Fairbanks family facts for kids

Coat of Arms of Jonathan Fairbanks

The Fairbanks (also known as Fairbank) family is a well-known family with roots in England, but they became very important in America and Canada. This family started with a colonist named Jonathan Fairbanks. He moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 1633 with his family. Three years later, they settled in Dedham, Massachusetts. There, Jonathan built the Fairbanks House. This house is still standing today and is the oldest verified timber-frame house in the United States!

Who Are the Fairbanks?

The Fairbanks family has been involved in many different areas over the centuries. They have been important in politics, business, and even art. Many members of this family have made significant contributions to society.

Notable Fairbanks Family Members

Many members of the Fairbanks family have become famous for their achievements. Here are some of the most notable ones:

Early American Fairbanks

• Jonathan Fairbanks (c. 1595–1668): He was the first Fairbanks to come to America. He built the famous Fairbanks House in Dedham, Massachusetts.
• George Rainsford Fairbanks (1820–1906): He was a writer, historian, and lawyer. He played a big role in developing Florida. He also helped found the University of the South.

Fairbanks in Business and Innovation

• Erastus Fairbanks (1792–1864): He was a successful businessman and politician. He served as the Governor of Vermont twice. He was also a co-founder of E. & T. Fairbanks & Company, which made weighing scales.
• Horace Fairbanks (1820–1888): The son of Erastus, Horace also became Governor of Vermont. He continued the family's business success and was known for his philanthropy (giving money to good causes).
• Franklin Fairbanks (1828–1895): Another son of Erastus, Franklin was also involved in the family's scale manufacturing business. He founded the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium in St. Johnsbury, Vermont.
• Thaddeus Fairbanks (1796–1886): He was an inventor and businessman. He invented the platform scale, which made weighing large items much easier. This invention was a huge success for the family business.
• Nathaniel Kellogg Fairbank (1829–1903): He was a successful businessman in Chicago. He made his fortune in the lard and soap industries.

Fairbanks in Arts and Culture

• John Fairbanks (1855–1940): He was an American painter and art educator. He taught art at Brigham Young University.
• J. Leo Fairbanks (1878–1946): He was an American art educator and painter, following in his father John's footsteps.
• Avard Fairbanks (1897–1987): He was a famous American sculptor. He created many well-known public sculptures and monuments.
• Jonathan Leo Fairbanks (b. 1933): He is an art historian and curator, continuing the family's connection to the arts.
• Janet Ayer Fairbank (1878–1951): She was an American author and suffragist. She wrote several novels and was active in the women's suffrage movement.
• Janet Fairbank (1903–1947): She was an American opera singer, known for her performances in modern operas.
• Matthew Modine (b. 1959): He is a well-known American actor, director, and producer. He has starred in many films and TV shows.
• Ruby Modine (b. 1990): She is an American actress and singer, following her father Matthew into the entertainment industry.

Fairbanks in Politics and Public Service

• Charles Rufus Fairbanks (1790–1841): He was a lawyer and politician in Nova Scotia, Canada. He served in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.
• Samuel Prescott Fairbanks (1795–1882): He was a Canadian politician and lawyer. He also served in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.
• Charles W. Fairbanks (1852–1918): He was a prominent American politician. He served as a U.S. Senator from Indiana and later as the 26th Vice President of the United States under President Theodore Roosevelt.
• Cornelia Cole Fairbanks (1852–1913): The wife of Charles W. Fairbanks, she was a notable figure in her own right. She was active in women's clubs and served as the first president general of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
• Richard M. Fairbanks III (1941–2013): He was an American diplomat and politician. He held several important roles in the U.S. government, including Ambassador-at-Large.

Other Notable Fairbanks

• David Fairbanks (1922–1975): He was an American ice hockey player.
• Charles H. Fairbanks (1913–1984): He was an American archaeologist and anthropologist. He specialized in the archaeology of the southeastern United States.
• Ralph Jacobus Fairbanks (1857–1943): He was an American lawyer and judge.
• Samuel B. Fairbank (1822–1898): He was an American missionary in India.
• William M. Fairbank (1917–1989): He was an American physicist known for his work on superconductivity and superfluidity.
• Richard Fairbank (b. 1950): He is an American businessman, best known as the founder, chairman, and CEO of Capital One.
• John K. Fairbank (1907–1991): He was a leading American scholar of East Asian history, especially China.
• John Henry Fairbank (1831–1914): He was a Canadian politician and oil producer.
• Charles Oliver Fairbank (1858–1925) and Charles Oliver Fairbank (1904–1982): Both were Canadian doctors.
• Calvin Fairbank (1816–1898): He was an American abolitionist and Methodist minister. He was known for helping enslaved people escape to freedom.
• Ortho R. Fairbanks (1925–2015): He was an American sculptor and art educator.
• Charlotte Fairbanks (1871–1932): She was an American physician and medical missionary.