# Arthur P. Warner

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Arthur Pratt Warner Born (1870-04-18)April 18, 1870 Jacksonville, Florida Died March 22, 1957(1957-03-22) (aged 86) Beloit, Wisconsin Occupations Inventor, businessman, aviator Known for Invented the first automobile speedometer; first to fly in Wisconsin

Warner Auto-Meter Warner Auto-Meter car during the 1908 Glidden Tour via the Detroit Public Library Man painting Warner Auto-Meter billboard on truck during 1909 New York automobile carnival parade via the Detroit Public Library Advertising card for the Warner Auto-Meter, a combined odometer, speedometer, and clock via the National Museum of American History

**Arthur Pratt Warner** (April 18, 1870, [Jacksonville, Florida](/source/Jacksonville%2C_Florida) – March 22, 1957, [Beloit, Wisconsin](/source/Beloit%2C_Wisconsin)) was an American inventor, businessman and pioneer aviator. His inventions include the electric brake and, along with his brother, the automotive [speedometer](/source/Speedometer).[1][2]

He was the first American private citizen to purchase an airplane,[1][3][4] the "first commercially built airplane".[5] He paid [Glenn Curtiss](/source/Glenn_Curtiss) $6000 (equal to $215,000 today) a disassembled one.[2][4] Once he had assembled it (without instructions or manuals), he became the first person to fly in Wisconsin, at [Beloit](/source/Beloit%2C_Wisconsin) on November 4, 1909.[3][4] He got 50 feet (15 m) off the ground and traveled a quarter mile (0.4 km).[2] This also made him the eleventh American pilot.[3]

A self-taught engineer, with his brother Charles he invented the first automobile speedometer, which made him rich.[2] The Warner Instrument Co. was incorporated in 1903, with Warner as vice president and general manager.[6] In 1912, he sold his speedometer company for $1.2 million, equal to $40,034,483 today.[2] In 1917, the Warner Manufacturing Co. came into existence, with Warner as president, to make automobile and truck trailers.[6] Inventions that he developed in connection with this business included the electric brake and power clutch.[2] He retired in 1934.[6]

## See also

- [Odometer § Subsequent developments](/source/Odometer#Subsequent_developments) – for Warner's Auto-Meter

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-HOF_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-HOF_1-1) ["Hall of Fame Inductees: Arthur P. Warner"](http://www.wisconsinaviationhalloffame.org/inductees/warner.htm). Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 16, 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-WJS_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-WJS_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-WJS_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-WJS_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-WJS_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-WJS_2-5) Meg Jones (November 3, 2009). ["First state flight to be commemorated in Beloit"](http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/69028117.html). *[Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel](/source/Milwaukee_Journal-Sentinel)*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Resolution37_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Resolution37_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Resolution37_3-2) ["State of Wisconsin: 2009 Assembly Joint Resolution 37"](http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2009/related/enrolled/ajr37.pdf) (PDF). Wisconsin Legislative Documents. Retrieved September 16, 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-EAA_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-EAA_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-EAA_4-2) ["Wisconsin Celebrates Centennial of Flight"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130224135235/http://eaa.org/news/2009/2009-10-29_centennial.asp). Experimental Aircraft Association. October 29, 2009. Archived from [the original](http://www.eaa.org/news/2009/2009-10-29_centennial.asp) on February 24, 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Curtiss_5-0)** ["Curtiss-Wright Timeline"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120221030316/http://www.cwfc.com/About_Us/spokes/history2.htm). Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Company. Archived from [the original](http://www.cwfc.com/about_us/spokes/history2.htm) on February 21, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-HistSoc_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-HistSoc_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-HistSoc_6-2) ["Warner, Arthur Pratt 1870 - 1957"](http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=1652&search_term=warner). Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved September 16, 2012.

## Further reading

- Clayman, Andrew (2021-02-26). ["Stewart-Warner Corp., est. 1905"](http://www.madeinchicagomuseum.com/single-post/stewart-warner/). *Made-in-Chicago Museum*. Retrieved 2023-08-31.

- Torchinsky, Jason (2023-08-31). ["The Interesting Old Speedometer Story Gets Weirder: Cold Start"](https://www.theautopian.com/the-interesting-old-speedometer-story-gets-weirder-cold-start/). *The Autopian*. Retrieved 2023-08-31.

- ["Warner's 'Newfangled' Speedometer"](https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS2689). *Wisconsin Historical Society*. 2007-05-17. Retrieved 2023-08-31.

## External links

- [Early Aviators - A.P. Warner](http://www.earlyaviators.com/ewarner.htm)

- [Warner Auto-Meter Speedometer, 1908](https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/365464/) at the Henry Ford Museum

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Arthur P. Warner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_P._Warner) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_P._Warner?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.