John Wise (balloonist)

John Wise (February 24, 1808 – September 28, 1879?) was a pioneer in the field of ballooning. He made over 400 flights during his lifetime and was responsible for several innovations in balloon design. His balloon, The Jupiter carried 123 letters to make the first official airmail delivery run for the US Post Office in 1859.

John Wise was born on February 24, 1808 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States, to William and Mary Trey Weiss who anglicized his surname to Wise. He was the fourth of eight children. He worked as an apprentice cabinetmaker from the time he was 16; after the age of 21 he briefly became a piano maker. He had been interested in ballooning since reading an article in the newspaper when he was 14, and in 1835, at the age of 27, he decided to construct his own balloon.

Wise made his first ascent in Philadelphia on May 2, 1835. As the construction had been self-financed the materials of his home-made balloon were not of the highest quality. He used muslin sheet coated with a mixture of birdlime suspended in linseed oil to make the sheet impermeable. Unlike most balloonists of the day, Wise was not ballooning as a commercial venture, but rather for his own interest and scientific curiosity. The ascent was short and uneventful.

He took a second flight in Lebanon County on Independence Day 1835. He attempted to open the valve on the top of the balloon, but lost control, and it burst, compelling him to descend. On October 1, 1835, he attempted an ascension from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but was thrown from the car and became unconscious while the balloon ascended alone. On May 7, 1836, he ascended again from Lancaster, and landed in Harford County, Maryland, about 75 miles distant. While he was emptying the car of its cargo an explosion of the gas occurred and burned him severely.

He made a voyage from Philadelphia on September 18, 1837, alighting in Delaware River, where he was rescued. On this trip he set loose two parachutes for the purpose of demonstrating the superiority of the inverted parachute. In October 1837, he ascended again from Philadelphia, and alighted in New Jersey, 40 miles from his starting-point.

...
Wikipedia