12017-12-09T09:17:36-08:00Biographical Information- Early Life8plain2017-12-12T14:14:53-08:00 Ruth Elder was born September 8, 1902 in Anniston, Alabama. Because little work has been done on Elder, there is relatively no information on her early life prior to fame. It is noted that she moved to Lakeland, Florida with her family sometime in her early adulthood. Another article notes that her two sisters came to greet her when she arrived in New York after her flight. At the time of her flight, she was married to her second husband, Lyle Womack. From what can be gathered, it is clear that she took to the lime light, and wanted to be publicly recognized in some fashion or another.
According to newspaper sources, it was during a beauty pageant in August 1927 that the twenty-two year old Ruth declared that she wanted to be the first woman to fly over the Atlantic. Although she had barely any experience, she was determined to make the flight, along with help from her hired pilot, George Haldeman.
