Fred Schavior, Passport Photo, 1922 (Source: ancestry.com)

Fred Schavoir appeared in the Floyd Bennett Field Register on an unidentified date. He was probably the pilot with the (unreadable) person on the Register line above him. Neither of them identified their airplane, or destination. He was a business man who lived and worked in Stamford, CT. It would be appropriate for him to be at the airport, perhaps on a pleasure or business trip. Stamford was only 37 direct air miles northeast of Floyd Bennett Field.

Schavoir was born May 15, 1899 at Stamford. Photograph, right, is from his passport application, below, dated July 28, 1922. He was 23 years old in the photograph.

The 1900 U.S. Census, his first, placed him living with his parents, Arnold L. (age 28) and mother Catherine (24), at 192 Warren Street, Stamford, CT. His father's occupation was coded as "Toolmaker." On Google Earth, that neighborhood today is one of modest New England-style homes. The family was on Warren St. for 1910 Census, and had added a sister, Elizabeth (7) to their number.

He did register for the draft during WWI and his draft registration card is below, dated September 12, 1918. He was nineteen years old. Note that he was a student at the Uttmark Nautical Academy, 8 State Street, New York City. The school taught nautical navigation and other subjects.

Frederick Schavoir, Draft Registration, September 12, 1918 (Source: ancestry.com)

The 1920 Census placed him at age 20 living at 276 Warren Street, Stamford with his parents and younger sister Bertha E. (16). His father's occupation was coded as "Manufacturer" of "Auto tubes." His mother was a "Bookkeeper" in an "Auto Tube Factory." Fred's occupation was "Manager" at a "Rubber Toy Factory." They had a maid, Rosie Fifrist (22), living with them.

Schavoir applied for and received U.S. passport # on July 28, 1922. The application is below. At the time of the application, he was 23 years old and worked for the Schavoir Rubber Company. His stated purpose for acquiring a passport was, "commercial business for Schavoir Rubber Co." He acquired his passport quickly, because he was on a list of alien passengers aboard the "Paris" which arrived in Plymouth, England from New York on August 8, 1922. A week later, a list of passengers embarking on the S.S. Majestic placed him sailing from Southampton, England to New York on August 16, 1922.

F.H. Shavoir, Passport Application, July 28, 1922 (Source: ancestry.com)

I found one reference that suggested he was an aviator (a clarification of his pilot status was made in the article announcing his wedding in 1935, below). An article in the Bridgeport Telegram, November 3, 1924, below, described a seaplane crash that put him and a passenger in the water in Long Island Sound off Stamford. The article states that the small airplane belonged to Schavoir, but the identity of the pilot in command was not clear.

Bridgeport Telegram, November 3, 1924 (Source: newspapers.com)

By 1930, the family had moved up in the world. The Census placed them living together in a $45,000 home at 52 Brooklawn Avenue, Stamford. Arnold (59) was a "Manufacturer" of "Rubber Goods." Frederick (30) was coded the same. His younger sister was a school teacher in the public schools. They had a maid, Elsie Lenz (19) living with them.

Besides his European travel in 1922, documents appear at ancestry.com, which track his travel from the Caribbean. He arrived at New York from the Virgin Islands aboard the S.S. Reliance on February 13, 1933. His residence was recorded as Brooklawn Avenue.

One of the products attributed to Frederick Schavoir in the 1930s was a hard rubber, molded golf club, below. Each molded clubhead was made from a substance called "Textolite" or "Schavolite."

Schavolite Golf Clubs, Ca. 1932 (Source: Web)

Bridgeport Telegraph (CT), May 21, 1924 (Source: newspapers.com)

The clubs were advertised as waterproof and durable. They were made by molding the head, which reportedly incorporated fabric into its composition, directly onto the shaft. This compound had a history with the Schavoir Rubber Company and was the subject of a legal discussion in 1924, below. Although the contested product did not appear to be successfully adjudicated for automobile window use per the article, it did appear a decade later as a piece of sporting equipment.

