Fairbanks Family Genealogy & History

Douglas Fairbanks, born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman, was a pioneering American actor and filmmaker renowned for his iconic roles as swashbuckling heroes in silent films, including the first portrayal of Zorro. Known as "The King of Hollywood," he co-founded United Artists and hosted the inaugural Academy Awards in 1929. Fairbanks achieved immense popularity in the silent era with films like "Robin Hood" (1922) and "The Thief of Bagdad" (1924). His career waned with the advent of sound films, and he retired after "The Private Life of Don Juan" (1934).

Fairbanks was born in Denver, Colorado, to Hezekiah Charles Ullman and Ella Adelaide Marsh. His father, Charles, hailed from a Jewish family that immigrated from Germany in 1830. Ella, of Roman Catholic descent, married Charles after being widowed by her first husband, John Fairbanks. Despite a tumultuous family life, with Charles abandoning the family when Douglas was five, Douglas and his brother Robert were raised by their mother, who gave them the surname Fairbanks.

Charles Warren Fairbanks (1852–1918) was a prominent American politician and the 26th vice president of the United States, serving under President Theodore Roosevelt from 1905 to 1909. A key figure in the Republican Party, he was also a U.S. senator from Indiana from 1897 to 1905. Known for his advisory role to President William McKinley during the Spanish–American War, Fairbanks was instrumental in the Alaska boundary dispute resolution. Despite his efforts to secure the 1908 Republican presidential nomination, he supported William Howard Taft and ran unsuccessfully as vice president alongside Charles Evans Hughes in 1916 against Woodrow Wilson.

Charles W. Fairbanks was born in a log cabin near Unionville Center, Ohio, to Mary Adelaide (Smith) and Loriston Monroe Fairbanks, a wagon-maker. His family home served as a refuge for runaway slaves, reflecting their involvement in abolitionist activities. Fairbanks married Cornelia Cole, whom he met while co-editing the school newspaper at Ohio Wesleyan University.

Pete Fairbanks, an American professional baseball pitcher, plays for the Tampa Bay Rays in MLB, serving as the team's closer. Drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2015, Fairbanks made his MLB debut in 2019 and was traded to the Rays the same year. Notably, he contributed greatly to the Rays' success in the 2020 season, including a pivotal save in Game 7 of the Championship Series. Fairbanks has battled through injuries, including two Tommy John surgeries, yet remains a key player, evident in his impressive 1.13 ERA over 24 games in 2022. In January 2023, he secured his future with the Rays by signing a three-year, $12 million contract extension.

Pete Fairbanks hails from a baseball-oriented family, with his father, Shane Fairbanks, having played college baseball for the Missouri Tigers and minor league baseball within the Houston Astros organization. Fairbanks and his wife, Lydia, have two living children, a son and a daughter, while their third child tragically passed away due to Turner syndrome.

Charles Leo Fairbanks was a prominent American football coach known for his influential roles at the high school, college, and professional levels. He served as head coach at the University of Oklahoma, leading them to three Big Eight Conference titles, and later for the New England Patriots, where he developed the innovative Fairbanks-Bullough 3–4 defensive system. His tenure included drafting key players like John Hannah and Steve Grogan, and he guided the Patriots to a notable playoff appearance in 1976. Despite a scandal involving recruiting violations at Oklahoma, Fairbanks' coaching legacy remains significant in the football world.