Cache-Utah-Weber County UT Archives Biographies.....Hatch, Hezekiah Eastman 1855 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ut/utfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 September 1, 2011, 5:07 pm Source: See below Author: S. J. Clarke, Publisher HEZEKIAH EASTMAN HATCH. Centuries ago, in the golden age of Greece, Euripides wrote: "It is a good thing to be rich and a good thing to be strong, but it is a better thing to be beloved of many friends." The truth apparent at that time has remained unchanged to the present. Had Hezekiah Eastman Hatch taken this as a life motto, his life record could not have been more fully the expression of the Greek philosophy. He occupies a commanding position in financial and business circles and has exerted marked influence along other lines and of him it is said that "every one is his friend." Honored and respected by all, Hezekiah Eastman Hatch, of Logan, occupies a most enviable position in financial and business circles, not alone by reason of the success he has achieved but also by reason of the straightforward business principles that he has ever followed. There is much in his life record to stimulate and encourage others and the story may well be carefully read and pondered. Mr. Hatch was born in Lehi, Utah, December 16, 1855. His father, Lorenzo Hill Hatch, was a native of Lincoln, Vermont, born January 4, 1826. He came to Utah in 1850, crossing the plains with one of the old-time wagon trains. In 1863 he removed to Franklin, Idaho, and was a resident of that state for fifteen years, winning a substantial place among the farmers and business men of Idaho and Utah. For an extended period he served as a bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his labors were untiring in behalf of the upbuilding of the church and the extension of its influence. He died in Logan in 1910, his memory remaining as a blessed benediction to all who knew him. The mother of Hezekiah E. Hatch was Sylvia Savonia Eastman. She was born in Vermont and passed away in Logan in 1903. She had a family of five children, all of whom are yet living. After mastering the branches of learning taught in the district schools of Franklin, Idaho, H. E. Hatch of this review became a resident of Logan in 1872 and was a pupil in the city schools until 1874. He afterward engaged in farming for a brief period, but when about a year had elapsed he took up telegraphy and accepted a position as telegraph operator at Franklin, Idaho, where he also acted as assistant postmaster until October 12, 1875. He next became connected with the Utah Northern Railway, now the Oregon Short Line, at Franklin, Idaho, and so continued until November 23, 1882. In the meantime, however, or in 1878, he went from Franklin, Idaho, to Ogden, Utah, where he was given charge of the railway station, relieving Richard W. Young, now Brigadier General Young of the United States army. Subsequently he returned to Franklin, Idaho, and for a few months again had charge of the railway office there, after which he was transferred to Logan, Utah, where he became local station agent and assistant train dispatcher. He was thus employed-during the construction of the Oregon Short Line between Franklin, Idaho, and Butte, Montana. He left his railway position on the 23d of November, 1882, and in connection with Moses Thatcher, George W. Thatcher, of Logan, and W. D. Hendricks, of Richmond, Utah, and S. T. Joselyn, of Omaha, Nebraska, all now deceased, he organized the banking business of Thatcher Brothers & Company. He was made the cashier of the bank, with George W. Thatcher as president. This partnership continued with mutual pleasure and success until January 3, 1889, when a reorganization was effected, the business being taken over by the Thatcher Brothers Banking Company, Incorporated, of which George W. Thatcher became the president, Lewis S. Hills vice president and H. E. Hatch cashier. Until 1910 Mr. Hatch remained in the position of cashier, when he succeeded the late Moses Thatcher in the presidency and so remains as the head of this splendid banking institution, regarded as one of the strongest and most reliable not only in Cache county but in this part of the state. They occupy beautiful and commodious quarters in the Eccles Hotel building and from the beginning the business of the bank has steadily increased in volume and in importance. Mr. Hatch has further extended his efforts in banking circles, being now the president of the West Cache State Bank of Trenton, Utah, a director of the State Bank of Richmond, Utah, and a director of the Hyrum State Bank of Hyrum, Utah. Farsighted, his keen sagacity has enabled him to recognize and utilize opportunities that others have passed heedlessly by and he is today a dominant figure in business circles in this state. He is the president of the Promontory-Curlew Land Company, operating very successfully, having owned and controlled some four hundred thousand acres of land, of which more than two hundred thousand acres has now been sold and Is being rapidly developed and settled by farmers and stockmen. At the time of the organization of the company Mr. Hatch became its vice president and treasurer. He is also the president of the Thatcher Milling & Elevator Company, Incorporated, having one of the oldest mills in Utah, founded by the firm of Thatcher & Sons in 1860. Mr. Hatch is likewise the president of the Farmers' Utah Loan Association of Logan, a corporation making long-time loans on farm mortgages, and in this connection an extensive business has been built up. The efforts of Mr. Hatch have not been confined alone to enterprises which have had to do merely with the welfare of the stockholders. For two years he was president of the Commercial Boosters' Club of Logan, which has been a most potent element in the development of the city, the expansion of its trade relations and the promotion of its civic standards. He was likewise the vice president and a member of the executive committee of the Utah State Bankers' Association and has done everything in his power to maintain the high standards of service among the banking fraternity of the state. On the 16th of October, 1884. Mr. Hatch was married to Miss Georgia Thatcher, a daughter of Joseph W. Thatcher, one of the very prominent pioneer settlers of Utah who contributed much to the upbuilding and development of his part of the state. Mr. and Mrs. Hatch are now the parents of seven living children and also lost two. Hezekiah Sumner, mentioned elsewhere in this work, married Olive Baker and left four children at-the time of his death April 15, 1919, namely: Alice Fay, Marjorie, Frances and Sumner. Georgia Vivian is the wife of Asa Bullen, of Logan, also represented on another page of this volume, and they have two children, Philip Asa and Richard. Hannah died in infancy. Ella is the wife of W. W. Anderson, of Logan. Joseph Eastman recently served as a first lieutenant with the United States army In France. Lorenzo Boyd, who married Annie McQuarrie in 1918, has been recently discharged from the army at Camp Lewis. La Fayette Thatcher, nineteen years of age, was a member of the Student Army Training Corps and was discharged in November, 1918, and is now attending the Agricultural College at Logan. Waldo Morrison, seventeen years of age, is attending Brigham Young College in Logan. Adrian William, a youth of fourteen years, is a public school student of Logan. Mr. Hatch has ever remained an active and consistent member of the Church of Jgsus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for twenty-five years has been an untiring worker in the Sunday school, acting as superintendent for ten years. His political allegiance has always been given to the democratic party, but he has never been an office seeker. However, he has served as city commissioner for Logan and prior to that time was commissioner for Cache county. His activities have thus largely touched those lines which have to do with the general interests of society in the material, social and moral development of the commonwealth. While he stands at the head of many large and important corporation Interests, he is a man of most democratic spirit who judges his fellowmen not by wealth but by individual worth and numbers his friends among young and old, rich and poor. While he has prospered, the most envious cannot grudge him his success, so honorably has it been won and so worthily used. Additional Comments: Extracted from UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL ILLUSTRATED VOLUME IV CHICAGO-SALT LAKE: THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1920 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ut/cache/bios/hatch18nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/utfiles/ File size: 9.0 Kb