Arthur J. Theis papers, 1882-1973

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Theis, Arthur J.
Title
Arthur J. Theis papers
Dates
1882-1973 (inclusive)
Quantity
12.00 cubic ft. (28 boxes)
Collection Number
10657
Summary
Arthur J. Theis worked for Anaconda Mining Company as a field exploration engineer in the 1940s and early 1950s. He also owned and operated several of his own gold mines during this period. This collection contains his correspondence with associates in gold mining and his business partners and mine operators. The collection includes mine maps, assay reports, photographs, slides, and film footage.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid was made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Arthur J. Theis, born 1898 in Spokane, Washington, was a mining explorer, operator, and owner; financier, rancher, and orchardist. Throughout his life, Theis maintained his ranch and orchard livelihood but devoted his career interests to gold mining. In 1926, he began mining in Alaska and Canada, and from 1938 to 1942 he was co-owner and operator of the Boaz Mine in Norris, Montana. From 1943 to 1945 he was co-owner and operator of Darwin Mines, Darwin, California, and at this time became involved in the Buffalo Mine in Baker, Oregon, which he eventually owned and operated. All of these mines and several more that Theis became co-owner, operator, or shareholder of were gold mines.

The Anaconda Mining Company retained Theis as field exploration engineer during the 1940s and 1950s. Theis traveled the American Continent, north and south, for opportunities for the company or himself. In this way, Theis accumulated a number of mining interests that expanded to extracting other minerals once gold mining was no longer profitable in the 1950s. Theis often brokered mining purchases or leases for others, maintaining a financial interest in several of his transactions. He also supplied financial assistance to parties until more favorable times, and in these instances, he often maintained a financial and managerial interest. Theis died in 1973.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection is predominately Theis’ correspondence with his mining associates, co-owners, and operators. It includes correspondence with those whose interests Theis represented in mining transactions. Unique to this collection in the correspondence is the detail of miners’ daily life. From the difficulty of shipping supplies into the interior of British Columbia or Alaskan mines via rivers to the isolation of workers over winter months in Montana mines, the letters describe conditions. There are receipts to see what food supplies were carried in for winter months and what kinds of entertainment workers were able to enjoy before the telephone or television reached these areas. There are also numerous letters describing the difficulties workers had with mining equipment and how location and weather complicated efforts to make repairs.

There is other correspondence in which Theis discusses his political stand on the diminishing value of gold in the United States and his belief in the threat of communism around the world after World War II that reflects America’s fear of the Soviet Union during the 1950s and 1960s. Contained in this collection is his plan to help rebuild the American economy after World War II, thereby increasing consumer purchasing power and a return to the gold standard.

The collection contains mine maps and photographs of various mines, equipment, and structures. There are records and assay reports on gold and other minerals, many dating from the 1930s to the 1940s. The collection also contains slides and film footage.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Arthur J. Theis Papers, 1882-1973, Collection Number 10657, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in chronological order.

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no other known archival collections created by Arthur J. Theis at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

