GEORGE J. BING 1884-1914

GEORGE BING      "This close-up view of George Bing and his biplane was probably taken at his test flight location at a Castalia, Ohio, farm in 1911. Just 27 years old, Bing had achieved success in the carriage-and wagon-making business. Besides "minor defects," Bing discovered that his biplane would not fly because the engine was too heavy, and the propeller was too small. " Photo and text from the Charles E. Frohman Collection of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center Lake Erie's Yesterdays

 

BRIEF NOTE via email from Dorene Paul, 2-23-08 Dear Mr. Cooper      I am on the "team" that writes for the blog about the history of Sandusky. I am hoping to write an entry about George J. Bing. (My great great grandfather, George B. Parker, was killed in the same accident that killed Mr. Bing!)      My mom always said that they thought my great grandfather, Leroy Parker, also died in the accident. She said they were at the hospital, and covered him up with a sheet, and then the sheet moved!      Leroy went on to have four children, and many grandchildren, and great grandchildren!

 

GEORGE BING      "George Bing posed in his biplane located in a field near a Castalia, Ohio, farm. Although Bing failed in his attempts to fly, his fellow townsmen encouraged him to continue work on his biplane. They believed that air service to the Lake Erie Islands was a realistic goal. " Photo and text from the Charles E. Frohman Collection of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center Lake Erie's Yesterdays

 

George J. Bing Shop      George J. Bing (c. 1884-1914) operated a successful carriage-making business in Sandusky that later expanded into automobile supplies and sales. In 1914, You can see a photo of his shop and the announcement of a show by clicking on the title. Historical note from OhioLINK Digital Media Center(DMC).

 

ONLINE RESOURCES      If you search on "George Bing +aviation" using Google, (2-24-08), you will find about 23 links, some of them referring to this George Bing. Luckily, the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center has placed a series of excellent photographs from their Charles E. Frohman Collection online. In addition to the two images you see reproduced at the top of this page, there are sixteen more, taken by Ernst Neibergall between 1911 and 1915.

 

Lake Erie's Yesterdays      A description of the website, taken from their introduction, is seen below.      "LAKE ERIE'S YESTERDAYS is hosted by the History & Archival Collections database of the OhioLINK Digital Media Center(DMC). Intensely interested in the history of the Erie Islands and Lake Erie's western basin, local historian Charles E. Frohman developed a significant research collection of original manuscripts, cartographics, books, and more than 20,000 photographs. Perhaps most important are the 4,000 black and white images produced by Sandusky, Ohio, commerical photographer Ernst Niebergall. From ice harvesting and railroads to early aviation and island leisure activities, the Niebergall photographs richly depict the everyday lives and activities of Lake Erie's southern shoreline residents. The photographs, the majority taken between 1909 and 1915, provide a record of communities in transition as old methods gave way to advances in industry and technology. Following Niebergall's death in 1954, Charles Frohman preserved the collection and included them in his donation to the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center."      If time permits, I highly recommend that you visit the site and take full advantage of its many offerings. You can access the site by clicking on the title above.

George J. Bing Airplane Photographs       You will gain access to three beautiful photographs of his airplane on this website. You can access the site by clicking on the title above.       If time permits, I heartily recommend that you visit the homepage and take advantage of the many other valuable resources which are available. You will be invited on this "Online Scrapbook of Ohio History" website to: "Discover 26,000 primary sources from 330 archives, historical societies, libraries and museums that document Ohio's past from prehistory through the present."

 

George Bing died as the result of an automobile accident on September 23, 1914. From the entry in the Lake Erie's Yesterdays. Referred by Bob Davis, 3-7-08   Editor's Note: If you have any more information on this Early Flier, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper   Back