Harmon Museum Aviation Collections
Joe Snow News Clippings
Folder 1 Creator/Compiler: IraJoseph “Joe” Snow[b. 1908 d. 1998]
Repository: Old Orchard Beach Historical Society/Harmon Museum
Inclusive Dates: [n.d.], 1929-1985
Bulk Dates: 1929-1933
Collection size: .5 cubic foot / .5 linear foot
Accession No: 2002.06
Collection No: ASC 1
Restrictions: None.This collection is open for research upon request.
Biographical Notes: Ira Joseph “Joe” Snow, the son of Ira and Mary Snow of Pine Point, was born in 1908. He attended Scarborough schools and was a lifelong resident of Pine Point. He witnessed many aviation events in Old Orchard Beach including Charles Lindbergh’s emergency landing at Old Orchard Beach in 1927 as well as Amelia Earhart’s landing at the beach.
As a young man he owned an auto garage and worked on airplanes. He worked at the Scarboro Airport and in the mid-1920’s, at the age of 19, landed a job working as a hired hand and mechanic at the Hazard Shoe Company Hanger owned by Capt. Harry M. Jones [see Harry M. Jones Collection and Harry M. Jones Scrapbook Collection].
In the late 1920’s, he built and flew his own plane, which had a Henderson motorcycle engine that he had modified into an airplane engine. He flew his plane around Pine Point and onto people’s field. A few years later he sold his plane and bought a Curtis aero plane. His modified engine ended up in another airplane designed by a man named Milliken from Westbrook. That airplane ended up in the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum.
In 1932, Mr. Snow was involved in a serious flying accident. He lost a wing to the plane he was flying and crashed into the ocean just off Old Orchard Beach [see Interesting Historical Notes].
He was married a short time later to Corinne Elizabeth Robichaud Snow of Scarborough and had two sons, J. William Snow of Massachusetts, and Roger F. Snow of Yarmouth; four daughters, Elizabeth M. Thompson of Standish; Ann L. St. Germaine of New Jersey, Mary L. Pettengill of Gorham and Jane M. S. Heaney of Massachusetts.
In 1936, he opened Joe Snow’s Garage on Pine Point Road just beyond the Scarborough Marsh. In 1949 he went to work for his uncle as a machinist for the Fred H. Snow Canning Co., retiring in 1973. During his retirement Mr. Snow continued to work in his home machine shop, repairing small engine and tractors.
Mr. Snow died at his home on Pine Point Road in 1998 at the age of 90.
Interesting Historical Note: In April of 1932, Joe Snow piloted an Aeronca airplane with passenger Wendell S. Carney of South Portland, when their plane wing collapsed 1,000 feet in the air, plunging the two men into the water 25 yards from the short of Old Orchard Beach. Mr. Carney was dragged unconscious from the wrecked plane and a few moments later Snow as seen floating on the water nearby. Mr. Snow was revived with an inhalator and a half hour later he was breathing normally on his own. Although his injuries were quite severe, he fully recovered.
Scope and Content Notes: This collection consists of 44 news clippings pertaining to Joe Snow and/or aviation events as they happened during the time Mr. Snow was a mechanic at Capt. Harry Jones Hangar in Old Orchard Beach including articles about Capt. Harry Jones.
Provenance: In 2002, Angie Hogan of Old Orchard Beach brought into the Old Orchard Beach Historical Society facsimiles of various aviation news clippings of Ira Joseph “Joe” Snow. [Accession number 02.06.01, re-numbered as 2002.06] At first glance at the accession book, the impression was Ms. Hogan may have acquired these from Mr. Snow at one time and decided to pass them along to the Historical Society. There are no notes indicating what relationship Ms. Hogan had with Mr. Snow. It could be that Ms. Hogan collected these herself. The collection of articles were treated as individual artifacts and grouped into a series of topical subjects. Each of these groups were given another accession number. The articles were then placed in folders based on their subject.
In order to return the collection to its original order and to protect provenance, all the news clippings were brought back together as they were originally received as one collection. The collection was initially called “Joe Snow Papers,” which is not accurate as these are not the personal papers of Mr. Snow. Instead, I have decided to title the collection, “Joe Snow News Clippings.” They are now part of the larger Old Orchard Beach Historical Society Aviation Collection.
FINDING AIDS
Collection Title: Joe Snow News Clippings
Box 1
Folder 1. Various clippings about the December 1, 1929 plane launched from the top of an automobile drive my Mr. Ira Joseph Snow.
Folder 2. News clippings about the June 13, 1929 transatlantic flight of the “Yellowbird” and the stowaway on board.
Folder 3. News clippings about the Hangar fire in 1930 at Capt. Harry M. Jones Hangar where he was a mechanic and his 1932 planecrash off of Old Orchard Beach shore.
Folder 4. News clippings about the 1977 re-enactment of Lindbergh’stour of the States and the recollections of Joe Snow, Ted Mingo and Cecile Scriptors.
Folder 5. News clipping about the 1920 sailing glider that flew over the sands of Old Orchard Beach.
Folder 6. 1985 article written by Peter Morelli about Joe.
Folder 7. Various news clippings about the career of Capt. Harry M. Jones, including the dedication plaque given to him by the Old Orchard Beach Historical Society and the Maine Aviation Historical Society on August 29, 1971.
Folder 8. Early Boston—Maine Airways’ Captain Hazen R. Bean.
Folder 9. 1933 short flight of the first known home built plane in Maine by Bill Milliken.