Papers received from Mrs. Arthur J. Theis, 1975-1996.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Rita Burleson in November 2004.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1 Cassiar Mine Tax Book 1882
1 2 Theis Correspondence 1912-1927
1 3 Mine Title 1915
1 4 Dickinson, R.H. Jr.; Dickinson Mining Company 1923-1926
1 5 Theis Notepads 1924-1928
1 6 Mineral Analysis, Correspondence 1925-1928
1 7 Kaaba Silver-Lead Mines, Inc., Nighthawk, WA., Maps, Blueprints 1927-1967
1 8 Northwest Mining Association and Correspondence 1927-1969
1 9 Lorne Mines, Limited (Bralorne Syndicate), Stockholder Prospectus, British Columbia 1928
1 10 Theis Correspondence 1928
2 1 Mar-John Mines Company 1928-1929
2 2 Rose, Leslie M. 1928-1929
2 3 Theis Share Receipt Books 1928-1930
2 4 North Star Silver Lake Mines Company 1928-1930
2 5 Mine Prospects 1928-1930
2 6 Grimsmoe, C.I. 1928-1931
2 7 Lorne Mines, Limited, Prospectus Inclusions, Correspondence and Miscellaneous 1928-1934
2 8 Metallurgical Analysis, Correspondence 1928-1937
2 9 Bralorne Mines, Limited, and Lorne Mining and Milling Company, British Columbia 1928-1945
2 10 Jackson, James and Frances; Buffalo Mine, OR, Correspondence, Photographs 1928-1961
2 11 Memos 1928-1965
2 12 Mining Newsletters 1928-1968
3 1 Theis Correspondence 1929
3 2 Goldstone Mine 1929-1931
3 3 Boaz Mine 1929-1941
3 4 Goldstone Mining Company 1929-1947
3 5 Kootenay-Belle Gold Mine, British Columbia 1929-1952
3 6 Theis, Arthur J.; Correspondence 1929-1957
3 7 Newspaper Articles, Photographs and Mine Contracts 1929-1959
3 8 Maps and Miscellaneous 1929-1968
4 1 Miscellaneous Contracts 1929-1976
4 2 Notes circa 1920s
4 3 Mine Histories circa 1920s-1930s
4 4 Correspondence and Miscellaneous circa 1920s-1950s
4 5 Newspaper Clippings circa 1920s-1960s
4 6 South American Prospects 1930
4 7 Correspondence 1930-1938
4 8 Mexico Mine 1931
4 9 Sunshine Mining Company 1932-1939
4 10 Correspondence and Miscellaneous circa 1932
5 1 Miscellaneous Correspondence 1933-1935
5 2 Alaska British Columbia Gold Mines 1934
5 3 Correspondence, Alaska British Columbia Mines 1934-1936
5 4 Watseca Mine, MT 1934-1945
5 5 Josephine Gold Mining Company 1934-1947
5 6 Bullion Mill, Jefferson County, MT 1935-1939
6 1 Idaho-Ore Deposits 1936
6 2 Panoramic Photo, Fort Peck Dam 1936
6 3 Mining, Secondary Source Information 1936
6 4 Panoramic Photo, Snake Butte, MT circa 1936
6 5 Spaulding Ball Mine 1936-1937
6 6 Pending 1936-1945
6 7 Mines: Arizona Quicksilver, AZ; Darwin, CA; Boaz, MT 1936-1948
6 8 Taxes, Montana 1936-1948
6 9 Heleene Mining Company Certificate Record 1937-1938
6 10 Miscellaneous, Boaz Mine 1937-1939
6 11 Daisy-Camus Gold Recovery Company 1937-1939
7 1 Boaz Mine Lease, Norris, MT, Operations, Schedules 1937-1941
7 2 Red Bluff Mine 1937-1942
7 3 Theis, Parker, and Burrows Contracts 1937-1943
7 4 Daisy Mining and Milling Company, Hailey, ID 1937-1944
7 5 Thomson, Francis A. 1937-1945
7 6 Heleene, Taxes, Federal 1937-1946
7 7 “To Be Filed” Correspondence 1937-1947
7 8 Revenue Mine Developing Group 1937-1971
7 9 U.S. Smelting Refining and Mining Company, Correspondence 1938-1939
8 1 Heleene Mining Company, Annual Government Reports 1938-1942
8 2 Miscellaneous Mine Reports 1938-1946
8 3 Stockholders, Heleene Mining Company 1939-1941
8 4 Moore, Bliss; Heleene Mining Company 1939-1941
8 5 Parker, Burrows, and Theis 1939-1942
8 6 Equipment Brochures, Invoices, and Correspondence Referring to Orders 1939-1942
