Famous Utahn: The Eccles Family

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For March’s Famous Utahn we decided to focus on a family! Have you ever driven through a Utah town and wonder who George S. and Dolores Eccles are and why they have their name on said building?

It was hard to pinpoint the history of George and Dolores as individuals, but we did go down an incredible Utah rabbit hole with the Eccles family. An immigrant family from Scotland, they found their way to Ogden and Logan Utah. The USU Statesman has an incredible write up about the Eccles family if you want to find out more about George’s parents.

Although we could only find pieces of George’s life, his brother Marriner was an incredible Utah businessman. Marriner was an American banker, economist, and member and chairman of the Federal Reserve Board along side several presidents.  George, along with Marriner, was one of 9 children and part of a polygamist family (the other family we will refer to as the Ogden Eccles). George was a Logan Eccles. He eventually graduated from Columbia University in New York City. which is where he met his love. George and Dolores married in 1925. George and his brother founded what we now know as Wells Fargo Bank (formerly First Security Corporation). He spent his lifetime in banking and civic work in the community.

Photo: (Courtesy Photo Salt Lake Tribune)

The George and Dolores Eccles Foundation was founded in 1960. From their website, ” Today, the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation continues to further the goals of its founders as it enriches the lives of all Utahns through its ongoing charitable support of the arts, education, health and wellness, social services, historic preservation and the environment.” These are the organizations the foundation has supported,

Arts and culture: Utah Shakespearean Festival

Education:

Preservation and conservation:

Community:

Healthcare:

Dolores passed in 1994, 12 years after George. Their family continues to do amazing things throughout Utah and beyond. Their foundation has donated well over 1 billion dollars, and now when you drive by a building that says George S. and Dolores Eccles you will know some of their history!

Music By: Folk Hogan; Bootleggers Dance