The Wright family had at least three pets that we know about. When Wilbur and Orville were children, they had a cat named “Old Mom.” When Wilbur was in France in 1908, he adopted a stray dog he called “Flyer.” And in later life, Orville bought a St. Bernard pup from Nina Dodd’s White Star Kennels in Long Branch, New Jersey for $75 and had him shipped to Dayton. Orville’s sister Katharine named him “Scipio” after the famous Roman general that had defeated Hannibal and thwarted an invasion of Rome. The dog was much loved. When Orville died years after Scipio had passed, there were still photos of the St. Bernard in his wallet.

Edith Berg poses with the dog “Flyer.” Flyer was a stray that Wilbur adopted when he was rebuilding his airplane during the summer of 1908. Flyer toured Europe with the Wrights and the Bergs, then Hart O. Berg and his wife took the dog when the Wrights returned to America.

Until today, I never knew what happened to Flyer once Wilbur left France. I am glad he was taken in by folks who loved him.