Henry Woodhouse Papers, 1900-1939

Henry Woodhouse was a US aviation enthusiast, magazine publisher, speculator, and forger of historical documents. He was born Mario Terenzio Enrico Casalegno in Turin, Italy, on June 24, 1884, and came to America in 1904. In 1910 he started to write magazine articles about aviation and gained fame as an aviation expert. Woodhouse joined the "Aero Club of America" in 1911 but withdrew his support and joined the minor rival organization, "Aerial League of America," serving as President. With support of Robert J. Collier, he founded and was managing editor of the magazine "Flying," which lead him to publish other aviation magazines such as "Naval Aeronautics," "Air Power," and "Scientific Age." In 1915 he helped to found the American Society of Aeronautic Engineering. At the outbreak of the World War I, he supported the national defense movement and served on committees dedicated to preparedness. As his wealth and connections increased, Woodhouse speculated in real estate and Middle Eastern oil and was a dealer and collector of antiques, celebrity signatures, and historical documents. Some of the signatures and documents Woodhouse sold were found to be forgeries that he created. Woodhouse died on January 6, 1970.