The closeup below shows how the fabric was molded into the rubber, and the Schavolite brand mark.

Schavolite Golf Club, Ca. 1932, Close-Up (Source: Web)

The New York Times, October 28, 1935 (Source: NYT)

On October 27, 1935, Frederick married Beatrice Lucille Wickes in New York. The New York Times (NYT), October 28, 1935 reported their marriage, left. They had a son, Peter, born August 26, 1937 (see below). Beatrice would later become a principal in the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc. (see below).

Notice that the article identifies Schavoir as an amateur pilot and a member of the Quiet Birdmen. This, and the article above, are the only mentions I found of his flying activities. I have no information regarding his airplane ownership or aviating between 1924, above, and 1935 and beyond.

I found no 1940 Census information. However, the 1939 city directory for Stamford identified him, as did the NYT article, as the vice president and general manager of the Schavoir Rubber Company. His mother, Catherine, was the treasurer. After the rubber company closed in 1940 (see below), I have no information about what he did during WWII and beyond. If you can help fill in the blanks, please let me KNOW.

Regarding the Schavoir Company, according to the India Rubber & Tire Review, July 15, 1915, the Schavior Rubber Company was a new incorporation that year in Stamford, CT. Principals listed were A. Schavior (Fred's father), K.F. Schavior, R.E. Hackett, F. Schavior and P.F. Augenbraun. It was capitalized for $50,000. A company advertisement appeared in the Bridgeport Telegram (CT), June 22, 1918, below.

Bridgeport Telegram (CT), June 22, 1918 (Source: newspapers.com)

Katzenjammer Kids, Schavior Rubber Toys, Ca. 1938 (Source: Web)

A Stamford Historical Society link describes the history of the business as follows. "The automobile industry gave rise to a host of allied industries, one being the manufacture of tires and tubes. Not many years after he made his home in Stamford after having left his native Germany, Arnold L. Schavoir gave up his job at the Blickensderfer Mfg. Co. to begin his own business selling, repairing, and retreading automobile tires. By 1914 Schavoir entered into the manufacture of auto tubes at his shop on Lee Street. The Schavoir Rubber Company extended its operations five years later to include the manufacture of rubber toys, dolls and balls, and mechanical rubber goods.... Arnold Schavoir died in 1936, and his company went out of business in 1940." The 1938 photo, right, shows the Katzenjammer Kids, subjects of a popular comic strip, rendered in rubber as manufactured by Schavoir. Popeye was also a subject molded by the Schavoir Company. These were probably products manufactured under the management of Frederick Schavoir (cf. 1920 Census information, above).

Frederick Schavoir flew West on December 24, 1963. He was 64 years old. I found no information regarding the circumstances of his passing. He is buried at New Canaan, CT.

According to the 1964 city directory for Darien, CT, Beatrice Schavior was identified as the widow of Frederick living at 23 Rings End Road. According to the Bridgeport Post (CT), April 21, 1974, she was the president of the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc. Other news articles proved that she remained active in Club activities well after her husband's passing. She passed away May 11, 1977 and is buried at New Canaan.

A lone news article from the Bridgeport Post, June 9, 1961 identified the Schavoir's son, Peter Lambert Schavoir as a 1961 graduate from Yale University. The 1955 Phillips Academy Yearbook identified Peter, below. Born in 1937, he would be about 17 years old in this photograph. His home address matches that of his mother, above. Another article documented his marriage to Susan Griswold on June 24, 1961, immediately after his graduation from Yale.

Peter died on February 1, 2005. His obituary is at right from The Day (New London, CT) - Thursday, February 3, 2005. The Day might have gotten his wife's name wrong, citing it as Shelby rather than Susan.

Phillips Academy, 1955, Yearbook (source: ancestry.com)

Phillips Academy is an independent, coeducational secondary school in Andover, MA.

---o0o---

THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 02/23/17 REVISED: 03/05/17