Folder 10. 1928 facsimile copy of news clipping of Scarborough, Maine Airport.
Repository: Old Orchard Beach Historical Society/Harmon Museum
Inclusive Dates: [n.d.], 1929-1985
Bulk Dates: 1929-1933
Collection size: .5 cubic foot / .5 linear foot
Accession No: 2002.06
Collection No: ASC 1
Restrictions: None.This collection is open for research upon request.
Biographical Notes: Ira Joseph “Joe” Snow, the son of Ira and Mary Snow of Pine Point, was born in 1908. He attended Scarborough schools and was a lifelong resident of Pine Point. He witnessed many aviation events in Old Orchard Beach including Charles Lindbergh’s emergency landing at Old Orchard Beach in 1927 as well as Amelia Earhart’s landing at the beach.
As a young man he owned an auto garage and worked on airplanes. He worked at the Scarboro Airport and in the mid-1920’s, at the age of 19, landed a job working as a hired hand and mechanic at the Hazard Shoe Company Hanger owned by Capt. Harry M. Jones [see Harry M. Jones Collection and Harry M. Jones Scrapbook Collection].
In the late 1920’s, he built and flew his own plane, which had a Henderson motorcycle engine that he had modified into an airplane engine. He flew his plane around Pine Point and onto people’s field. A few years later he sold his plane and bought a Curtis aero plane. His modified engine ended up in another airplane designed by a man named Milliken from Westbrook. That airplane ended up in the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum.
In 1932, Mr. Snow was involved in a serious flying accident. He lost a wing to the plane he was flying and crashed into the ocean just off Old Orchard Beach [see Interesting Historical Notes].
He was married a short time later to Corinne Elizabeth Robichaud Snow of Scarborough and had two sons, J. William Snow of Massachusetts, and Roger F. Snow of Yarmouth; four daughters, Elizabeth M. Thompson of Standish; Ann L. St. Germaine of New Jersey, Mary L. Pettengill of Gorham and Jane M. S. Heaney of Massachusetts.
In 1936, he opened Joe Snow’s Garage on Pine Point Road just beyond the Scarborough Marsh. In 1949 he went to work for his uncle as a machinist for the Fred H. Snow Canning Co., retiring in 1973. During his retirement Mr. Snow continued to work in his home machine shop, repairing small engine and tractors.
Mr. Snow died at his home on Pine Point Road in 1998 at the age of 90.
Interesting Historical Note: In April of 1932, Joe Snow piloted an Aeronca airplane with passenger Wendell S. Carney of South Portland, when their plane wing collapsed 1,000 feet in the air, plunging the two men into the water 25 yards from the short of Old Orchard Beach. Mr. Carney was dragged unconscious from the wrecked plane and a few moments later Snow as seen floating on the water nearby. Mr. Snow was revived with an inhalator and a half hour later he was breathing normally on his own. Although his injuries were quite severe, he fully recovered.
Scope and Content Notes: This collection consists of 44 news clippings pertaining to Joe Snow and/or aviation events as they happened during the time Mr. Snow was a mechanic at Capt. Harry Jones Hangar in Old Orchard Beach including articles about Capt. Harry Jones.
Provenance: In 2002, Angie Hogan of Old Orchard Beach brought into the Old Orchard Beach Historical Society facsimiles of various aviation news clippings of Ira Joseph “Joe” Snow. [Accession number 02.06.01, re-numbered as 2002.06] At first glance at the accession book, the impression was Ms. Hogan may have acquired these from Mr. Snow at one time and decided to pass them along to the Historical Society. There are no notes indicating what relationship Ms. Hogan had with Mr. Snow. It could be that Ms. Hogan collected these herself. The collection of articles were treated as individual artifacts and grouped into a series of topical subjects. Each of these groups were given another accession number. The articles were then placed in folders based on their subject.
In order to return the collection to its original order and to protect provenance, all the news clippings were brought back together as they were originally received as one collection. The collection was initially called “Joe Snow Papers,” which is not accurate as these are not the personal papers of Mr. Snow. Instead, I have decided to title the collection, “Joe Snow News Clippings.” They are now part of the larger Old Orchard Beach Historical Society Aviation Collection.
FINDING AIDS
Collection Title: Joe Snow News Clippings
Box 1
Folder 1. Various clippings about the December 1, 1929 plane launched from the top of an automobile drive my Mr. Ira Joseph Snow.
Folder 2. News clippings about the June 13, 1929 transatlantic flight of the “Yellowbird” and the stowaway on board.
Folder 3. News clippings about the Hangar fire in 1930 at Capt. Harry M. Jones Hangar where he was a mechanic and his 1932 planecrash off of Old Orchard Beach shore.
Folder 4. News clippings about the 1977 re-enactment of Lindbergh’stour of the States and the recollections of Joe Snow, Ted Mingo and Cecile Scriptors.
Folder 5. News clipping about the 1920 sailing glider that flew over the sands of Old Orchard Beach.
Folder 6. 1985 article written by Peter Morelli about Joe.
Folder 7. Various news clippings about the career of Capt. Harry M. Jones, including the dedication plaque given to him by the Old Orchard Beach Historical Society and the Maine Aviation Historical Society on August 29, 1971.
Folder 8. Early Boston—Maine Airways’ Captain Hazen R. Bean.
Folder 9. 1933 short flight of the first known home built plane in Maine by Bill Milliken.
Folder 10. 1928 facsimile copy of news clipping of Scarborough, Maine Airport.
