Title: Thomas W. and Frances V. Leach Papers
Dates: 1911-1981
Collection Number: 10534
Quantity: 33 linear feet
Abstract: The papers consists of personal and business records, including correspondence, contracts, surveys, maps, minutes, and related materials involving North Dakota counties as well as several other states and Canadian provinces where Leach had business interests. Other records include the personal and business records of Thomas and Frances, including partnership records, information on leasing and oil exploration, North American Royalties, Inc., the Leach ranch, North Dakota Wood Preserving Company, and other business ventures documenting the oil industry, business history and the Leach family.
Provenance: The State Historical Society of North Dakota acquired the Thomas W. and Frances V. Leach Papers as a gift from the Thomas W. and Frances V. Leach Foundation, Inc. on September 15, 1989. The collection was processed and the inventory prepared by Stephen Motis in May 1992.
Property Rights: The State Historical Society of North Dakota owns the property rights to this collection.
Copyrights: Copyrights to this collection remain with the donor, publisher, author, or author's heirs. Researchers should consult the 1976 Copyright Act, Public Law 94-553, Title 17, U.S. Code or an archivist at this repository if clarification of copyright requirements are needed.
Access: This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite the collection title, collection number, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota in all footnote and bibliographic references.
Transfer: Twenty-eight publications were transferred to the library collection.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Thomas W. Leach was born on December 23, 1896 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the son of Frederick and Melissa Leach. When he was five his family moved to Pine Bluff, Arkansas where his father worked as a lumberman. Before graduation from the Missouri School of Mines in 1920 he served with the rank of First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Field Artillery and later in the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps.
Although originally intending to take a mining job in Mexico, Leach instead took work in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Within a year he was working for Transcontinental Oil Company and five years later was their Chief Geologist.
On October 28, 1925 he married Frances V. Land, a childhood sweetheart, also from Pine Bluff. Frances was born June 28, 1902 at Pine Bluff where her father practiced dentistry. At the time of her marriage to Thomas Leach she was a reporter for the St. Louis Times. She became a business partner in many of her husband’s ventures.
Leach first visited North Dakota in 1928 on company business. While there he took time to inspect rock formations. Convinced that oil could be found in North Dakota, he was unable to persuade his superiors upon his return to Oklahoma.
In 1930 Leach became an independent oil operator and invested in oil properties. He built up his holdings in Oklahoma and Arkansas and investigated opportunities for well drilling ventures and property leasing in several other states. In 1936 he studied the Nesson Anticline, an underground arch of stone that might contain trapped deposits of oil bearing rock, in North Dakota and opened an office in Bismarck. He formed a partnership in 1937 with A. M. Fruh, a Minot real estate and insurance man. They arranged with the Standard Oil Company of California to invest enough money to drill a 10,281 foot deep well near the site of an earlier effort in the same area of Williams County but no oil was found and the well abandoned as a “dry hole”. After spending nearly a million dollars Standard Oil pulled out but Leach persisted, convinced that oil could be found in the state.
During World War II Leach served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Artillery Corps at San Diego from 1943-1944. After the war he continued leasing land and pursuing other business ventures. By 1953 he convinced Amerada Oil Company of Tulsa, Oklahoma that the Nesson Anticline was a good drilling prospect. During April 1951, the John Iverson well in Williams County successfully struck oil.
Leach formed North American Royalties, Inc. (NAR) in partnership with J. M. Kelsch in 1952 to consolidate his holdings. The company was the first to offer land speculation stock involving the Williston Basin area. Business investments not involved in oil or drilling included a ranch, a rental car agency, and a wide variety of stocks from such companies as General Motors, Sears, Roebuck ad Company, and Standard Oil Company.
Leach and his wife realized a lifelong dream in 1953 when they purchased a 7,750 acre ranch with 500 head of Hereford cattle near Towner in McHenry County, North Dakota. By 1966 the spread grew to 11,400 acres and 1,100 head of cattle.
To perpetuate their interest in helping others, they established the Tom and Frances Leach Foundation in 1956. Both were involved in various social and charitable organizations including the Bismarck Chamber of Commerce, Methodist Church, and Prairie Public Television. Frances Leach was at one time on the Board of Regents at Minot State College.
Thomas W. Leach died of a sudden heart attack on the way to Bismarck on September 7, 1966. Frances survived him and became executor of his estate which formed the Leach Foundation. She died on October 2, 1981. They had no children.
Sources:
Falk, Edi. Annual Report, 1987. The Tom and Frances Leach Foundation, Inc., February 1988.
McLachlan, Alden. “Geologist Tom Leach Among First to Predict Oil Here,” Bismarck Tribune, July 31, 1951.
Person, Avis, ed. Who’s Who for North Dakota. Bismarck, North Dakota: North Dakota State Historical Society, 1958.
“History Will Rank Tom Leach Among Builders of N.D.,” Fargo Forum, September 9, 1966.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The Thomas W. and Frances V. Leach papers date from 1924-1982 and measure 32.25 feet. The collection documents the beginning of the Leach business ventures, especially in the oil business as well as personal and community involvements of Thomas W. and Frances V. Leach. The collection also contains many early maps of geological and oil drilling locations interest concerning North Dakota and other states.
SERIES DESCRIPTION
Series I, Business Correspondence, 1924-1979, is found in boxes 1-4 and measures 4 feet. The series consists of both business and personal correspondence, such as letters, telegrams, and some legal documents all arranged alphabetically. This material is especially important in understanding Thomas Leach’s early years in business.
Series II, Securities File, 1952-1970, is found in box 4 and measures .5 feet. The series consists of records and correspondence concerning stocks and other securities held by the Leaches and their businesses or estates. The series relates to the Leach’s business activities both locally and nationally.
