Sherman Mills Fairchild
| Sherman Fairchild | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Sherman Mills Fairchild April 7, 1896 Oneonta, New York |
| Died | March 28, 1971 (aged 74) New York, New York |
| Occupation | Inventor, entrepreneur, investor |
| Parent(s) |
George Winthrop Fairchild Josephine Mills Sherman |
Sherman Mills Fairchild (April 7, 1896 – March 28, 1971) was an American businessman, investor and inventor. He founded over 70 companies, including Fairchild Aircraft, Fairchild Industries, Fairchild Aviation Corporation, and Fairchild Camera and Instrument. Fairchild made significant contributions to the aviation industry and was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1979. His Fairchild Camera & Instrument Corporation, Semiconductor Division company played a defining role in the development of Silicon Valley. He held over 30 patents for products ranging from the silicon semiconductor to the 8-mm home sound motion-picture camera. Fairchild is also responsible for inventing the first synchronized camera shutter and flash as well as developing new technologies for aerial cameras that were later used on the Apollo Missions.
Born in Oneonta, New York, Sherman Fairchild was the only child of George Winthrop Fairchild (1854–1924) and Josephine Mills Sherman (1859–1924). His father was a Republican Congressman as well as a co-founder and the first Chairman of IBM. His mother was the daughter of William Sherman, of Davenport, Iowa.
His father died on December 31, 1924, and as an only child he inherited his father's multimillion-dollar estate. He also inherited his father's IBM stock, becoming IBM's largest individual stockholder until his death in 1971.
Known to be a particularly bright and naturally inquisitive child, Sherman Fairchild matriculated at Harvard University in 1915 where, in his freshman year, he invented the first synchronized camera shutter and flash. During these college years he also contracted tuberculosis and under the advice of his physician, moved to Arizona to recover in the drier climate. He then transferred to the University of Arizona, where he became increasingly interested in photography. He would later transfer to Columbia University in New York. Due to his ongoing medical problems, Fairchild did not earn a degree from any of these schools. Instead he pursued his desire to become an entrepreneur.
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