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Orthodontist
J. Bert Saxby, Jr., ca. 1941
(Source: Gerow)
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Dr. J. Bert Saxby landed at Tucson April 30, 1928 flying
Travel Air NC4835. He carried a single passenger, Tod Oviatt.
Based in Santa Barbara, CA, they were westbound from El Paso,
TX to Santa Barbara. Interestingly, Saxby's airplane was
once owned by Ken Maynard, movie cowboy. It held serial number
419.
Saxby was the son of a well-known Southern California dentist. He
was born August 10, 1897 and died February 21, 1941. Below,
a testimonial from the Society of Orthodontists, Southern
California, terms his passing a, "sudden, sad death."According to site visitor R.C., "Cora [Bert's wife] and Bert were involved in a car accident in 1941. Cora survived. Bert was killed."
Saxby Posthumous Testimonial
(Source: Gerow)
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Oxnard Daily Courier. July 6, 1925
(Source: Gerow)
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A news article from the Oxnard Daily Courier of July 6,
1925 (left sidebar and left) places Saxby at a July 4th
benefit outing for the American Legion. The sixth and seventh
paragraphs in the article, below, left, tell about the airplane
activities, as well as a race between boat and airplane offshore.
Even though the quality is poor, I include this clipping
for you because it captures a common piece of Independence
Day Americana including, "patriotic exercises and dancing"
that persisted throughout the Golden Age. Also mentioned in the article is Register pilot Bob
Starkey.
Below, right, from the Modesto, CA News-Herald, May 16, 1926, we read that Saxby was involved with what has to be one of the earliest examples of aerial spraying.
Modesto, CA News-Herald, May 16, 1926
(Source: Gerow)
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Continued below.
Below is an undated Santa Barbara news article that cites the death of Saxby's flight instructor, Dave Matthews.
Undated & Unsourced News Item, Ca. September, 1926 (Source: Mrs. Robert K. Matthews via Gerow)
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The photo and article are in no way linked to Saxby except that the taller pilot is pilot Saxby. Donor Mike Gerow says about the article, "It reports the death of Dave Matthews on Sept 8, 1926. The pic that was used was a file photo from an earlier time. I am sure that the taller man in the photo is Matthews' student, Bert Saxby. The advertisement on the side of Matthews' Standard is for the auto garage that Matthews managed in Santa Barbara selling and installing the Critz auto lubrication system and Zenith carburetors." Note the news item next above mentions Saxby and Matthews providing plane rides at Ventura in 1925.
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UPLOADED: 03/05/08 REVISED: 02/22/09
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