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CLARKE THOMPSON 
Wealthy Sportsman Pilot 

FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE

Clarke Thomspon was born in Merion Station, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, October 13, 1875, son of the then President of the Pennsylvania Railroad. He attended local schools, then Groton Prep School, Groton, Massachusetts; entered Harvard University in 1895 and graduated in 1899. After leaving College he took a 3-year course at the Altoona shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad, then went into the employe of the railroad, where he remained for about one year, after which he resigned. 
In April, 1903 he went to Europe [[crossed out]] where he [[/crossed out]] and traveled extensively through Italy, France and Great Britain. Following this he toured India, China and Japan. 
During his travels he became interested in aviation and returned home to take up flying. [[crossed out]] and [[/crossed out]] He signed up for instruction with the George Beutty School at Nassau Boulevard, Long Island, [[/crossed out]] in the early spring of 1912. There he learned to fly a Wright biplane [[/crossed out]] and obtained F.A.I License No. 112, dated April 10, 1912. In the same class of students were L. H. DeRemer, Clifford Prodger, Wilbur Andrews, William Riceller and F. W. Kemper. At that time Thompson became a member of the Aero Club of America. 
Following this he returned to Europe to review aviation there and made a number of flights with Maurice Farman in France. It is reported that he also took some monoplane instruction while in Europe. 
When he returned home he became very interested in American flying boat