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[[stamped]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE [[/stamped]]

CROMWELL DIXON, JR.
Early Ohio Aeronaut - Curtis Aviator

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Cromwell Dixon was born in San Francisco, California July 9, 1892. His widowed mother, who was a teacher and short story writer, moved to Columbus, Ohio while he was still in arms and a short time later his sister was born.

Dixon attended local schools and grew up to be an exceptionally brilliant boy. Mechanically inclined, with a keen scientific interest, he was adept at inventing and making things. He was also musically inclined and played cornet violin. His first mechanical interests were bicycles, then he built a motorcycle that carried him to a win in several local races. His mother developed an intense love for her son, with absolute faith and confidence in whatever he wanted to do and they became very close comrades.

On Labor Day, 1905 Roy Knabenshue made exhibition flights with his airship at Columbus and young Dixon became intensely interest. As a result Mrs. Dixon approached Knabenshue with her son and asked if he would take an interest in young Dixon and teach him to become an aeronaut. Knabenshue felt the boy was much too young and advised Mrs. Dixon to keep him out of it.

Apparently Knabenshue did not realize the mother's pluck, nor the boy's determination, for they immediately interested some local capital in their venture and a year later when Knabenshue returned to Colombus he found that the Dixons were completing an airship in a store building they had rented for

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