8 7 Properties Submitted 1939-1947
8 8 American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers 1939-1947
8 9 Stoker, Alfred J.; Heleene Mining Company 1939-1947
8 10 Munro, Alexander C., Jr.; Classifier Patent Application 1939-1950
8 11 Correspondence circa 1930s
8 12 Miscellaneous Mine Histories and Bulletins circa 1930s-1960s
Folders
9 1-2 Maps circa 1930s-1960s
Folder
9 3 Dr. Moray, T.H. 1940
9 4 Willis-O’Neill-Comer Reports 1940
9 5 Heleene Mine Maps, MT 1940
9 6 Nicholson Brothers Report 1940
9 7 Leavitt, K.W.; Reports 1940
9 8 Custom Ore, Odd Lots 1940
9 9 Burrows, Grover; Yakima, WA, Correspondence 1940
9 10 Boaz Mine, Federal Bureau of Investigation 1940-1941
9 11 Mine Reports 1940-1941
9 12 Heleene Taxes, Capital Stock 1940-1942
10 1 Miscellaneous, Boaz Mine and Salt Chuck Mine 1940-1947
10 2 Correspondence 1940-1949
10 3 Buffalo Mine, Miscellaneous and Correspondence 1940-1957
10 4 U.S. Smelting Refining Mining Company 1940-1962
10 5 Heleene Reports 1941
10 6 Carissa Mine, South Pass City, WY 1941
10 7 Estelle and Cerro Gordo Mine Leases 1941
10 8 Mill Statement Sheets 1941-1943
10 9 Correspondence, Heleene Mining Company 1941-1947
10 10 Hazelwood Lease, Ore Settlements 1941-1948
10 11 Boaz Mine, Correspondence 1941-1960
10 12 Lynn-Red Bluff Reports 1942
10 13 Theis, A.J.; Personal 1942-1943
10 14 Custom Ore Monthly Sheets 1942-1943
10 15 Future Investigation 1942-1947
11 1 Properties Investigated 1942-1950
11 2 L.F. Hachez and Company, Heleene Mining Company 1942-1950
11 3 Boaz Dismantling, Gold and Copper 1942-1956
11 4 John Seaborn Account and Equipment Purchase 1942-1968
11 5 Theis Secondary Source Mining Reports and Bulletins 1942-1972
11 6 Field Book 1943
11 7 Worrall Reports 1943
11 8 Dringle, Richards, and Souers Reports 1943
11 9 Boss Tweed/Clipper Mines, Engineers’ Report 1943
11 10 Woolley, Wallace M. 1943-1944
11 11 National Mining and Milling Company 1943-1944
11 12 Parker and Shirley, Darwin Mine 1943-1945
11 13 Boaz-Josephine Gold Mine, MT 1943-1945
12 1 Miscellaneous Estimates 1943-1946
12 2 Theis Miscellaneous and Correspondence 1943-1949
12 3 Montana Lease, Material and Equipment 1943-1951
12 4 Mine Correspondence 1943-1955
12 5 American Smelting and Refining, Boaz Mine, East Helena Plant, MT, Assay Reports 1944
12 6 Solloway, I.W.C. 1944
12 7 Correspondence and Miscellaneous, A.J. Theis 1944-1945
12 8 Sears, Dick; Signal Oil Company, CA 1944-1945
12 9 Darwin Mines Purchase, Darwin, CA 1944-1945
12 10 Mine Reports and Pending Interest 1944-1954
12 11 Theis Miscellaneous 1944-1963
12 12 Mine Descriptions and Miscellaneous 1944-1966
13 1 Mine Descriptions and Miscellaneous 1944-1966
13 2 Montana Power Company 1945
13 3 Olund, H.E. 1945
13 4 Contracts Pending 1945
13 5 Wardlaw, Frank; International Smelting and Refining Company 1945
13 6 Theis-Schuster Correspondence 1945
13 7 Properties Investigated 1945-1946
13 8 Properties Submitted 1945-1948
13 9 Weed-Wardlaw Reports 1945-1949
13 10 Anaconda North 1945-1950
13 11 Wardlaw, F.A. Jr. 1945-1950
14 1 McTarnahan, Crescent Mine 1945-1954
14 2 Correspondence, Mining Equipment 1945-1954
14 3 Theis Miscellaneous Correspondence 1945-1959
14 4 Union Iron Works, WA 1945-1966
14 5 Boaz Mine Miscellaneous 1946
14 6 Beals, D.S.; Realtor 1946-1947
14 7 Boaz Mine 1946-1947
14 8 Daman, Arthur C. 1946-1947
14 9 Howard and Kirkland, Salt Creek Mine 1946-1948
