Hanks, Stedman Shumway, 1889-1979

Stedman Shumway Hanks (1889-1979), U.S. Air Force colonel, airport engineer and prolific writer, was an early pioneer in aviation, both civil and military. He was a breeder of Borzoi dogs which his father, Charles Stedman Hanks, brought to the U.S. from the Russian czar's kennels when he established the Seacroft Kennels on Long Island, N.Y.

From the guide to the Stedman Shumway Hanks papers, 1889-1968, 1950s-1960s, (The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.)

Airport engineer, banker, aviator, author, and genealogist.

From the description of Papers, 1903-1974. (New England Historic Genealogical Society). WorldCat record id: 40108494

Genealogist, aviation engineer.

Hanks' house was known as "Seacroft."

From the description of Seacroft papers, [ca. 1800-1962] (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 155496095

Stedman Shumway Hanks (1889-1979), U.S. Air Force colonel, airport engineer and prolific writer, was an early pioneer in aviation, both civil and military.

He was a breeder of Borzoi dogs which his father, Charles Stedman Hanks, brought to the U.S. from the Russian czar's kennels when he established the Seacroft Kennels on Long Island, N.Y.

From the description of Stedman Shumway Hanks papers, 1889-1968, bulk (1950s-1960s). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122597430

Stedman Shumway Hanks (1889-1979) was an airport engineer, construction executive, banker, author, and United States Air Force Colonel. He was born on 1889 July 17 in Manchester, Massachusetts, the son of Charles Stedman Hanks (1856-1908) and Clarina Bartow Shumway (1857-1925). He attended the Groton School, and received an A.B. from Harvard College in 1912, and an A.M. from Columbia University in 1946. His first wife was Marjory Hancock Hanks (b. ca. 1890-; married on 1919 February 11) and his second wife was Helen Chappell, married in 1952. He had a son with his first wife, Roger Stedman Hanks (1921-1999).

In 1936, Hanks patented a flight strip and helped gain government appropriation for its construction throughout the country. He was founder and president of American Airports Corporation, executive director of the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission, and president of Stedman Hanks & Co. He wrote many books and articles on aviation and foreign policy. Hanks died in Manhattan, New York, at the age of 89, on 1979 May 23.

From the description of Stedman Shumway Hanks papers, ca. 1889-1970. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 612805235

Stedman Shumway Hanks (1889-1979) was an airport engineer, construction executive, banker, author, and United States Air Force Colonel. He was born on July 17, 1889 in Manchester, Massachusetts, to Charles Stedman Hanks (1856-1908) and Clarina Bartow Shumway (1857-1925). His father established Seacroft Kennels in 1890 in Massachusetts, being the first dog-breeder in the United States to bring the Russian born Wolf-Hounds, later named Borzoi, from the Czar's kennels. Colonel Hanks kept the kennels his father had operated in existence and was active in Borzoi fanciers' activities, but his involvement in the kennel was limited. His education began at attended the Groton School, received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College in 1912, and an M.A. from Columbia University in 1946. Col. Hanks was married to Marjory Hancock Hanks, his first wife, in 1919 with whom he had a son, Roger Stedman Hanks (1921-1999). They were later divorced and Hanks remarried Helen Chappell in 1952.

An accomplished aviation engineer, Colonel Hanks was best known for patenting "flight strips," auxiliary landing areas for aircraft alongside public highways in various parts of the country, in 1936 and helped gain the Congressional authorization necessary for its construction throughout the country. In civilian life, Hanks served in several posts with the Department of State, was associated with the American International Corporation, and the president of Stedman Hanks & Co., a consulting firm.

As a fervent advocate for air transportation, Hanks founded and served as president of American Airports Corporation and was the executive director of the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission, working to promote aviation in the state. Hanks was a renowned expert on aviation and foreign policy and wrote various noteworthy books and articles on the subject. His publications include: Flight strips - bargain airports (1945), Flight strips for civilian use (1944), and Frontiers are not borders; a brief account of a journey to meet and understand the peoples of the world (1955). Hanks applied this same dedication for aviation towards researching his family's history, compiling a vast archive of genealogical research and materials into bound volumes, separating them into different collections which he later dispersed to several libraries (see Related Materials note).

Hanks died in Manhattan, New York, at the age of 89, on May 23, 1979.

Sources: - Col. Stedman S. Hanks, Airport Engineer, Writer. New York Times [New York, N.Y.], May 26, 1979.

From the guide to the Stedman Shumway Hanks genealogical research papers, 1801-1968, (The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.)

Stedman Shumway Hanks (1889-1979) was an airport engineer, construction executive, banker, author, and United States Air Force Colonel. He was born on 1889 July 17 in Manchester, Massachusetts, the son of Charles Stedman Hanks (1856-1908) and Clarina Bartow Shumway (1857-1925). He attended the Groton School, and received an A.B. from Harvard College in 1912, and an A.M. from Columbia University in 1946. His first wife was Marjory Hancock Hanks (b. ca. 1890-; married on 1919 February 11) and his second wife was Helen Chappell, married in 1952. He had a son with his first wife, Roger Stedman Hanks (1921-1999).

Hanks' military history follows: Commissioned First Lieutenant, Aviation Section, Signal Officer Reserve Corps, 1917; relieved from active duty, 1920; recalled to active duty, 1940. Career assignments include: Commanding Officer, 18th Aero Squadron, 1918; Liaison Officer, Office of Assistant Secretary of War, 1940; Staff Officer, HQ Ferrying Command, 1941-1943; various staff duties, HQ USAAF, 1943-1945. Retired August 1949.

In 1936, Hanks patented a flight strip and helped gain government appropriation for its construction throughout the country. He was founder and president of American Airports Corporation, executive director of the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission, and president of Stedman Hanks & Co. He wrote many books and articles on aviation and foreign policy. His major books were: Airfields for Puerto Rico (1946), Aviation gets down to earth; the growing need for public landing fields (1940), The borzoi: the most noble greyhound (1960), Flight strips - bargain airports (1945), Flight strips for civilian use (1944), Frontiers are not borders; a brief account of a journey to meet and understand the peoples of the world (1955), International airports (1929), and others.

Hank's father established Seacroft Kennels in 1890 and brought Russian Wolf-Hounds (later named Borzoi) to the United States. Stedman Hanks kept the kennels in existence and he was active in Borzoi fanciers' activities, but his involvement in the kennel was limited. Hanks died in Manhattan, New York, at the age of 89, on 1979 May 23.

From the guide to the Stedman Shumway Hanks, ca. 1889-1970., (Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University)