urn:taro:utsa.00025 A Guide to the Eugene Nolte Family Papers, 1886-1964 Text converted by SPI Content Sciences Inc., July 2003. Finding aid written in English. May 18, 2004 Edited in XMetal 3 by Traci JoLeigh Drummond according to instructions in TARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing Instructions 22 January 2008Edited in XMetal Author Nikki Lynn Thomas according to instructions inTARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing Instructions Descriptive Summary Nolte, Eugene Sr. 1869-1933 Eugene Nolte Family Papers, 1886-1964 Materials are in English. 4.2 linear feet (about 3,100 items) MS 34 University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections Eugene Nolte, Sr. was also a successful businessman in the community of Seguin. He served as President of both the Merchants Ice and Cold Storage Company and the Seguin Milling and Power Company. He also succeeded his father as head of the banking firm E. Nolte & Sons, one of the earliest banking firms in Seguin.Eugene "Mike" Nolte, Jr., like his father, was a powerful voice in the Republican Party and a prosperous businessman. This collection consists of correspondence, newspaper clippings and photographs. Most of the material is from Eugene Nolte Sr.'s years as Republican State Executive Committee Chairman from 1921 to 1933. Eugene Nolte Jr. is also prominent in the collection. In addition to Republican Party activities, the material also documents the business and other activities of the Nolte family in the community of Seguin Texas. Preferred Citation

Eugene Nolte Family Papers, 1886-1964, MS 34, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.

 Biographical Note

Eugene Nolte, Sr., was born on March 15, 1869, in Seguin, Texas. He was the son of Edward Nolte, a prominent Seguin businessman and banker. Eugene Nolte, Sr., attended Texas A&M. The son of a Democrat, he became active in the Republican Party and he rapidly gained power within the Republican State organization. President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him United States Marshal for west Texas in 1906. He served in this position until his removal by President Taft in 1912, following Nolte's support of Roosevelt and the Bull Moose Party. In 1921, Nolte was named chairman of the State Republican Executive Committee, a post that he would hold until his death on January 6, 1933.

Eugene Nolte, Sr. was also a successful businessman in the community of Seguin. He served as President of both the Merchants Ice and Cold Storage Company and the Seguin Milling and Power Company. He also succeeded his father as head of the banking firm E. Nolte & Sons, one of the earliest banking firms in Seguin. In addition, Nolte helped to form Nolte Bros., a mercantile firm in Seguin. Nolte was also involved in many civic and philanthropic groups as a Shriner, a Mason, a Rotarian and an Elk.

Eugene Nolte, Sr., married Claudia Gallaher on September 2, 1891. They had three children: Eugene Jr., Nelle, and Claudia. Mr. and Mrs. Nolte liked travelling and made many trips around the country and the world. After Mr. Nolte died on January 6, 1933, Mrs. Nolte continued to travel extensively to areas of Russia, the Far East, and Africa. She also remained an active member of the Seguin community. She was Treasurer of the Seguin Milling and Power Company and served as a Vice President and Director of Nolte National Bank of Seguin until her death on August 14, 1956.

Eugene "Mike" Nolte, Jr., like his father, was a powerful voice in the Republican Party and a prosperous businessman. He was a strong supporter of Republican Presidential candidates Wendell Wilke and Thomas Dewey. He and other "old guard" Republicans in Texas tried to nominate Senator Robert Taft of Ohio for President in 1952. Nolte was himself the Republican candidate for Texas Governor in 1946. In business, Nolte followed in his father's footsteps as President of Merchants Ice and Cold Storage Company. He was also a beer distributor and President of Alamo Poultry and Egg Company, as well as a Director of Nolte National Bank of Seguin.

 Scope and Content Note

The Eugene Nolte Family Papers are composed of correspondence, newspaper clippings and photographs. There are also documents and ephemera, which help document the family's history. Most of the material concerns Eugene Nolte, Sr., and his son, Eugene "Mike" Nolte, Jr. The collection documents activities of leaders in the Texas Republican Party and the business developments of Seguin, Texas, especially during the years between 1920-1950. The collection is divided into four series: Personal, Republican Party Activities, Business and Civic Activities, and Photographs.

Arrangement

The papers are arranged as follows:

Personal Republican Party Activities Business and Civic Activities Photographs Acquisition Information

Papers were donated in 1990.

 Access Restrictions

This collection is housed at UTSA's Main Campus and must be accessed via the John Peace Library Special Collections reading room. To request access, please use the Collections Request Form.

 Usage Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the records must be obtained from University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.

 Processing Information

Processed by Eric Hartmann, Processing Archivist, July 1999.

 Index Terms Persons Nolte, Claudia, d. 1956.Nolte, Eugene Jr.Nolte, Eugene Sr. 1869-1933. Topics Banks and banking.Republican Party. Texas. Texas Politics and government. Genre Correspondence.Scrapbooks. Detailed Description of the Collection Personal

This series consists primarily of correspondence of the Nolte family with other family members and personal friends. Eugene Nolte, Sr., and his wife Claudia are the principle correspondents. There are a large number of condolence letters written at the time of the death of Eugene Nolte, Sr. Some miscellaneous material such as identification documents and small mementos are included as well.