Series III, Leach Ranch Records, 1956-1980, is found in box 5 and measures 1 foot. The series consists primarily of correspondence related to operation of the ranch as well as some business records. This series documents the Leach’s continuing interest in ranching for pleasure and profit.
Series IV, Income Tax Records, 1941-1950, is found in boxes 18, 28-29 and measures 2/25 feet. The series consists of income tax records for both private and business incomes and relates to the Leach’s early years in business.
Series V, Leach and Fruh Files, 1936-1968, is found in box 19 and measures 1 foot. The series consists of correspondence and business records relating to the partnership between the Leaches and A. M. Fruh, their personal and business relationship, the eventual dissolution of the partnership, and recriminations between the partners later on business matters and personal conduct.
Series VI, Oil Property Files, 1952-1958, is found in box 20 and measures 1 foot. The series consists of three subseries titled Northern Oil Properties, 1953-1957, folders 1-11; Northern Oil Files, 1956-1958, folders 12-25; and Northwest Oil Corporation Files, 1952-1958, folders 26-32. The subseries relate to the slow evolution of the Leach oil properties over time as the companies changed their names and took on new forms to meet changing needs.
Series VII, North American Royalties, Inc. Records, 1951-1970, is found in boxes 21-23 and measures 3 feet. The series includes three subseries titled Asset Schedules and Investment Records, 1954-1956, box 21 folders 2-6; Preliminary Working Papers Files, 1949-1956, box 22 folders 7-16; and Working Papers NAR Appraisal, 1942-1963, box 22 folder 17-29 and box 23. The subseries relate to the various characteristics of the most important Leach company to be set up in North Dakota and covers the period in which Thomas Leach was most active in its operation.
Series VIII, Northwest Investment Company Files, 1921-1964, is found in boxes 24-25 and measures 1.25ft. The series consists of personal and business correspondence and relates to Thomas and Frances Leach’s involvement in the company and its accomplishments up to 1964.
Series IX, North Dakota Wood Preserving Records, 1959-1968, is found in box 30 and measures 1 foot. The series consists of personal correspondence to employees and business records. It contains one subseries titled Wood Preserving and Products. It contains a photo album of the business and relates to both the ownership and operation of the establishment by Thomas Leach and his relations with buyers and sellers of his business products.
Series X, Leach Oil Corporation records, 1940-1960, is found in box 31 and measures 1 foot. The series consists of receipts, tax records, and corporate papers and minutes and relates to the operation of the corporation.
Series XI, Geology, 1913-1964, is found in boxes 6-17 and measures 12 feet. The series consists of four subseries titles Miscellaneous Geology, boxes 6-7 and folder 1 of box 8; Geology of North Dakota by County, box 8-9; Saskatchewan Wells, boxes 10-11; Oklahoma, Arkansas and Miscellaneous, boxes 12-15. The series relates to the various geological formation Thomas Leach investigated throughout his career as a surface geologist and wells he and others drilled in several states and Canada.
Series XII, Publications and Scrapbooks, in box 33 consists of a scrapbook of newspaper clippings concerning the oil industry up to 1966.
BOX / FOLDER INVENTORY
Box 1:
