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Champ family papers, 1847-1989

Overview of the Collection

Title
Champ family papers
Dates
1847-1989 (inclusive)
Quantity
135 boxes, (65 linear feet)
Collection Number
UUS_COLL MSS 130
Summary
A large portion of the material is the personal papers of Frederick P. Champ, including college correspondence and significant amounts of material from Frederick Champ's business ventures, particularly the Cache Valley Banking Company, Champ Investment Company, Walker Bank and Trust Company, and the Utah Mortgage and Loan Corporation. Also includes records concerning St. John's Episcopal Church of Logan, Utah. Champ family material includes papers of George "Herb" Champ, Mary Knox Champ, and H. Merle Smith. Francis Winton Champ's correspondence and personal papers include materials concerning her involvement with the Episcopal Church's Women's Auxiliary Missionary District of Utah and Las Encinas Sanitarium.
Repository
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions

Open to public research.

Languages
English.
Sponsor
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008
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Biographical Note

George Herbert Champ was born November 13, 1856, in Rockford, Illinois to Frederick P. Champ. In 1892 George Champ and his wife Alla came to Logan, Utah to visit relatives, but Champ, who had already run businesses in Illinois and Iowa, saw an opportunity to start a new mortgage company in Cache Valley. They stayed and Champ started the Utah Loan Mortgage and Loan Corporation which specialized in importing capital to finance farm mortgages. In 1896, Alla C. Champ gave birth to Frederick Percival Champ, the only child the couple would have. Soon thereafter, Champ also began the Cache Valley Banking Company, and he ran both companies until his death in 1919. Alla Champ died in 1911.

Responding to pleas from his father, Frederick Champ returned to Logan from his work for Herbert Hoover and his studies at Harvard University to run the family businesses. On December 29, 1921, Champ married Frances Elizabeth Winton in Duluth, Minnesota. He became very active in both the mortgage banking industry, in civic affairs, and in agricultural matters. He held numerous positions on many boards in all these areas and was especially active in the Boy Scouts of America. He was also active in St. John's Episcopal Church in Logan, Utah serving as their treasurer for many years. Frances was likewise active and was an accomplished pianist performing in concert halls across the country and also published music which she wrote. Frances and Frederick had three children, George Herbert "Herb" Champ, Mary Knox Champ Nielsen, and Frederick W. Champ. "Herb" Champ took over the business for his father and his brother Frederick, known as "Wint," served as vice president. Frederick P. Champ retired in 1965. He passed away in March 1976. Frances W. Champ died in August 1982. Herb Champ continued to run the family businesses for many years and still resides in Logan, Utah. Mary K. C. Nielsen lives in Connecticut. Frederick W. Champ passed away in 2001 while living in Salt Lake City.

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Content Description

The collection contains the papers from the George H. Champ and Frederick P. Champ families. These papers include Frederick P. Champ's college correspondence, material from St. John's Episcopal Church of Logan, and financial and personal records from Frances, Frederick, George, Winton, and Mary Champ.

Sections of these papers have been separately cataloged for more in-depth access. This includes Frederick P. Champ's journal in Armenia (1919) and Frances Champ's papers. Other material of Frances Champ exists elsewhere in the collection.

A large portion of the material is the personal papers of Frederick P. Champ, including material from Frederick Champ's business ventures, including the Cache Valley Banking Company, Walker Bank and Trust, Champ Investment Company, and the Utah Mortgage and Loan Corporation. Also included are materials on the activities of St. John's Church. Champ family papers include materials concerning George Herbert Champ, Mary Knox Champ, and H. Merle Smith. Frances Winton Champ's correspondence and personal papers include materials concerning her involvement with the Utah Branch Christian Women's Auxiliary, Las Encinas Sanitarium, etc. (Box 16-33).

This collection also contains fifty-one art pieces drawn by Everett Thorpe and set to music by Frances Champ from an unpublished manuscript. A detailed list of these art-music items can be found at the end of this collection inventory. (For more information about this unpublished art-music manuscript, see the F. P. Champ's correspondence with William T. Foster in COLL MSS 50: Fredrick P. Champ papers, Boxes 132-133.

Researcher Note: USU Special Collection and Archives also contains the papers of the Utah Mortgage & Loan Corporation started by Champ in 1892. These materials have been cataloged as COLL MSS 131: The Utah Mortgage & Loan Corporation papers. Photographs from boxes 10, 60, and 63 were removed and placed in the Champ Family photograph collection, P0354.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Champ family papers must be obtained from the Special Collections and Archives manuscript curator and/or the Special Collections and Archives department head.

Preferred Citation

Champ family papers, 1847-1989 (COLL MSS 130). Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives department.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged topically.

Acquisition Information

The material in this collection was donated to USU Special Collections & Archives in various batches between the period of 1977 and 1991 by Frances E. W. Champ, George H. Champ, Frederick W. Champ, and Mary Knox Champ Nielson.

The letter to Frances W. Champ from Andor Foldes in box 33, folder 12 was discovered in the department and added to the collection in 2020.

The American Conservatory of Music Program and ticket stub in box 123, folder 27 was discovered in the department and added to the collection in 2020.

The music and program notes by Frances W. Champ, program sketch, and cover of piano studies with daily practice exercise schedule in box 141, folder 10 were discovered in the department and added to the collection in 2020.

The music receipts in box 136, folder 13 were discovered in the department and added to the collection in 2020.

The "Darkness Growing Into Light" music sheet in box 141, folder 6 was discovered in the department and added to the collection in 2020.

Mary Champ's Wieck Piano Studies workbook in box 52, folder 13 was discovered in the department and added to the collection in 2020.

Related Materials

Fredrick P. Champ papers COLL MSS 50

Frederick P. Champ photograph collection P0345

The Utah Mortgage & Loan Corporation Papers (COLL MSS 131)

Champ Family photograph collection P0354.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Banks and banking--Utah--Logan.

Finding aid created by Special Collections and Archives.
2008

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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