Which Wright Brother Lost His Son: The Verified Story

Orville Wright is the Wright brother who lost his son. Wilbur Wright died in 1912 at age 45, leaving Orville to pioneer commercial aviation and later experience profound family loss. Orville and his wife Katharine raised two children: Reuchlin Wright (born 1900) and Elizabeth Wright (born 1904). Their younger son, James Lloyd Wright, died in 1925 at about age 20 during a surgical procedure following a ruptured appendix. Katharine died in 1929, and Orville lived until 1948, remaining active in aviation and business. This verified relationship explainer clarifies family outcomes and corrects common confusions about which Wright brother experienced the loss of a child.