1 American Association Of Petroleum Geologists 1924-1965
2 Amerada Oil Co. 1956-1965
3 Amerada Oil Co. 1942-1948
4 American Geological Institute 1958-1962
5 American Petroleum Institute 1962-1964
6 Anderson, T. R. 1953-1960
7 A 1952-1965
8 Baird, Julian 1952-1965
9 Bakke, W. E. 1951-1967
10 Bassett, Clarke 1952-1962
11 Bjella, Arley R.
12 Boxell, Jim
13 Bremer, Stephen 1966-1967
14 Bundlie, Kelley & Maun 1952-1960
15 Bundy, John H. & Mahlon C. 1954-1963
16 Bureau of Land Management 1942-1952
17 Bylin, Ernest R.
18 B 1952-1966
19 Canadian Bank of Commerce 1955-1957
20 Carter Oil Co. 1940-1942
21 Case, Hadley 1953-1962
22 Costley, Lawson C. 1955-1962
23 Cox, Leach & Fruh
24 Colliard, M. R. 1952-1958
25 Cromwell, V. L. 1951-1963
26 Cruttenden, Posesta & Co. 1957-1960
27 C 1951-1966
28 D 1952-1966
29 Doak & Hughes 1953-1955
30 Dakota National Bank 1949-1955
31 Davidson, W. S., Jr. 1951-1956
32 Davis, M. E. 1950-1952
33 Diamond, Harry H., Jr. 1940-1966
34 Deweese, B. G. 1954-1965
35 Dogough, Thomas G. 1949-1963
36 Dunn Co.
37 Eby, Seth, Jr. 1954-1964
38 Eckenwiler, C. W. 1937-1957
39 Ellison, Kenneth 1950-1959
40 El Zagal Shrine 1953-1964
41 E 1955-1953
42 Farish, Linn M.
Box 2:
1 Farnham, Charles W. 1958-1966
2 Faulkner, Ross H. 1953-1964
3 Federal Farm Mortgage Corp. 1953-1958
4 Federal Land Bank, St. Paul 1949-1960
5 First National Bank, Bismarck 1951-1962
6 First National Bank, Minneapolis 1955-1966
7 Forbes, Vernon D. 1950-1961
8 Fruh, A. M. 1938-1963
9 Friis, Bertha 1951-1959
10 F 1951-1966
11 Gawthrop, Robert M. 1952-1965
12 Gratz, William J. 1952-1965
13 Gunvaldsen, Ole 1951-1966
14 G 1951-1966
15 Halland, Herman E. 1951-1963
16 Hamill, Claud B. 1949-1961
17 Handy, Lin J. 1950-1954
18 Hart, W. A. 1961-1964
19 H 1942-1966
20 Hatcher, Oscar 1951-1965
21 Hechter, Gerald M. 1949-1951
22 Hanson, Herman 1952-1953
23 Hennen, Ray V. 1951-1958
24 Hennen, Ray & Kathleen Jacobs 1958-1964
25 Hennen, Ray 1937-1950
26 Hill, Walter H. 1953
27 Hults, Ralph M. 1951-1956
28 I 1955-1961
29 Jones, C. T. 1958-1961
30 Jones, Gas Gatherers 1958-1959
31 Jones, C. T. 1956-1957
32 Jones, C. T. 1952-1956
33 J 1949-1963
Box 3:
1 Kittinger, Read 1956-1957
2 Jones, C. T., Stanoland 1938-1946
3 Koch, Theodore W. 1952-1961
4 K 1951-1966
5 Land, Gerrit & Susie 1960
6 Laird, Wilson M. 1953-1965
7 Land, Cooper, Sr. & Jr. 1956-1966
8 Leach, F. B., Mrs. 1944-1966
9 Land, L. K., Mrs. 1937-1948
10 Larson, E. G. 1957
11 Leach, Frank 1949-1955
12 Leach, T. W. 1954-1966
13 Lee, R. L. 1940-1959
14 Less, John R. 1958-1963
15 L 1951-1966
16 Mc 1950-1965
17 Mayflower Transit Co. 1960
18 Morrisey, Norman 1958-1964
19 M 1952-1966
20 North Dakota Oil and Gas Assoc. 1952-1960
21 Northland Realty Co. 1956-1957
22 N 1949-1963
23 Officer, Herbert G. 1958-1963
24 Owen, Lucille 1951-1955
25 O 1951-1965
26 Paine, Wedder, Jackson & Curtis 1958-1966
27 Peerless Camera Stores 1956-1962
28 Pi Kappa Alpha 1956
29 Polk, Jack 1957-1960
30 P 1951-1966
31 Q
32 Rixleben, B. 1954-1979
33 R 1953-1966
34 Rudman, M. B. 1950-1955
35 Rothacker, George H. 1952-1957
36 Satterwhite, Jack 1951-1961
37 Shay, D. C. 1952-1954
38 Shaw, John S. 1953-1958
39 Shaw, Oras 1931-1965
40 Sinclair, W. B. 1954-1958
41 Slagle, Travis M. 1952-1956
42 Smith, Ed. E. 1954-1963
43 Social Security 1952
44 Southland Royalty Co. 1949-1955
45 Strickler, W. H. 1949-1959
Box 4:
1 Strutz, Jasonius & Fleck 1951-1960
2 Summers, Helen 1963-1964
3 Summers, George 1955-1960
4 Sveen, Lloyd 1951-1954
5 S 1946-1965
6 Theilen, Tom 1964-1965
7 Torrison, Mandt 1952-1954
8 Tucker, Orin F. 1952-1959
9 T 1950-1966
10 United States Geological Survey 1951-1959
11 U 1948-1965
12 V 1951-1957
13 Walne, Walter H. 1959-1963
14 Warren, Q. F. 1955-1962
15 Warren, Q. F. 1954
16 Weinhandle, A. R. “Al” 1956-1964
17 West, S. Ray 1956-1958
18 White, Stanley B. 1938-1963
19 Whittaker, Jerome 1951-1960
20 Wilcox Oil Co. 1952-1964
21 Wilk, M. A. 1952-1957
22 Wooten, Simeon 1954-1964
23 W 1951-1967
24 Young, Milton R. 1953-1962
25 X-Y-Z 1951-1958
26 Schedule, Stock Investments 1961-1965
