Stedman Shumway Hanks

Stedman Shumway Hanks (July 17, 1889 – May 23, 1979) was one of the early aviators in the United States. After leaving active military service, he became a prolific writer and a prominent airport engineer who advocated airport construction across the United States.

Biography Hanks was born in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts on July 17, 1889, to Charles Stedman and Clarina Bartow (née Shumway) Hanks. He was educated at Groton and Harvard, from which he left early to join the diplomatic service. His first post was serving as a secretary to Whitelaw Reid, United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. After Reid's death in 1912, Hanks returned to Harvard to finish his studies, graduating with a Bachelor's degree later that year. In 1936, Hanks patented a flight strip, a new concept in auxiliary airfields, and helped gain government appropriation for their construction throughout the country.

Personal life Hanks married Margery Hancock (1894–1982) on February 11, 1919 and had one son, Roger Stedman Hanks. Margery Hancock was the sister of Lewis Hancock Jr. That marriage ended in divorce. In 1952, he married Helen Chappell.

Hanks died at his home in Manhattan, New York on May 23, 1979.