This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
[[stamped]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE [[/stamped]] JACK CANNON Pioneer West Coast Plane Builder – Aviator [[image]] Jack Cannon was born at Norton, Kansas, December 3rd, 1883. After attending local schools he spent two years at the University of New Mexico. Mechanically inclined he took up machine shop work and learned the machinist trade. Canon became interested in aviation and flying when the work of the Wright Brothers and other early experimenters became known. During this period he had moved to Los Angeles, California where his interest became more serious following the first Los Angeles Aviation Meet held at Dominguez Field on January 10th to 20th, 1910. Flying in this early event were Glenn Curtiss, Charles Willard and Charles Hamilton, all using Curtiss biplanes, and Louis Paulhan of France, flying a Farman biplane. Also at this Meet were Lincoln Beachey and Roy Knabenshue with dirigibles. Several balloonists were also there making ascensions. It was quite an event and there Canon became determined to build a plane and learn to fly. As a result he started to build a modified Curtiss-type biplane with the help of his brother Walter. This was completed during the summer months of 1910 and Canon first learn to fly this machine has a glider in towed flight behind an automobile before installing an engine. He became very proficient at this and 1