27 North American Royalties, Inc. 1958-1969
28 Amerada Petroleum Corp. 1960-1970
29 El Paso Natural Gas Co. 1966-1970
30 Felmont Petroleum Corp. 1958-1970
31 El Paso Natural Gas Co. 1966-1970
32 First Bank Stock Corp. 1966-1969
33 First National Bank, Bismarck 1957-1966
34 General Motors Corp. 1966
35 Great Northern Railway 1966-1970
36 Marine Petroleum Trust 1966-1969
37 Provident Life Insurance Co. 1955-1969
38 Reserve Oil and Gas Co. 1960-1970
39 Standard Oil Co. 1968-1970
40 United Petroleum and Mining Corp. 1952-1970
41 United States Steel Corp. 1966-1969
42 American Tobacco Co. 1962-1963
43 St. Joseph Lead Co. 1966-1969
44 Cardinal Petroleum Co. 1962-1965
45 Continental Can Co., Inc. 1960-1961
46 Ford Motor Co. 1960-1961
47 Gulf States Land & Industries, Inc. 1964-1966
48 P. Lorillard Co. 1962-1963
49 Mid-America Pipeline Co. 1960-1961
50 Monsanto Chemical Co. 1960-1961
51 Nationwide Corp. 1962-1963
52 Mount Vernon Mills, Inc. 1961
53 North Dakota Nitrogen Co. 1958-1961
54 North Dakota Wood Preserving Co. -1964
55 Prairie Oil Royalties Co., Ltd. 1958
56 Sears, Roebuck and Co. 1960-1961
57 Sherritt Gordon Mines Ltd. 1960-1963
58 Texas Capital Corp. 1962
59 Towner Medical Center 1960
60 Woolaroc Oil Co. 1960-1961
Box 5:
1 Haman, Adam P. 1962-1965
2 Roundups 1956-1958
3 Pheasant Program 1972-1974
4 Correspondence 1978-1981
5 Correspondence 1977-1980
6 Correspondence 1977
7 Correspondence 1975-1976
8 Correspondence 1973-1975
9 Correspondence 1972-1973
10 Correspondence 1970-1971
11 Correspondence 1968-1969
12 Correspondence 1966-1967
13 Correspondence 1965
14 Correspondence 1961-1964
15 Correspondence 1963
16 Correspondence 1961-1962
17 Correspondence 1959-1960
18 Correspondence 1953-1958
Box 6:
1 Mexico 1950
2 Colorado, Oil Map 1924
3 SE Colorado, Twin Buttes Structure 1924
4 SW Colorado & SE Utah, General Report 1924-1926
5 NW Colorado, Rio Blanco County 1920-1921
6 Colorado, Geological Map 1913
7 NW Colorado, Moffat County 1923-1927
8 NE Colorado, Fort Morgan 1924-1930
9 Michigan 1926-1934
10 Mississippi 1939
11 New Mexico, Maps
12 New Mexico, Crown Point Anticline 1926
13 New Mexico, Macho Creek Anticline 1928
14 New Mexico, Lake Arthur 1928
15 New Mexico, San Juan County 1928
16 New Mexico, Blanco Structure, 1925-1926
17 New Mexico, Report 1930
18 New Mexico, Tucumcari Area 1937
19 New Mexico, La Mora Anticline 1928
20 Texas, East, A 1930-1932
21 Texas, East, B 1930-1932
22 Texas, East, C 1930-1932
23 Texas, Young County 1943
Box 7:
1 Texas, North Central 1926-1940
2 Texas, Hull & Silk Pool 1940
3 SW Texas, Fault Zone 1929-1930
4 SW Texas, Eastern Edwards Plateau 1930
5 Texas Panhandle 1930-1935
6 Utah, Nequia Arch
7 Texas, West, A 1929-1939
8 Texas, West, B 1929-1939
9 Texas, West, C 1929-1939
10 Wyoming 1929
11 United States, Map File
12 Kentucky 1928-1930
13 Foreign Countries 1930
Box 8:
1 Newcastle Formation 1968
2 Bottineau County 1951
3 Barnes County 1954
4 Benson County 1955
5 Billings County 1957-1960
6 Bottineau County 1954-1956
7 Bowman County 1954
8 Burke County 1956-1961
9 Burleigh County 1953-1959
10 Cavalier County 1951-1960
11 Dickey County 1954-1955
12 Dunn County 1958-1959
13 Taylor Anticline
14 Eddy County 1954-1963
15 Emmons County 1943-1954
16 Foster County 1954-1963
17 Golden Valley County 1955
18 Grant County 1954
19 Hettinger County 1954
20 Kidder County 1928-1961
21 LaMoure County 1953
22 Logan County 1931-1958
23 McHenry County 1954-1958
24 McIntosh County 1953-1954
25 McKenzie County 1951-1962
26 Skaar-Trotter Area
27 McLean County 1950-1954
28 Mercer County 1953-1954
29 Mountrail County 1954-1955
30 Oliver County 1942-1960
31 Pierce County 1951-1954
32 Ramsey County 1949-1954
33 Renville County 1954-1958
34 Rollette County 1954-1958
35 Sheridan County 1954-1958
36 Sioux County 1954
37 Slope County 1953-1960
38 Stark County 1954-1961
39 Stutsman County 1953-1960
40 Towner County 1953-1957
41 Walsh County 1963
42 Ward County 1923
43 Wells County 1953-1956
44 Williams County 1953-1958
Box 9:
1 Smith, Wendell G. 1951
