Thatcher Brothers Banking Company Safety Deposit Boxes, (1889—1929)

COLL MSS 175

Historical Note:

The papers in this collection were removed from various safety deposit boxes once housed in the Thatcher Brothers Banking Company of Logan, Utah. For an unknown reason these safety deposit boxes were opened on January 29, 1935, most likely due to unpaid fees.

For addition material relating to the Thatcher Brothers Banking Company and Thatcher family, see COLL MSS 3: Thatcher Brothers Banking Company Papers, PO230: Thatcher Brothers Banking Company Photographs, COLL MSS 47: George W. Thatcher, Sr. Papers, COLL MSS 22: Moses Thatcher, Sr. Papers, PO223: Moses Thatcher Home Photographs, COLL MSS 93: Thatcher Family Papers, and PO023: The Thatcher Family Photographs.

Scope & Content Note:

The papers in this collection relate to George Buckley (1875—1951), John Myler (1873—1940), Alice B. Cowdery, Eli J. Bell (1866—1923), Eras Ricks (1853—1933), Lyman E. Sorenson (1883—1953), and Eugene Santschi (see the following biographical note), all one-time residents of Cache Valley. The materials in this collection consist of personal (correspondence, marriage licenses, etc.) and financial papers (land and property holdings, insurance, stock certificates, wills, etc.) of the above-mentioned people. Of particular interest are the papers of Lt. Eugene Santschi, which discuss his duties as an Army quartermaster at Fort Douglas, Utah, and his military travels in China during 1912—1914. Fd 22 contains a detailed report (with photographs) prepared by Santschi discussing his tour of the Manchurian battlefields of the Russo-Japanese War, led by Japanese counterparts.

Biographical Note on E. Santschi:

Eugene Santschi, Jr. was born in Alton, Illinois, on January 15, 1883 to Swiss immigrants Eugene, Sr. and Emma Chausse. At some point in his youth, his family moved to the coal-mining region of Utah. Thereafter, according to a Utah Since Statehood biographical sketch of Santschi, he enlisted in the United States Army and spent two years overseas on active duty, and was involved in both the Philippine Insurrection (1899—1902) and the Boxer Rebellion in China (1900—1901). In 1903 Santschi returned to the United States and enrolled in the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and graduated with the class of 1907. From 1907 to 1914 Santschi was stationed at Fort Douglas, Utah. In 1908 Santschi attended the Agricultural College of Utah (now Utah State University), at Logan, Utah and received a B.S. that year. Although Santschi was stationed at Fort Douglas during this time period, the military sent him on numerous trips to Japan, the Philippines, and China where he spent time studying military tactics and touring the battlefields of the Russo-Japanese War of 1905. While in the United States, Santschi met and married Amanda Marie Holmgren of Logan, Utah on June 5, 1911.

From 1914 to 1917, Santschi lived in Logan, Utah to serve as a ROTC instructor at the Agricultural College of Utah. With the war in Europe taking place Santschi was recalled to the Tactical Department at West Point, where he remained until 1919. In 1919 Santschi went to Europe and served in the army of occupation in Germany, as Chief of Staff of the 2nd Brigade, until 1922.

Thereafter, Santschi’s career allowed him to serve in many positions and his military rank progressively advanced. From 1922—1923, Santschi served at the Command and Staff School, Ft. Leavenworth. From 1923—1927, he was an instructor at the Command and General Staff School. During 1927—1928 he worked at the Army War College, from 1928—1929 at the Naval War College, and from 1929—1932 in the Organized Reserves, 6th Corps Area. During 1932—1936 he was an instructor at the Naval War College and from 1936—1938 he was in Command of the 34th Infantry, at Ft. Meade. From 1938—1940 he served as Chief of Staff of the Hawaiian Division, and from 1940—1941 he was in Command of the 1st Infantry, Ft. Warren, Wyoming. In 1943 Santschi retired from the military, but because of World War II, he was recalled to active duty until 1946. In 1945 he was awarded a Legion of Merit, and the Order of the British Empire. After the war, Santschi officially retired and moved to California where he died on January 19, 1959 in Palo Alto.

Sources:
Utah Since Statehood, The S. J. Clark Publishing Company, Salt Lake City, 1920 p. 35.
Obituary, The Assembly, US Military Academy Association of Graduates, Fall 1960.

Inventory:

Box 1: Contents of the safety deposit boxes.

Fds 1—3: Mr. & Mrs. George Buckley, financial papers and marriage licenses, 1898—1920.

Fds 4—6: John Myler, correspondence and financial papers, 1912—1924.

Fd 7: Alice B. Cowdery, stock certificates of mining companies, 1929.

Fd 8: Eli J. Bell, financial papers, 1914—1918.

Fd 9: Ezra Ricks, financial papers, 1920.

Fds 10—11: Lyman Sorenson, correspondence and financial papers.
(Fds 12—29 are the papers of E. Santschi.)

Fds 12: Outgoing correspondence, 1913—1914.

Fd 13: Incoming correspondence, 1911—1914.

Fd 14: Receipts for materials purchased in China.

Fds 15—18: Quartermaster reports, 1910—1911.

Fds 19—21: Ordinance and expenditure records, 1910—1911.

Fd 22: “Report of visit during May 1913 to Manchurian battlefields of the Russo-Japanese War, 1904—1905.”

Fds 23—25: Papers analyzing battle tactics used during the Russo-Japanese War, by Santschi.

Fd 26: Signal Corps receipt book, Fort Douglas.

Fd 27: Papers concerning the courses taken by Santschi at Fort Douglas, 1907—1911.

Fd 28: Financial papers, 1912—1913.

Fd 29: Bylaws & Trial Code of Wasatch Lodge no. 1., Salt Lake City, F. W. Gardiner Company Press, 1910 (Masonic booklet).

For more information: 435/797-2663; Manuscript Librarian.
Special Collections & Archives, Merrill Library, Utah State University Libraries, Utah State University 84322-3000