14 10 Theis, Arthur J.; Personal 1946-1963
15 1 White Development Corporation, MT 1946-1965
15 2 Boaz Mine Check Account 1946-1966
15 3 Montana Lease Contracts 1947
15 4 McCulloch, A.S.; Mine Maps, Canada 1947
15 5 Montana Lease 1947
15 6 Sahinen, Unno 1947
15 7 Salt Chuck Mine, AK 1947
15 8 Report on Ore Reserves, Vancouver Island, British Columbia 1947
15 9 General Correspondence 1947-1948
15 10 Montana Lease Contracts 1947-1948
15 11 Montana Lease Accounts 1947-1948
16 1 Contracts Pending 1947-1948
16 2 Theis-Stevens Correspondence 1947-1948
16 3 Olund, H.E.; Premium Price Plan 1947-1949
16 4 Sea Horse Mine, AK 1947-1949
16 5 Theis-Dunn Correspondence 1947-1949
16 6 Theis, A.J.; Miscellaneous 1947-1949
16 7 Jackson, Buffalo Mines Report 1947-1965
16 8 Goldfield Corporation, P.J. Cutting, President; San Francisco, CA 1947-1968
16 9 Heleene Mining Company, MT 1947-1969
16 10 Alonzo Port 1948
16 11 Theis Correspondence 1948
16 12 Mines, Government Aid 1948-1949
16 13 Smelters 1948-1949
16 14 James Dayton and George Malabre 1948-1950
16 15 Solloway, I.W.C.; British Columbia 1948-1950
16 16 Sundfelt-Theis Joint Venture Contracts 1948-1951
16 17 Boaz Mine, Norris, MT 1948-1951
16 18 Pelley, William Dudley 1948-1952
17 1 Boaz, Ore Contracts 1948-1969
17 2 Montana Lead and Zinc Mine 1949
17 3 Sundfelt Equipment Company Invoices 1949-1950
17 4 Denver Equipment Company 1949-1950
17 5 Solloway, I.W.C. 1949-1951
17 6 Woolley Commission Account 1949-1952
17 7 Boaz Leasing Company, Mine Reports and Correspondence 1949-1952
17 8 Correspondence 1949-1958
17 9 “Better Way of Life” Drafts and Related Materials 1949-1963
17 10 Robert Stitt Correspondence 1949-1976
17 11 Mining Methods and Shortcuts circa 1940s
17 12 Contracts circa 1940s
18 1 Theis Notepads circa 1940s-1950s
18 2 Theis Notebook and Photographs circa 1940s-1960s
18 3 Theis Secondary Mining Materials circa 1940s-1970s
18 4 Caswell. R.B.; Ermont Mines, Dillon, MT, Photographs 1950-1951
18 5 Sundfelt-Theis Cash Purchases 1950-1952
18 6 Boaz Leasing Company, Dillon, MT 1950-1952
19 1 Stevens, E.W.; Boaz Mine, MT 1950-1953
19 2 Moore, Van; Ketchikan, AK 1950-1953
19 3 Sundfelt Equipment Company, WA 1950-1953
19 4 Boaz Mine Correspondence, W.W. Brown 1950-1953
19 5 Anaconda Correspondence 1950-1955
19 6 Correspondence 1950-1957
19 7 Buffalo Mine, Granite, OR 1950-1960
19 8 Pamphlets on Gold Standard 1950-1969
19 9 Larzelere, Charles; “Seaborn II,” 1950-1970
19 10 K&D Lode, Hobart Bay 1951
19 11 Mahoney Prospect, AK 1951
19 12 Dennis, Jack; Buffalo Mine 1951
20 1 Sundfelt-Theis Joint Venture Inventory 1951
20 2 Kootenay-Belle Gold Mine, Vancouver, British Columbia 1951-1952
20 3 Kootenay-Belle Gold Mines, Kaslol, British Columbia 1951-1952
20 4 R.G. Amidon and Company, Granite, OR, Correspondence 1951-1952
20 5 Sackett, B.L.; Anaconda Mining Company 1951-1952
20 6 Locke, Neil 1951-1953
20 7 Buffalo Mine Lawsuit re: L-208 1951-1955
21 1 Mining, Davis and Leverett 1951-1955
21 2 Boaz Mining, Miscellaneous Reports 1951-1957
21 3 Buffalo Mine, R.G. Amidon 1952-1953
21 4 Jackson, Jim and Frances; Buffalo Mine, Correspondence 1952-1955
21 5 Kootenay-Belle Mine 1952-1956
21 6 Thornley and Pitt, Custom Brokers 1952-1957
21 7 Boaz Mine, L-208 1952-1958
21 8 Plan: “Better Way of Life,” 1953-1961
22 1 United Geophysical Company, CA 1953-1962
22 2 Mining: Gold and Other Minerals 1953-1963
22 3 Hope Silver Lead Mines, Clark Fork, ID 1954-1955