2 Clays and Shales 1944-1953
3 Williston Basin 1943-1961
4 Heart River Valley 1952
5 Geomagnetic Survey 1953
6 Geological Survey 1954
7 Williston Basin Reports 1952-1953
8 Maps, Topographic
9 ND, General, A
10 ND, General, B
11 Government Lands 1952
12 Geological Survey Circular No. 5 1961
13 Nesson Anticline
14 Uranium, Thorium Mining 1954
15 Logs & Maps, Oil Wells
Box 10:
1 Kissinger Imperial South Carievale 1961
2 Placid-Trout Workman #11-4 1963
3 Kissinger Workman 1966
4 Kissinger-SR Carlyle 1966
5 NAR-Hill #5-1 Steeves 1962
6 R. J. Heider #1 Wilmont 1962
7 Garvey & Jordan-So. Workman 1963
8 Tom. Jordan So. Workman 1963
9 Kissinger-Canso-Coop-Canuck #7-35 1961
10 A.L.O.C. Carievale 1962
11 Williamson #9-11 McKnight 1962
12 NAR-Louis W. Hill, Jr. #11-5 Johnson 1961-1962
13 KPL-Clark Can-So. Workman 1967
14 Williamson #13-9 McKnight 1959-1960
15 Leach-B.C. & M. #5-36 Hine 1955-1957
16 Leach-B.C. & M. #4-36 Hine 1955-1958
17 Paramount-Leach-Felmont Schiestel #1-33 1957-1958
18 Leach-Felmont-Kopp #1-8 1956
19 Kopp #8-8 1955-1961
Box 11:
1 Kopp #9-8 1956-1957
2 Leach-Felmont Kopp #15-8A 1956
3 Calstan Storthoaks 1962
4 Can Will of Steelman 1965
5 Baron Kidd Poirer #16-8 1961
6 Goranson #1-21 1956-1961
7 Goranson #7-21 1956-1968
8 Goranson Maintanence File 1960
9 Murphy et. al., Midale 1964
10 American Liberty Aloc Weyburn 1962
11 Aloc Weyburn #14-15 1962
12 Barron Kidd #2 Talman 1961
13 Leach Canadian Superior Cowan #7-19 1955-1956
14 Great American Barron Kidd Talman #6-17 1961
15 Great American Barron Kidd Talman #10-17 1961
16 Murphy et. al., Midale, W2 1963
17 Champlin Benson, W2 1962
Box 12:
1 Louisiana
2 Geological Logs 1928-1936
3 Electric Logs, A 1921-1940
4 Electric Logs, B
5 Stamps District
6 Arkansas, Miller County
7 Electric Logs, Falcon & East 1921-1936
8 Logs, Garland & Fouke 1926-1934
9 Logs, Stamps County & Lafayette County 1925-1930
10 Arkansas, General
11 Carter, Geophysical Highs
12 Camp Prospect 1922-1946
13 Oklahoma, General File
14 Arkansas, North, A
15 Arkansas, North, B
Box 13:
1 Oklahoma, Hughes County, A
2 Oklahoma, Hughes County, B
3 Oklahoma, General 1928-1959
4 Weleetka 1940-1948
5 Oklahoma, Lincoln County 1930
6 Oklahoma, Creek County 1920-1947
7 Oklahoma, Okfuskee County 1913-1945
8 Oklahoma, Okfuskee County 1922-1944
9 Oklahoma, Geological Structure Maps
10 Oklahoma, Hughes County
11 Geological Map Book
Box 14:
1 Oklahoma Geology Maps, A
2 Oklahoma Geology Maps, B
3 Map Index 1928-1933
4 W. Oklahoma, Geological Maps
5 Oklahoma Lease Deals 1945
6 Core Drill
7 Oklahoma, General Sub Surface Maps
8 Oklahoma, Coal Districts
9 Oklahoma, 13N-18E
10 Oklahoma, Area Maps, A
11 Oklahoma, Area Maps, B
12 Oklahoma, McAlester District 1928-1936
13 Oklahoma, Osage County 1918-1934
14 Oklahoma, Noble County
15 Oklahoma, Pittsburg County 1945
16 Leach, T. W., Notebook 1932
17 Okeene Area 1944
18 Oklahoma Cross Sections
19 Oklahoma, T1-10S
20 Oklahoma, Murray County 1931-1935
21 Maps, Misc.
22 Jumbo Anticline
Box 15:
1 Oklahoma, Ado District 1927-1931
2 Oklahoma, Contour Maps, A
3 Oklahoma, Contour Maps, B
4 Oklahoma, T10N-R10E
5 Oklahoma, T10N-R6E 1941
6 Oklahoma, T10N-R11E 1930
7 Oklahoma, T11N to T15N, A
8 Oklahoma, T11N to T15N, B
9 Oklahoma, 13N-7E 1911-1940
10 Take Off Maps
11 Oklahoma, 13-18
12 Oklahoma, T15N 1927
13 Oklahoma, T16N-T20N, A 1925-1933
14 Oklahoma, T16N-T20N, B
15 Oklahoma, T19N
16 Oklahoma, T19N-5E
17 Oklahoma, T19N-7E 1927
Box 16:
1 Oklahoma, T19N-14E 1913-1931
2 Oklahoma, T20N-T23N 1925-1930
3 Gilbert Pool 1930-1943
4 Osage Sale 1929
5 Oklahoma, T24N-R3E
6 Worley, H. F. 1927-1937
7 Oklahoma, Surface Geology 1929-1935
8 Oklahoma, T11N & T12N
9 Oklahoma City Field 1935
10 Oklahoma, T13N & T14N
11 Garber Field 1926-1930
12 Oklahoma, T21N-T25N 1929-1930
13 Oklahoma, T25N-T26N
14 Oklahoma, T26N-State Line
15 Kansas, Miscellaneous Maps, A
16 Kansas, Miscellaneous Maps, B
17 Kansas, Surface Geology
18 General Subsurface Reports 1927-1930
19 Summary Report 1934
20 Kansas, T16-T18
21 Bradfield Pool
22 Kansas, T29-T30
23 Salina Basin
Box 17:
