Amelia Earhart

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – CIRCA 1963: A postcard printed in USA shows Amelia Earhart. Neftali/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Amelia Mary Earhart

Date of Birth: July 24, 1897

Place of Birth: Atchison, Kansas, U.S.

“Declared dead” in absentia on: January 5, 1939

Ethnicity: German, English, smaller amount of Swiss-German, distant Dutch

Amelia Earhart was an American pilot and writer. Known as a legendary figure in American aviation of the 1920s and 1930s, she was the first woman to fly as a passenger nonstop-across the Atlantic Ocean, in 1928, and the first woman to fly solo over the Atlantic, in 1932; was a key figure in promoting commercial air travel and the formation of female pilots’ organization The Ninety-Nines; and wrote best-selling books about her experiences. She was also a visiting faculty member as an advisor and career counselor in her field at Purdue University. Many institutions, buildings, streets, as well as a minor planet, and a lunar crater, have been given her name. Amelia, along with her navigator Fred Noonan, disappeared on July 2, 1937 over the Pacific Ocean; they were flying to Howland Island from Lae, New Guinea, while she attempted to become the first woman to complete a circumnavigational flight of the globe.

Amelia was the daughter of Amelia “Amy” (Otis) and Edwin Stanton Earhart, a lawyer. She was partly raised in Des Moines, Iowa. She was married to publisher, writer, and explorer George P. Putnam, whose family founded publishing house G. P. Putnam’s Sons. They were legally married until she was declared dead in absentia.

Amelia’s paternal grandfather was The Rev. David Earhart, Jr. (the son of David Earhart/Ehrhardt and Catharine/Catherine Altman). Amelia’s grandfather The Rev. David was born in Pennsylvania, and was a Lutheran minister. Amelia’s great-grandfather David was the son of Anthony Earhart/Ehrhardt/Ahardt, whose father was from Prussia; and of Elizabeth Eurie/Urey/Urich. Catharine’s father was Philip Altman, whose father was an ethnic German, from Rue de Herbitzheim, Oermingen, Alsace, and whose mother was from Paris. Caroline’s mother was Louisa Keppel, whose father was born in Herbitzheim.

Amelia’s paternal grandmother was Mary Wells Patton (the daughter of John Patton and Harriet Wells). Mary was born in Pennsylvania. John was editor of the Whig. Harriet was the daughter of John Wells and Mary “Polly” Musser.

Amelia’s maternal grandfather was Alfred Gideon Otis (the son of Isaac Otis and Caroline Abigail Curtis/Curtiss). Alfred was born in Little York, Homer, Courtland, New York, and was a federal judge and a leading citizen of Atchison, KS, including serving as president of the Atchison Savings Bank. He was a Mayflower descendant, and had deep roots in Conneticut. Amelia’s great-grandfather Isaac was born in Saratoga Springs, Saratoga, New York, the son of Ephraim Otis and Mary Cornell/Cornwell. Amelia’s great-grandmother Caroline was the daughter of Gideon Curtis/Curtiss, who was born in Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut, and of Ruth Day.

Amelia’s maternal grandmother was Amelia Josephine Harres (the daughter of Gephard/Gebhard Harres and Maria Grace). Amelia’s grandmother Amelia was born in Pennsylvania. Gephard was born in Hanover, Region Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany. Maria was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania.

Sources: Genealogies of Amelia Earhart – https://famouskin.com
https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com