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Chapter IV

Of all the women who took part in aviation in those early years, five have gained the most fame. The names Harriet Quimby, Mathilde Moisant, Katherine and Marjorie Stinson, and Ruth Law are legendary in aviation history.

These women perhaps more than any others made a place for women in aviation. They showed that women were not serious about flying as a career and were not in it just for the novelty or the fun of it.

Although there may be question about America's first aviatrix, there is no question whatsoever about the first to received her pilot's license. She was Harriet Quimby, the darling of her day. In her mauve satin flying costume, she captured the admiration of all who saw her fly or read of her exploits.

There is some mystery regarding Ms. Quimby's origins, however. She let it generally be believed that she had been born into a wealthy family on an orange plantation in Arroyo Grande, California, in 1884, and educated in private schools in America and Europe. However, there is evidence that shows she was born in 1875, in Coldwater, Michigan, the daughter of a farmer. She was educated in public schools there, thanks to the sacrifice of her hardworking mother.