Thomas J. Autzen came to Oregon Agricultural College as a freshman in 1905 from Hoquiam, Washington, and graduated in 1909 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. As a student, he was a member of the Amicitia Literary Society, the Orange staff, the Associated Students, and the college branch of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. Autzen later became a successful Portland businessman and was president of the Portland Manufacturing Company.
The first volume of this collection was used in Autzen's English classes (1905-ca. 1907) and consists of essays, analyses of literature, and quotations. Of note is an essay on the April 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. Volume two consists of class notes made in Autzen's freshman woodworking class (1905- 1906).
Thomas John Autzen Notebooks, Oregon State University Archives, Corvallis, Oregon.
Photographs of Autzen are located in Harriet's Collection #1697 & #2126, and in the Robert "Wally" Reed Photographic Collection (P161:32).