Charles Lanier Lawrance
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Charles L. Lawrance was an American socialite and aeronautical engineer who designed first successful air-cooled aircraft engine. Long-distance flights of Admiral Byrd, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart and Clarence Chamberlin were all made possible by his J-5 Whirlwind engine, which could operate continuously for 33.5 hours. Despite sensational publicity that Lindbergh's flight attracted, Lawrance himself remained in relative obscurity - upon which he commented: “Who remembers Paul Revere’s horse?”
He resided at an 116-acre East Islip estate believed to be purchased from the H. B. Hollins after his bankruptcy. Lawrance died on June 24, 1950. Some years after his death, his estate was sold to a developer, William Miller who created The Moorings. This luxury and premier gated community is border by the Great South Bay and Champlin Creek, catering to a distinguishly opulent lifestyle.
