He emigrated to the United States in 1817 or 1818 where he continued as a carriage maker, first in Baltimore, Maryland, then in Hillsboro where he moved with his wife's family.

She loved to read and excelled in mathematics and science, and spent time in her father's workshop developing skills working with tools and solving mechanical problems.

[7] The family then moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Richmond, Indiana, finally settling back at their Dayton home in 1884.

[10] They kept two libraries in their family homes: books of theology in the bishop's study, and a large and diverse collection kept on the first floor, including two full encyclopedias, histories of England and France, works of Robert Ingresoll and Sir Walter Scott, and popular works of science, such as those of Charles Darwin; despite their religious convictions, Susan and Milton desired to maintain intellectual curiosity.

[4] The family corresponded with each other extensively; during the Bishop's absence, he wrote not only to Susan, but to each of the children in order to stay up-to-date and involved in their day-to-day lives.

He also brought home presents: notably, a toy for Orville and Wilbur (then ages 7 and 11) in 1878—made of cork, bamboo, paper, and twin blades twirled by a rubber band—based on an invention by French aeronautical pioneer Alphonse Pénaud.

[3] The next year, the family returned to their Dayton home and remained there so that Milton could be close to the center of the Church of the United Brethren.

He would forego attending Yale, remaining mostly home-bound for the next few years while taking care of Susan and reading extensively from the family library.

In order to limit his influence in the disagreement, he was re-elected bishop and put in charge of the west coast conferences in California.

"[13] Milton continued to acknowledge her death in his diaries throughout the rest of his life, calling her "the sweetest spirit Earth ever knew.

[14] Looking back on his childhood, Orville was later quoted as saying that he and Wilbur had "special advantages... we were lucky enough to grow up in a home environment where there was always much encouragement to children to pursue intellectual interests; to investigate whatever aroused their curiosity.