BELVIN W. MAYNARD 1892-1922 AKA Melvin Womble Maynard

Lt. Melvin Womble Maynard beside his airplane Hello Frisco from the North Carolina News and Observer, September 8, 1922 Courtesy of North Carolina State Archives.

 

BELVIN MAYNARD - 18 YEARS OLD Collection of Rose Ann Holomon, 1-9-05.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES via email from Rose Ann Holomon, 1-1-05 Dear Mr. Cooper,      I am Rose Ann Holomon, the grand-daughter of Belvin Maynard. Belvin Maynard, Jr. (now deceased) was my father. I too, would like any information on his father, my grandfather. My mother and father were divorced when I was only 3 months old, therefore I never got to know that side of my family. Since we live in Louisiana, and my mother thought that it was better for me to know only her family and my adopted father,      I never even met my father until I was 18 years old. He gave me many pictures of his side of the family, but that wasn't the same as getting to know them. I would be glad to share the pictures with you.      I have a son who is serving in the Army in Iraq at this time, and another son who is in the Navy. He is an electrical nuclear engineer, and is on a nuclear submarine. They never met my father. They seem to have the same kind of spirit as my grandfather. Too, I would love to be able to reach my two half-brothers. I think that they live in Florida. Sincerely, Rose Ann Holomon

 

"Frisco Bound"      "This photo was obtained from a family member of Franklin (Frank) Taylor Wheeler, Jr., who was born March 15, 1896 at New Bloomfield, Pa. He served overseas June 23, 1918 to June 26, 1919 in Hq. Co. 3 Regt Air Service and was discharged July 7, 1919 as Sergeant. In 1934 he lived at 323 Broadway, Santa Monica, Cal". Contributed by Richard L. Arnold, 1-28-12

 

THE FLYING PARSON via email from William Belvin Simmons, Jr., 12-4-06 Ralph:      I have no information on Belvin Maynard, but I have an interesting story regarding him.      A few years ago, I was in the orthodontist office with my daughter and picked up a copy of "Our State" magazine. Inside was an article, quite long, about Belvin Maynard.      This got my interest because my dad's name was Belvin, and it was somewhat of an unusual name. Once I asked him where his mother got the name and he said he thought she got it from some hero in a book she read.      As I read the article, I realized Belvin Maynard was from the same area of N.C as my grandparents, Sampson County. He was born in 1892 and my grandfather was born in 1892 and my grandmother in 1898. My dad is deceased, so I could not ask him, but he had 2 older sisters still living.      When I called them that night, I asked where their mother got the name Belvin. They were older than my dad. One said she got it from a famous pilot, the other said she got it from a preacher she knew. They did not remember his entire name. Of course, when I shared the article about the "Flying Parson", they both said that was where she got the name.      Even though we are not related, I thought this might be interesting to you in your study. Sincerely, William Belvin Simmons, Jr. "Bill" Greensboro, NC

 

REQUEST FOR HELP via email from Nita B. Phillips, 7-11-07      Belvin Maynard's name was given to me by Dennis Goodson of North Carolina. He told me that Belvin Maynard was a direct descendant of Joshua Goodson - that is my husband's line. I am hoping that you have information on Joshua Goodson. Thank you. Nita B. Phillips Editor's Note: If you can help Nita with her search for information, please contact me at my email address. I will forward your response to her. Thank you.

 

ONLINE RESOURCES      If you search for "Belvin Maynard +aviation" using the Google search engine, (9-20-03), you will find about 15 links. Several of the most helpful are the following.

BELVIN MAYNARD      You will find this entry on the North Carolina Centennial of Flight website is absolutely priceless. It offers a very comprehensive biography of him and a photograph of him standing beside his plane, "Hello Frisco," from the North Carolina State Archives. You can access the site by clicking on the title above.      If time is available, you will be rewarded by visiting the homepage and sampling the other sections such as Timeline, Pioneers, Accounts, Centennial and resources. Among the pioneers you will find biographies of other aviators, some familiar, some unfamiliar, all of them interesting. Many of their stories are illustrated with priceless photographs from the North Carolina State Archive. To access the homepage, just click on the name of the website, North Carolina Centennial of Flight.

 

SMITH REYNOLDS AIRPORT HISTORY      On this website you will find a rather complete biography of Belvin, as well as a fairly good photograph. You may access the site by clicking on the title above.

 

"Frisco Bound" the Great Transcontinental Air Race of 1919 Painting by Scott Blume

 

Billy Mitchell and the Great Transcontinental Air Race of 1919 by Dr. William M. Leary      In this fascinating story of the Air Race, you will find an amusing reference to Belvin. The complete story will be of great interest to any of the visitors to this site. You may access the site by clicking on the title above.

 

The marker for Maynard Field relates some of the history of the airstrip, which was named for Lt. Belvin W. Maynard. Journal Photo by Lauren Carroll

Maynard airstrip honored with historic marker The site was the first commercial airfield in North Carolina; it opened in 1919      I was alerted to this story by Gail Maynard Wells, the niece of Belvin. The article by Jim Sparks, Journal Reporter, recounts the history of the airfield named in honor of Lt. Belvin Maynard. He also revues the work by Jennifer Bean Bower, a photographic curator at Old Salem Museums and Gardens, who was instrumental in the erection of the marker. You can see the full size photograph of the marker and read the entire fascinating story on the Winston-Salem Journal website by clicking on the title above.

 

The Fayetteville Observer Contributed by Ken Lancaster, 3-12-13

 
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RECOMMENDED READING

FIRST TO FLY: North Carolina and the Beginnings of Aviation   by Thomas C. Parramore   Product Details Hardcover: 388 pages Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches Publisher: University of North Carolina Press (March 11, 2002) List Price: $29.95 ISBN: 0807826766

Description via email from David L. Johnson, 9-16-05 Hello Ralph,      I am David L. Johnson, nephew of Belvin Maynard.      My mother, Elizabeth Maynard Johnson, was one of 11 children of Dr. Atlas Allan Maynard and Anna Elizabeth Liles Maynard.      There is a book titled FIRST TO FLY by Thomas C. Parramore and published byThe University of NC Press ISBN #0-8078=5470-0.      It is about the beginnings of Aviation in NC. It devoted one complete chapter to Belvin Maynard.

 

Belvin W. Maynard was killed in a crash September 6, 1922   Editor's Note: If you have any information on this Early Flier, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper   Back