Ralph Jacobus Fairbanks
Encyclopedia
Ralph Jacobus Fairbanks was an American prospector
, entrepreneur and pioneer
who established several towns in the Death Valley
area of California
, including Fairbanks Springs (1904–05)
, Shoshone
(1910), and Baker
(1929).
Ralph was born to Mormon
pioneer parents David and Susan Mandeville Fairbanks in Payson, Utah
, on December 26, 1857. He was a descendant of Jonathan Fairbanks
, whose 17th-century house still stands in Dedham, Massachusetts
. He married Celestia Johnson in 1877 and they had eleven children, but only eight survived to adulthood. He followed a job with the railroad at the turn of the century south to Las Vegas, Nevada
, and eventually moved his family to Death Valley
, California.
Earlier in 1883 Fairbanks had been among those called by John Taylor to start a new settlement in the Sevier Valle.
R.J. "Dad" Fairbanks, as he was known to locals, built businesses and towns throughout the region and built the first Standard Oil
service station
in the area, in Baker, California
. He was well known for saving tourists and prospectors who wandered into the desert and also recovered the bodies of those who were not lucky enough to be found in time.
When Ralph was in his 70s, he moved to Santa Paula, California
with his wife, Celeste to live with their youngest daughter, Zella Modine and her family. Celeste died in 1938 and Ralph moved to Hollywood, California with Zella and granddaughter Nola Fairbanks
. Ralph died on October 3, 1943 at the Hollywood Nursing Home.
Despite that fact that his parents and wife were LDS, Fairbanks was never a devout member of the faith.
Prospecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
, entrepreneur and pioneer
American pioneer
American pioneers are any of the people in American history who migrated west to join in settling and developing new areas. The term especially refers to those who were going to settle any territory which had previously not been settled or developed by European or American society, although the...
who established several towns in the Death Valley
Death Valley
Death Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located in Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below...
area of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, including Fairbanks Springs (1904–05)
, Shoshone
Shoshone, California
Shoshone is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. Shoshone is located on the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad east of Epaulet Peak, at an elevation of 1585 feet . The population was 31 at the 2010 census, down from 52 at the 2000 census.The town was founded in 1910...
(1910), and Baker
Baker, California
Baker is a census-designated place located in San Bernardino County, California, USA. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 735.Baker was founded as a station on the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad in 1908,...
(1929).
Ralph was born to Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
pioneer parents David and Susan Mandeville Fairbanks in Payson, Utah
Payson, Utah
Payson is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 12,716 at the 2000 census. The current mayor is Rick Moore, who in the 2009 election was the first write-in candidate ever to defeat an incumbent mayor in...
, on December 26, 1857. He was a descendant of Jonathan Fairbanks
Jonathan Fairbanks
Jonathan Fairbanks was an American colonist born in Heptonstall, Halifax, Yorkshire, England who immigrated to New England in 1633...
, whose 17th-century house still stands in Dedham, Massachusetts
Dedham, Massachusetts
Dedham is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest by Westwood and on the southeast by...
. He married Celestia Johnson in 1877 and they had eleven children, but only eight survived to adulthood. He followed a job with the railroad at the turn of the century south to Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, and eventually moved his family to Death Valley
Death Valley
Death Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located in Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below...
, California.
Earlier in 1883 Fairbanks had been among those called by John Taylor to start a new settlement in the Sevier Valle.
R.J. "Dad" Fairbanks, as he was known to locals, built businesses and towns throughout the region and built the first Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
service station
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
in the area, in Baker, California
Baker, California
Baker is a census-designated place located in San Bernardino County, California, USA. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 735.Baker was founded as a station on the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad in 1908,...
. He was well known for saving tourists and prospectors who wandered into the desert and also recovered the bodies of those who were not lucky enough to be found in time.
When Ralph was in his 70s, he moved to Santa Paula, California
Santa Paula, California
Santa Paula is a city within Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 29,321 at the 2010 census, up from 28,598 at the 2000 census...
with his wife, Celeste to live with their youngest daughter, Zella Modine and her family. Celeste died in 1938 and Ralph moved to Hollywood, California with Zella and granddaughter Nola Fairbanks
Nola Fairbanks
Nola Fairbanks is the granddaughter of Mormon pioneers Ralph Jacobus Fairbanks and Celestia Adelaide Johnson Fairbanks from Payson, Utah and Death Valley, California and has done film and Broadway work...
. Ralph died on October 3, 1943 at the Hollywood Nursing Home.
Despite that fact that his parents and wife were LDS, Fairbanks was never a devout member of the faith.