John Henry Mears
Encyclopedia
John Henry Mears set the record for the fastest trip around the world both in 1913 and 1928. He was also a Broadway producer.
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On July 2, 1913 he left New York City
on the RMS Mauretania
, then traveled by a combination of steamers, yachts, and trains to circumnavigate the Earth and reach New York City
on August 6, 1913. He had an elapsed time of thirty-five days, twenty-one hours, thirty-five minutes, eighteen and four-fifths seconds. His record stood for thirteen years. In 1928, he set the record again at 23 days 15 hours 21 minutes and 3 seconds. In the same year he wrote an autobiography
called Racing the Moon.
After the Graf Zeppelin
broke his record in 1929, he made one last attempt in 1930. He had to abandon the trip after the airplane he was on was damaged during takeoff.
He died at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in Los Angeles
on July 26, 1956.
Biography
He was born on May 22, 1878 in MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
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On July 2, 1913 he left New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on the RMS Mauretania
RMS Mauretania (1906)
RMS Mauretania was an ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson at Wallsend, Tyne and Wear for the British Cunard Line, and launched on 20 September 1906. At the time, she was the largest and fastest ship in the world. Mauretania became a favourite among...
, then traveled by a combination of steamers, yachts, and trains to circumnavigate the Earth and reach New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on August 6, 1913. He had an elapsed time of thirty-five days, twenty-one hours, thirty-five minutes, eighteen and four-fifths seconds. His record stood for thirteen years. In 1928, he set the record again at 23 days 15 hours 21 minutes and 3 seconds. In the same year he wrote an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
called Racing the Moon.
After the Graf Zeppelin
LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin
LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin was a German built and operated passenger-carrying hydrogen-filled rigid airship which operated commercially from 1928 to 1937. It was named after the German pioneer of airships, Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who was a Graf or Count in the German nobility. During its operating life,...
broke his record in 1929, he made one last attempt in 1930. He had to abandon the trip after the airplane he was on was damaged during takeoff.
He died at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on July 26, 1956.
1913 Itinerary
- United States: New York City from the offices of the New York Sun newspaper on July 2, 1913
- Atlantic crossing: via the steamer "Mauretania"
- England: Fishguard, London & Dover via train
- France: Calais via channel steamer, Paris via train
- Germany: Berlin via train
- Russia: St Petersburg & Omsk via train
- China: Harbin, Manchuria & Mukden via train
- Korea: Pusan via train
- Japan: Shimonoseki via steamer & Tokyo via train
- Pacific crossing: via the steamer "Empress of Russia"
- Canada: Victoria, British Columbia where he left steamer in route and boarded a yacht. Left yacht in route and boarded a hydroplane
- United States: Seattle, Washington, St Paul, Minnesota, Chicago Illinois, Cleveland, Ohio & New York City back to the offices of the New York Sun newspaper via train