1 Kansas, T8-T9
2 Kansas, T10-T15 1927-1929
3 Kansas, T15-State Line 1927-1935
4 Arkansas, Lafayette County, 40 acres 1936-1938
5 Arkansas, Lafayette County, 16 acres 1936
6 Arkansas, Lafayette County, 40 acres 1936
7 Arkansas, Lafayette County, 14.5 acres 1936
8 Arkansas, Jefferson County 1941-1945
9 Abstract of Title, A 1925
10 Abstract of Title, B 1927
11 Abstract of Title, C 1934
12 Abstract of Title, D 1927
13 ND & Montana, Legal Forms
14 ND, Legal Forms
15 Oil & Gas Lease Forms
16 Oil & Gas Royalties
17 Mineral Deed Forms
18 Oklahoma, Well Logs 1919-1943
19 Kansas, Oklahoma & Texas, Misc. 1927-1932
20 Maps, unlabelled
21 Well Tests 1922-1944
22 Elevation Plats 1933
23 Logs, Misc. 1927-1930
24 Oklahoma, Well Logs 1919-1928
25 Oklahoma, Seminole County, Well Logs 1925-1929
26 Oklahoma, Seminole County, Sec8-8 1924-1928
27 Mineral Deeds, Misc.
28 Oklahoma, Well Logs, T19N-R17E 1920-1929
29 Oklahoma, Well Logs, T20N-R17E 1921-1928
30 Oklahoma, Well Logs, T20N-R16E 1917-1928
31 Oklahoma, Well Logs, T21N-R16E 1918-1929
32 Oklahoma, Well Logs, T21N-R17E 1917-1928
33 Oklahoma, Well Logs, T19N-R16E 1918-1930
34 Oklahoma, Well Logs, T7N-R8E 1925-1929
35 Arkansas, Lafayette County, 80 acres 1937-1938
36 Arkansas, Lafayette County, 48 acres 1938-1939
37 Arkansas, Lafayette County, 21.5 acres 1938
38 Arkansas, Lafayette County, 140 acres 1938-1939
39 Arkansas, Lafayette County, 20 acres 1938
40 Arkansas, Lafayette County, 21 acres 1940
41 Arkansas, Lafayette County, 45 acres 1938
42 Arkansas, Lafayette County, 20 acres 1936
Box 18:
1 Taxes 1945
2 Taxes 1946
3 Taxes 1947
4 Taxes 1948
5 Taxes 1949
6 Taxes 1950
7 No. 166 Casing & Tubing File 1946-1947
Box 19:
1 Oil Corp., Appraisal & Prop Inv. 1957
2 Old Roy Records 1937
3 Fruh, A. M. 1945-1948
4 Controversy, Leach & Fruh 1939-1946
5 Contracts, Personal 1938-1947
6 California Co., Deal #1 1936-1937
7 Fruh, A. M. 1935-1940
8 Dissolution Agreement 1950-1951
9 Morton County Ranch 1936-1957
10 Tract Cost Control 1950
11 Inventory 1939-1950
12 North Dakota Royalties 1937-1941
13 Trustees Account 1950-1951
14 Correspondence 1951-1952
15 Correspondence 1937-1940
16 Lease Division File
17 Settlements 1936-1950
18 Dissolution of Partnership 1950-1951
19 Taxes 1963
20 Missouri Valley Minerals, Inc. 1957
21 Leach, T. W., Estate 1968
22 NAR 1953
23 Felmont Oil Corp., A 1954
24 Felmont Oil Corp., B 1954
25 Felmont Oil Corp., C 1954
26 Officer, Herbert G. 1954-1957
Box 20:
1 Survey, U.S. Information Return 1954
2 Partnership Agreements & Taxes 1953-1956
3 Statements 1953-1956
4 Receipts 1953-1954
5 Receipts 1954
6 Receipts 1955-1956
7 Checks #1-#130 1953-1954
8 Checks #131-#193 1954
9 Check Vouchers 1955-1956
10 Properties, Inventory & Appraisal, A 1957
11 Properties, Inventory & Appraisal, B 1957
12 Minute Book 1956-1957
13 Articles of Incorporation, U.S. & Canada 1956-1958
14 Taxes 1956-1957
15 Statements 1956-1957
16 Receipts, Canadian 1956
17 Receipts, Estevan 1957
18 Receipts, Bismarck 1956
19 Receipts, Bismarck 1957
20 Vouchers Bismarck 1956
21 Vouchers, Bismarck 1957
22 Vouchers, Kopp Acct 1957
23 Vouchers, Kopp Acct 1957
24 Vouchers, Hine Acct 1956
25 Vouchers, Hine Acct 1957
26 Northwest Oil Corp. 1956-1957
27 Taxes 1956-1958
28 Saskatchewan, Province of 1956-1958
29 Properties, Inventory and Appraisal 1957
30 Warren Q. F., Corp. 1955-1957
31 Leach & Warren Corp., A 1952-1954
32 Leach & Warren Corp., B 1952-1956
33 Leach & Warren Corp., C
34 Leach & Warren Corp., D
35 Leach & Warren Corp., E
Box 21:
1 Sale or Merger 1966-1969
2 Chattanooga Office 1969-1970
3 Correspondence, General 1967-1969
4 Index File
5 Correspondence, S.E.C.
6 News Releases 1969
7 Time Schedule & List of Parties 1969
8 Merger Agreement 1969
9 Stock, Purchase Agreement
10 Stock, Price Notes 1969
11 Proxy Statement 1969
12 Leach Tax Ruling Application 1969
13 NAR, Charter 1969
14 NAR, By-Laws
15 GSI, Charter 1969
16 GSI, Tax Ruling Application 1969
17 NAR, Financial Statements 1968-1969
18 GSI, Financial Statements 1969
19 Pro Forma Financial Statements 1969
20 NAR, Minutes
21 GSI, Minutes
22 Notes and Memos 1969
23 Misc. and Extras 1968-1969
24 Power of Attorney 1969
25 Registration Statement 1969
26 Application of Listing 1969
27 Info-Special & Annual Meetings 1966
28 Info-Special & Annual Meetings 1967-1968
29 Info-Special & Annual Meetings 1969-1970
30 Management & Overhead Charges 1955-1956
31 NAR Pension Plans 1965
32 Hill, Louis W., Jr. 1964-1969
33 Investment Services 1967-1968
34 Hill, Louis W., Jr. 1960-1966
35 Hill Sale 1966
36 Correspondence, General 1952-1969
37 United Petroleum & Mining Corp. 1959-1967
38 Reserve & Appraisal Report 1957
39 Officer Agreement 1958-1959
40 NAR Quarterly Work papers 1967-1968
41 Applicant Forms 1960-1962
42 Corp. Information 1960-1962
43 Leach, T. W., Estate Appraisal 1966
Box 22:
1 NAR, Inc., Inventory and Appraisal 1957
2 Leach Oil Corp., Perpetual Inventory 1955-1957
3 Missouri Valley Minerals, Inc. 1955-1956
4 Leach, T. W., Inventory 1954
5 NAR, Inc., Minerals & Royalties 1955
6 Leach, T. W., Schedules & Appraisals 1954
7 Missouri Valley Minerals, Inc. 1956-1957
8 Rican Corp., Purchase of Mineral Acres 1952
9 R-8, Miller County 1952
10 R-7, Miller County
11 United Properties Assignments 1952
12 Northern Oil Co., “Exhibit A” 1956
13 Wall Street Journal, Clippings 1955-1957
14 Sioux County 1949-1956
15 First Group Royalties, Inc., Properties 1954
16 Emmons County 1953-1956
17 NAR Properties, Appraisal 1956
18 Missouri Valley Minerals, Inc., Appraisal 1956-1957
19 Northwest Oil Corp., Property Transfers 1956-1960
20 NAR, Oil & Gas Evaluation 1956-1957
21 Leach Oil Corp. 1955
22 Oil Production, Yearly Total 1956-1957
23 Leach, T. W., Inventory 1955
24 “Exhibit A” 1954
25 Northern Oil Co. & Northwest Oil Corp. 1956-1957
26 North American, Oil & Gas Interests 1956-1957
27 “Exhibit A”, Properties Exchanged 1955
28 “Leach Oil Corp., Exhibit A” 1956
29 ND, Mineral Appraisals 1955-1958
Box 23:
