, Jr. Name found in a shorthand diary dated 1899 - presumably, a Smithsonian secretary or assistant. Augustus Moore Herring An independent aeronautical experimenter and skilled designer and pilot of gliders; hired by Octave Chanute in 1894 and by Langley as chief assistant in 1895. Herring resigned (or was dismissed) in November 1895 and resumed work with Chanute. In 1908, he competed with the Wrights for the Army Flyer contract, but does not complete a finished aircraft. Edward Chalmers Huffaker An engineer and aeronautical experimenter; built gliders based on the observation of bird flight; had delivered a paper at the International Conference on Aerial Navigation in Chicago, 1893. Recommended by Chanute, Huffaker was hired by Langley in December, 1894. He resigned from the Smithsonian in 1898 and went to work for Chanute. L. C. Maltby Machinist, 1891-1899; assisted in motor design and oversaw the Aerodromes' metalwork. Part of the crew on the houseboat. Charles Matthews Manly Graduate of Cornell University (1896). Hired by Langley and placed in charge of construction of the Great Aerodrome in 1898. Piloted the Great Aerodrome on its two launch attempts, 1903. Manly resigned from the Smithsonian in 1905. He served as a consulting aviation engineer for different government agencies and corporations, including the British War Office, 1915; the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation 1915-1919 (from 1919-1920 as the assistant general manger); and as a member of the US Commission to the International Aircraft Conference, London, 1918. Manly also completed and edited Langley's Memoir on Mechanical Flight, which was published by the Smithsonian in 1911. Charles B. Nichols Smithsonian cabinet maker (1890-1893), in charge of construction of the small rubber powered models. R. Luther Reed Smithsonian carpenter foreman (1880-1904). In charge of construction of Aerodromes No. 5 and 6 following between Herring's departure and Manly's arrival. Worked on design of the Great Aerodrome and the second houseboat. Part of the crew on the houseboat. B. L. Rhinehart Smithsonian mechanic. Built a small steam motor for Aerodrome No. 0 in 1891. Performed design work on an experimental gasoline motor, c. 1896. William L. Speiden Draftsman or designer (1893-1899). John Elfrith Watkins Assistant engineer of construction with the Pennsylvania Railroad. Joined the Smithsonian as an honorary curator in the Steam Transportation section in 1885. Named curator of Transportation in 1887. He rejoined the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1892, and later worked at the Field Columbian Museum as director of Industrial Arts. Watkins returned to the Smithsonian in 1895 as the National Museum's curator of Technological Collections. In 1898, he was named curator of the Division of Technology. Watkins also served the Smithsonian as Engineer of Property, 1888-1889, and Chief of Buildings and Superintendence, 1896-1903. Watkins conducted much of the Aerodrome project's correspondence, and was the project's expert in steam engine design. George B. Wells Smithsonian messenger 1(894-1903). Most of the collection's shorthand notebooks (Series X) bear his name; possibly, he acted as Langley's stenographer. William Crawford Winlock Curator, Bureau of International Exchange (1889-1899).

Langley's staff engaged in his aeronautical work as listed in waste books, drawings and correspondence:

F. C. Bache: Laborer with the U.S. Fish Commission, then located at the Smithsonian.
Carl Barus: Formerly of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Weather Bureau. Hired in 1893 as a physicist; acted as the liaison between Langley and the Aerodrome project staff. Part of the crew on the houseboat.
Louville Eugene Emerson: Laborer.
George L. Fowler: An engineer, Fowler was hired by Langley to help design an engine for the aerodromes.
William Gaertner: Instrument maker.
- Heed, Jr.: Name found in a shorthand diary dated 1899 - presumably, a Smithsonian secretary or assistant.
Augustus Moore Herring: An independent aeronautical experimenter and skilled designer and pilot of gliders; hired by Octave Chanute in 1894 and by Langley as chief assistant in 1895. Herring resigned (or was dismissed) in November 1895 and resumed work with Chanute. In 1908, he competed with the Wrights for the Army Flyer contract, but does not complete a finished aircraft.
Edward Chalmers Huffaker: An engineer and aeronautical experimenter; built gliders based on the observation of bird flight; had delivered a paper at the International Conference on Aerial Navigation in Chicago, 1893. Recommended by Chanute, Huffaker was hired by Langley in December, 1894. He resigned from the Smithsonian in 1898 and went to work for Chanute.
L. C. Maltby: Machinist, 1891-1899; assisted in motor design and oversaw the Aerodromes' metalwork. Part of the crew on the houseboat.
Charles Matthews Manly: Graduate of Cornell University (1896). Hired by Langley and placed in charge of construction of the Great Aerodrome in 1898. Piloted the Great Aerodrome on its two launch attempts, 1903. Manly resigned from the Smithsonian in 1905. He served as a consulting aviation engineer for different government agencies and corporations, including the British War Office, 1915; the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation 1915-1919 (from 1919-1920 as the assistant general manger); and as a member of the US Commission to the International Aircraft Conference, London, 1918. Manly also completed and edited Langley's Memoir on Mechanical Flight, which was published by the Smithsonian in 1911.
Charles B. Nichols: Smithsonian cabinet maker (1890-1893), in charge of construction of the small rubber powered models.
R. Luther Reed: Smithsonian carpenter foreman (1880-1904). In charge of construction of Aerodromes No. 5 and 6 following between Herring's departure and Manly's arrival. Worked on design of the Great Aerodrome and the second houseboat. Part of the crew on the houseboat.
B. L. Rhinehart: Smithsonian mechanic. Built a small steam motor for Aerodrome No. 0 in 1891. Performed design work on an experimental gasoline motor, c. 1896.
William L. Speiden: Draftsman or designer (1893-1899).
John Elfrith Watkins: Assistant engineer of construction with the Pennsylvania Railroad. Joined the Smithsonian as an honorary curator in the Steam Transportation section in 1885. Named curator of Transportation in 1887. He rejoined the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1892, and later worked at the Field Columbian Museum as director of Industrial Arts. Watkins returned to the Smithsonian in 1895 as the National Museum's curator of Technological Collections. In 1898, he was named curator of the Division of Technology. Watkins also served the Smithsonian as Engineer of Property, 1888-1889, and Chief of Buildings and Superintendence, 1896-1903. Watkins conducted much of the Aerodrome project's correspondence, and was the project's expert in steam engine design.
George B. Wells: Smithsonian messenger 1(894-1903). Most of the collection's shorthand notebooks (Series X) bear his name; possibly, he acted as Langley's stenographer.
William Crawford Winlock: Curator, Bureau of International Exchange (1889-1899).