Arranged by person and organized chronologically.

1 Eugene Nolte Sr. 1 Correspondence 1 1 General, 1886-1933 1 2 Family, 1888-1930 and undated OS 1 1 Oversize materials: Credentials, 1888-1933 1 3 News clippings, 1920-1933 1 4 Miscellaneous, 1891-1927 and undated 1 Claudia Gallaher Nolte 1 Correspondence 1 5 General, 1933-1936 1 6 Family, 1920-1953 and undated 1 Scrolls, 1934 and undated 1 7 Copies OS 4 1 Oversize materials: Originals 1 Condolence for Husband's Death 1 8 General, 1933-1934 1 9 Scrapbook, 1933 OS 1 2 Resolution in memoriam, 1956 2 1 Miscellaneous, 1954 and undated 2 Eugene "Mike" Nolte Jr., 1933-1955 2 2 Correspondence, 1933-1955 and undated 2 3 News Clippings, 1945 2 4 Miscellaneous, 1951 and undated 2 5 Nelle Nolte, 1921-1922 Republican Party Activities

Materials relating to the Republican Party of Texas are located in the Republican Party Activities series. Most of this material comes from the years Eugene Nolte, Sr., was Chair of the State Republican Executive Committee. Mr. Nolte's support of Herbert Hoover is particularly well documented in this series. "Mike" Nolte's later support of Wendell Wilke and Senator Robert Taft of Ohio is also prominent.

Arranged by person and organized chronologically.

2 Eugene Nolte Sr. 2 Correspondence 2 General 2 6 Undated 2 7 1895-1916 2 8 1923-1925 2 9 1926-1929 2 10 1930-1931 2 11 1932 2 12 Presidential, 1925-1932 2 News Clippings 2 13 Undated 2 14 1907-1924 2 15 1925-1927 2 16 1928 2 17 1928 2 18 1929 2 19 1929 3 1 1930-1932 3 General 3 2 1904-1910 and undated 3 3 1911-1932 3 Eugene "Mike" Nolte Jr. 3 Correspondence 3 4 Undated 3 5 1934-1950 3 6 1951-1963 3 News Clippings 3 7 Undated 3 8 1938-1947 3 9 1954-1964 3 10 General, 1936-1953 and undated OS 1 3 Oversize materials: Political Paraphernalia, undated OS 1 4 Oversize materials: Magazine Articles, 1944-1952 OS 2 3 Oversize materials: Scrapbook, 1946 Business and Civic Activities

This series consists of materials relating to careers and business interests of the Nolte family, including a bank, a retailer, and a cold storage firm. This series includes information about Eugene Nolte, Sr., serving as U.S. Marshall for west Texas. In addition, the Nolte family's involvement with various community groups is documented here. Eugene Nolte, Sr., served as a Rotarian, a 32nd degree mason and a Shriner.

Arranged by person and organized chronologically.

3 Eugene Nolte, Sr. 3 Correspondence and Notes 3 11 Undated 3 12 1888-1909 4 1 1910-1911 4 2 1912-1916 4 3 1919-1925 4 4 1926-1928 4 5 1929-1930 4 6 1931-1932 4 7 Date Books and Paraphernalia, 1886-1933 OS 2 1 Oversize materials, undated 4 Eugene "Mike" Nolte, Jr. 4 Correspondence and Notes 4 8 1933-1953 4 9 1953-1957 4 10 News Clippings, 1936-1946 and undated OS 2 2 Oversize materials: Fiesta, 1953 Photographs

The Photographs series contains a variety of prints, including a large number of portraits and pictures of groups of people. Some of the prints are of prominent Republicans or business partners of the Noltes, however, most of these prints are unidentified. Some photographs show scenes of life in Seguin, San Antonio, and south Texas. There are also a number of photographs from around the world including a scrapbook from a cruise of the North Cape of Russia in 1937.

Arranged by subject and organized chronologically.

 5 Groups 5 1 Family, undated 5 2 Social, undated 5 3 Political, undated 5 4 Miscellaneous, undated OS 3 1 Oversize materials, 1908 and undated 5 Portraits 5 5 Eugene "Mike" Nolte Jr., undated 5 6 Men, undated 5 7 Women, undated 5 8 Children, undated OS 3 2 Oversize materials, 1931 and undated 6 1 Funerals, 1933-1956 6 2 Business, undated 6 Travel 6 3 Africa, undated 6 4 Far East, undated 6 5 India and Southeast Asia, undated 6 6 North Cape Russia Cruise, 1937 6 7 Miscellaneous, undated 6 8 Postcards, undated 6 9 Dinner Club, undated 6 10 Miscellaneous, undated 6 11 Scrapbook