1 So. Westhope & Newburg Field Area
2 Wyoming, Maps 1953
3 Montana, Daniels County, Maps 1953
4 Montana, Ownership Maps 1953
5 Montana, McCane County, Maps 1951-1953
6 Montana, Roosevelt County, Maps 1951-1955
7 ND, Bottineau County, Maps 1952-1953
8 ND, SW Bottineau County, Maps 1952-1953
9 Wahus, M. J.
10 ND, NE Williams County, Maps 1952
11 ND, E Divide County, Maps 1952-1953
12 ND, Burke County
13 ND, Central Bottineau County, Maps 1952-1953
14 ND, SE Bottineau County, Maps 1952-1953
15 ND, NE Bottineau County, Maps 1952-1953
16 ND, Central Divide County, Maps 1952-1953
17 ND, NE McKenzie County
18 ND, NW Mountrail County
19 ND, N Renville County
20 ND, E Slope County, Map 1952
21 ND, SE Williams County, Map 1952
22 Williston Basin, Index Map
23 ND, Misc. Maps 1942-1958
24 "Manitoba, "ELVA PROSPECT", Drilling File" 1955-1956
25 "Manitoba, "ELVA PROSPECT", Lease File" 1955
26 Union Oil Co., Canada 1963
27 Alberta, Innisfail #14-31 1957-1959
28 Alberta, Sturgeon Lake #9-27 1957-1958
29 Montana, Louis Toavs #1 1961
30 Manitoba, NAR 4-29 Henderson 1963
31 Manitoba, N. American Arthur 2-20-1-26 1965
32 Manitoba, NAR Arthur 6-21-1-26 W1 1964
33 Montana, Calvert #1 Houg 1961
34 Montana, Calvert Exploration Co. 1961-1962
Box 24:
1 Misc. Correspondence 1953-1959
2 Taxes 1951-1958
3 Workmen’s Compensation 1952-1956
4 Gasoline Tickets, Airplane 1957-1958
5 Survey, U.S. Information Return 1954-1956
6 Gasoline File 1952-1958
7 Minerals and Leases Advertisements 1953-1954
8 Prospects, Minerals 1952-1953
9 Ledger 1953-1958
10 United Properties, Inc., Agreement 1954
11 United Properties, Inc., Statements 1953-1957
12 United Properties, Inc., Schedules 1953-1956
13 Sunshine Ranch, Insurance Policies 1952-1957
14 Satterwhite, J. R. 1953-1958
15 Ranch Cooperative Dividend Notices 1954-1957
16 Taxes, Ranch 1952-1958
17 Cattle Sales, Direct 1953-1958
18 Cattle Buyers 1954
19 Vaccination 1956-1958
20 Steele Ranch 1952-1957
21 Taxes, Certificate Purchases 1951-1954
22 Ranch
Box 25:
1 Doak & Hughes, Maps 1941-1958
2 24NAR Harjo-Community #1, Maps 1958-1959
3 NAR #1 Ollar Unit, Maps 1957-1958
4 USSRAM #1 Naifeh 1959
5 USSRAM #1 Batchelor 1959-1960
6 USSRAM Hollaway #1 1961
7 USSRAM #1 Skaggs Unit 1961
8 USSRAM #1 Whitmore 1960
9 "USSRAM #1 Batchelor ""A"", Maps" 1959-1961
10 Carter - Mandel #1 Manley 1960
11 Doak & Hughes #5 Ingalls 1960
12 N. Okemah Prospect, Maps 1944-1964
13 White Eagle 1954-1958
14 Clearview Properties, Maps 1953-1960
15 Maps & Reports 1945-1953
16 Lease, Sissy Tiger 1952-1954
17 Lease, Chalakee 1954-1955
18 Lease, Logan Fox 1954
19 Lease, Otteson 1953
20 Gross Production Form, McIntosh Lease 1952-1954
21 Logan Fox #1, Maps 1954-1959
22 Oklahoma, Okfuskee County, Maps 1921
23 Oklahoma, Creek County, Ingalls, Maps 1936-1958
Box 26:
1 Checks, Canceled 1951
2 Checks, Canceled 1952-1953
3 Leach, T. W., Work Papers 1953
4 Support for Journal Entries 1953
5 Leach, T. W., Work Papers 1954
6 Leach, T. W., Work Papers 1955
Box 27:
1 Northwest Investment Co., Work Papers 1953
2 Northwest Investment Co., Work Papers 1954
3 Northwest Investment Co., Work Papers 1955
4 Northwest Investment Co., Work Papers 1956
5 Leach Oil Corp. 1951-1960
6 Northern Oil Co. 1956-1959
7 Leach & Kelsch 1952-1953
8 Taxes 1955
9 Kidder County, TC-1 1955-1956
10 Kidder County, TC-3 1955-1956
11 McIntosh County, TC-4 1955
12 Accounts, Miscellaneous 1954-1956
13 Taxes, Missouri Valley Minerals, Inc. 1952-1957
14 Doak & Hughes 1950-1956
15 Doak & Hughes 1942-1957
16 Correspondence 1951-1955
17 White Eagle, Leach & Warren Lease 1953-1954
18 Correspondence 1951-1952
19 Correspondence 1952
20 Correspondence 1953
21 Morton County Ranch 1917-1956
22 Inventories 1942-1955
23 Articles of Co-Partnership 1950-1954
24 McKenzie County, 68.24 acres 1951-1959
25 McKenzie County, 80 acres 1951-1954
26 Sioux County, 160 acres 1952-1958
Box 28:
1 Work papers 1956
2 Journal Data Sheets 1961-1963
3 Work papers 1958
4 Work papers 1957-1958
5 Taxes 1951-1953
6 Taxes 1952-1954
7 Taxes 1953-1954
8 Taxes 1954-1968
9 Taxes 1955-1968
10 Taxes 1956-1957
11 Taxes, Canadian 1956-1957
12 Taxes 1957-1958
13 Taxes 1958-1959
14 Taxes 1959-1964
15 Taxes 1960-1961
16 Taxes 1961-1962
