Russell William Thaw
| Russell William Thaw | |
|---|---|
 Thaw, age 3, with his mother |
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| Born | October 25, 1910 Berlin, Germany |
| Died | May 6, 1984 (aged 73) Santa Barbara, California |
| Spouse | Katherine Emily Roberts (m. 1936–1941) |
| Parents | Evelyn Nesbit |
| Relatives | Harry Kendall Thaw, non biological father |
Russell William Thaw (25 October 1910 - 6 May 1984) was a racing pilot who fought in World War II.
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[edit] Early years
He was born in Berlin, Germany on 25 October 1910, the only child of Evelyn Nesbit. His biological father was unreported, but, legally, he was the son of his mother's first husband Harry Kendall Thaw. Thaw had murdered architect Stanford White, Nesbit's former lover, at Madison Square Garden in 1906.
He was treated indifferently by the man he believed to be his father, Harry K. Thaw, who never accepted Russell as his son. Russell was born four years after Thaw was incarcerated in the Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Thaw's mother, who initially testified that Russell was Harry's son, eventually admitted he was not, but refused to name his actual biological father. (Nesbit's grandchildren, however, refer to Thaw as their grandfather.)[1]
As a child, Russell Thaw co-starred with his mother in at least five films: Threads of Destiny (1918), Redemption (1917), Her Mistake (1918), The Woman Who Gave (1918), I Want to Forget (1918), and The Hidden Woman (1922).
[edit] Career as a pilot
Thaw participated in two of the cross-country Bendix trophy races, which were instituted in 1931 and held annually to promote and encourage the achievements of U.S. aviation. Flying the Gee Bee "Model R-2" - P&W Wasp, he withdrew from the 1933 race. Flying the Northrop Gamma - Wright Cyclone, he came in third in the 1935 race from Los Angeles to Cleveland, ahead of Amelia Earhart in 5th place.
On December 10, 1935 he crashed in Atlanta, Georgia while on his way to rescue Lincoln Ellsworth after leaving from Caldwell, New Jersey.[1]
During World War II, Russell William Thaw became one of the most noted American pilots, obtaining five air victories, three of them as part of the 103rd Squadron. He also served as a private pilot to the Guggenheim family.
[edit] Personal life
On 17 July 1936, he married Katherine Emily Roberts, a Beverly Hills debutante and a graduate of Radcliffe College.[2] After their wedding, they moved to White Plains, New York. They separated on 15 March 1939. Katherine Thaw sued her husband for cruelty and "refusal to live with her".[3] Their divorce was finalized on 8 July 1941, with Katherine Thaw stating that her husband had separated from her because he said he could not support them both.[4][5]
Russell Thaw married again and had three children, including a son, Russell Thaw, and a daughter, Terry Thaw.[2][3][4]
In his later years, he served as the postmaster of a small town in Connecticut.
Thaw died in Santa Barbara, California on May 6, 1984.
[edit] References
- ^ "Thaw Crashes at Atlanta". New York Times. December 10, 1935. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60916FE3C58107A93C2A81789D95F418385F9. Retrieved 2008-07-23. "The Lincoln Ellsworth rescue plane which left Caldwell, N.J., Saturday on the first lap of a projected 9,500-mile flight to Magallanes, Chile, crashed near Atlanta Airport early today in an attempted take-off. The pilot, Russell W. Thaw, and a mechanic, William Henry Klenke Jr., escaped injury."
- ^ "Married". Time (magazine). 27 July 1936. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,847779,00.html. Retrieved 2008-07-23. "Russell William Thaw, 25, son of Evelyn Nesbit & Harry Kendall Thaw; and Katherine Emily Roberts, 22; in Los Angeles."
- ^ "Wife Sues Son of Thaw.". New York Times. December 13, 1939. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA061FFA355D10728DDDAA0994DA415B898FF1D3. Retrieved 2008-07-23. "Katherine Thaw sued today for separate maintenance from Russell William Thaw, son of Harry K. Thaw, and for permanent alimony of $400 a month. ..."
- ^ "Divorce Won by Mrs. Thaw. Son of Pittsburgh Millionaire Refused to Live With Her, She Says". Los Angeles Times. July 9, 1941. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/413559441.html?dids=413559441:413559441&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Jul+09,+1941&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Divorce+Won+by+Mrs.+Thaw&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2010-10-09. "... Mrs. Katherine Thaw yesterday ob- tained an uncontested divorce from Russell William Thaw, aviator and .son of Harry K. Thaw, Pittshurgh millionaire, ..."
- ^ "Mrs. Russell Thaw Wins Divorce". United Press in New York Times. July 9, 1941. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40914FE395B147B93CBA9178CD85F458485F9. Retrieved 2010-10-09. "Mrs. Katherine Roberts Thaw won an uncontested divorce today from Russell William. Thaw, flier and son of the actress, Evelyn Nesbitt ..."
