Charles A. A. Dellschau

Charles August Albert Dellschau (June 4, 1830 - April 20, 1923) was a German-born American butcher who was posthumously recognised for his "Sonora Aero Club" works, including both writings and an accompanying collection of collages, illustrations, and watercolours depicting the unusual designs of the club's airships.

Background

 * Immigrated to the United States, ~1848
 * Resided in the mining town of Sonora, California, ~1850s
 * Relocated to Houston, Texas, married ~1860s

Sonora Aero Club (1850-1858)
Dellschau's oeuvre consists largely of illustrations and news clippings detailing the activities of a secret society of airship enthusiasts known as the Sonora Aero Club, a group based in the regions of Sonora and Columbia in California, reportedly active between 1850 and 1858 in the midst of the California Gold Rush. In the works of Dellschau, the club is reported to have constructed and flight-tested many radical designs for airships.