17 Taxes 1962-1963
18 Taxes 1961-1964
19 Taxes 1964-1965
20 Taxes 1965-1966
21 Taxes 1966-1967
22 Taxes, Estimated Statement 1959-1965
23 Taxes 1966-1967
24 Taxes 1967
25 Taxes 1968-1969
26 Taxes 1969-1970
Box 29:
1 Taxes 1970-1971
2 Taxes 1971-1972
3 Taxes 1972-1974
4 Taxes 1973-1974
5 Taxes 1969-1974
6 Taxes 1975-1976
7 Taxes 1976-1977
8 Taxes 1977-1978
9 Taxes 1967-1969
10 Settlement Negotiations 1959-1963
11 Court Exhibits 1957-1959
12 Misc., File 1951-1958
13 NAR Shares and NW Properties 1953-1958
14 Dissolution Agreements 1953-1958
15 Litigation 1953-1960
16 Northwest Investment Co. 1953-1958
17 Northwest Investment Co. 1952-1955
18 Statements, Financial 1951-1957
19 Taxes 1952-1953
20 Consolidation Plan 1952-1955
21 Ledger, Deposit
22 Inventory, Furniture and Fixtures
23 Leach, T. W., Statements, Financial 1945-1954
24 Properties Acquired 1954
25 U.S. Information Returns
26 Insurance Policies
27 Workmen's Comp. Reports
28 U.S. Information Returns
29 Ledger, General 1951-1957
Box 30:
1 Record Book, Corp. 1960-1964
2 Leach, T. W. 1959-1964
3 Correspondence 1959-1960
4 Documents, Agreements & Dissolution 1961-1964
5 Reorganization, Corp. 1963-1964
6 Correspondence 1959-1962
7 Correspondence 1963
8 Newspaper Articles 1961-1965
9 Correspondence 1964
10 Work papers 1963-1964
11 Notes Receivable 1964
12 Lease Agreements 1965-1967
13 Investment, Co. 1964-1965
14 Wood Preserving & Products Co. 1965-1966
15 Wood Preserving, Osmose 1965-1966
16 Notes Receivable 1965-1969
17 Correspondence 1964-1965
18 Correspondence 1966-1968
19 Work papers 1964-1966
29 Bottineau Mill, Photo Album 1960
30 Chart, Accounts
31 Ledger, General 1960-1965
Box 31:
1 Taxes 1956-1958
2 Survey, U.S. Information Returns 1956
3 Certificate of Incorporation 1955-1960
4 Minutes 1955-1956
5 Receipts, Cash 1955-1956
6 Receipts, Cash 1956
7 Receipts, Cash 1956
8 Vouchers, Check 1955-1956
9 Vouchers, Check 1956
10 Vouchers, Check 1956
11 Receipts, Cash 1957
12 Vouchers, Check 1957
13 Vouchers, Check 1957
14 Receipts, Cash, Canadian 1956
15 Statements 1956-1957
16 Receipts, Cash, Canadian 1957
17 Vouchers, Check 1957
18 Statements, Canadian 1956-1957
Box 32:
1 Taxes 1940
2 Account, Special 1941
3 Account, Special 1941
4 Account, Personal 1941
5 Taxes 1942
6 Taxes 1943
7 Taxes 1944
Box 33: Scrapbook: newspaper clippings about oil exploration and the Leach family, ca. 1930s-1960s
Box 34: 3/4 Videotape recordings
10534-01 Mrs. Leach and Lodge Friends, n.d.
10534-02 Mrs. Leach at International Peace Gardens, July 12, 1975
10534-03 Christmas and Thanksgiving, 1972
10534-04 Misc Ranch Scenes, September 27, 1975
10534-05 Hunting and Fishing, n.d.
10534-06 America #1 (broken tape), n.d.
10534-07 Miami-Bahamas, n.d.
10534-08 Farm and Ranch Operations, n.d.
10534-09 Leach Enterprises - Misc. Footage, n.d.
10534-10 Tom's Friends at Round-ups and Parties, n.d.
Box 35: Publications about the 25th Anniversary of the discovery of oil in North Dakota:
"Williston Basin...Today's Most Exciting Oil Province," reprinted from the Oil and Gas Journal, July 14, 1952
Williston Petroleum Picture, September 1976
"Oil: A Special Tribute to the 25th Anniversary of the Discovery of Oil in North Dakota," supplement to the Williston Daily Herald, September 1976
Williston Plains Reporter, September 8, 1976
Address:
612 East Boulevard Ave.
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505
Get Directions
Hours:
State Museum and Store: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F; Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
We are closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. We are closed at noon Christmas Eve if it falls on Mon.-Thurs. and are closed all day if it falls on Fri.-Sun.
State Archives: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F, except state holidays; 2nd Sat. of each month, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Appointments are recommended. To schedule an appointment, please contact us at 701.328.2091 or archives@nd.gov.
State Historical Society offices: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F, except state holidays.
Contact Us:
phone: 701.328.2666
email: history@nd.gov
Social Media:
See all social media accounts