22 4 McTarnahan, Uranium, NM 1954-1955
22 5 Boaz Service Company, Seaborn Service Company 1954-1956
22 6 Diesel Tug/Marine Surveys: Seaborn 1954-1957
22 7 Mining and News Clippings 1954-1964
22 8 Jackson, James and Frances; Buffalo Mine, Granite, OR, Correspondence and Sno-Cat Photograph 1955-1956
22 9 Boaz Mine Correspondence 1955-1956
22 10 White, James B. 1955-1958
22 11 White Development Company 1955-1959
23 1 Alaska State Mines, Birger W.Williamson 1955-1960
23 2 Theis, Miscellaneous 1955-1964
23 3 Mining, White Development Company 1955-1970
23 4 White Company Stockholders 1956-1957
23 5 Mercury Mining 1956-1970
23 6 Gold Standard Materials 1957-1960
23 7 Jackson, James P.; Boaz and Buffalo Mining 1957-1960
23 8 White Development Company 1957-1969
23 9 Eichelberger, John W.; Phoenix, AZ, New Frontier Development Corporation 1958-1959
23 10 Jackson, James and Frances; Buffalo Mine, Correspondence 1958-1968
24 1 Theis Correspondence 1959-1960
24 2 Jackson, James and Frances; Buffalo Mine 1959-1966
24 3 Slides circa 1950s
24 4 Leland, Robert; Reno, NV 1960
24 5 Alaska State Mines 1960
24 6 Bralorne Pioneer Mines 1960
24 7 Jackson Loan and Smelter Accounts 1960-1964
24 8 C. Kirk Hillman Company, Inc. 1960-1965
24 9 Sulphur and Gypsum 1960-1967
24 10 “Better Way of Life,” Arthur Theis, Letters of Plan 1961-1964
24 11 Bol-Inca Mining Corporation, Palo Alto, CA 1961-1964
24 12 Correspondence 1961-1971
24 13 Texas Desert Minerals 1962-1963
24 14 Mercury Reports, Properties 1962-1970
24 15 Western Deep Level 1963-1964
24 16 Oregon King Consolidated Mines 1963-1966
25 1 Gold Standard 1963-1968
25 2 Buffalo Mine, Sumpter, OR 1964-1966
25 3 Scholz, E.A.; Royal Development Company 1965-1967
25 4 Dwight Johnson 1966-1967
25 5 Target Mine 1966-1967
25 6 Royal Mine 1966-1969
25 7 Kent Engineering, Inc., Escrow 1966-1971
25 8 Sub-Atomic Recovery Group 1967-1968
25 9 Royal Mines 1967-1968
26 1 Copy File 1967-1970
26 2 Solloway, William J.; White Shield Corporation, NY 1968
26 3 Railroad Mine 1968
26 4 American Exploration and Mining Company 1968
26 5 White, John B.; Sunlight Mine, MT 1968-1969
26 6 Hampton, Andrew T. 1968-1969
26 7 Current Investments 1968-1970
26 8 Miscellaneous Materials 1968-1970
26 9 Gonnasson, Walter 1969
26 10 Mine Lease Contracts 1969
26 11 Comereski, Nick 1969-1970
26 12 Comereski, Nick; Mercury Project 1969-1970
27 1 Forms, Alaskamin Company
27 2 International Telluride Corporation 1971
27 3 Snowshoe Mine Prospectus 1971
27 4 Placer Development Company 1971
27 5 Lakeshore Copper Deposit, NV, Prospectus 1971
27 6 Pierce Motor 1972
27 7 Henrietta Mine Project Prospectus, NV 1972
27 8 Emission Control, Inc. 1972-1973
27 9 Mine Reports circa 1970s
27 10 Mine Map No Date
27 11 Film Reels (2) No Date
Folders
27 12-13 Mine Map No Date
28 Mine Maps No Date
28 Minute Book of the Heleene Mining Company 1936-1947

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Gold mines and mining--Alaska.
  • Gold mines and mining--British Columbia.
  • Gold mines and mining--Montana.

Corporate Names

  • Anaconda Mining Company.

Geographical Names

  • Boaz Mine (Mont.)
  • Buffalo Mine (Ore.)
  • Darwin Mines (Calif.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Filmstrips.
  • Maps.
  • Photographs.
  • Slides.

Occupations

  • Gold miners.
  • Mining engineers.

Processed by Rita Burleson
2004;2006

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