Fred C. (Fred Charters) Kelly

Fred Charters Kelly was an American humorist, newspaperman, columnist, and author born in Xenia, Ohio, in 1882. He studied at the University of Michigan and started in newspapers at a young age, later writing for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and building a reputation for clear, witty prose.

He became especially notable for his syndicated Washington column, Statesmen, Real and Near, which is widely described as the first Washington, D.C. news column to be syndicated. Alongside journalism, he wrote books on human nature, public life, and biography, always with an easy, readable style.

Kelly is now best remembered by many readers for his connection to early aviation history. He served as the authorized biographer of Orville and Wilbur Wright and wrote The Wright Brothers, helping preserve the story of their lives and work for later generations. He died in 1959.