The Marye Family

The Marye family traces its American roots back to Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland. George Thomas Marye Sr. went west to California in 1849, where he made his fortune in real estate, banking, and business in San Francisco and later in Virginia City, Nevada. His son George Thomas Marye Jr. (1846-1933) carried on his father's business concerns, and in 1914 was appointed the United States Ambassador to Russia by President Wilson. Accompanied by his wife Mary Alice Doyle Marye (1870-1946), George was one of the last two foreigners decorated by Czar Nicholas II with the Order of St. Alexander Nevesky. While in Russia, Mary worked with the Red Cross war relief effort, aiding refugees from Poland and war-torn Russia. The Maryes left Russia in 1916 because of George's health, shortly before the Russian Revolution.

Helen Martha Marye Thomas, 1906-1970, was the daughter of George and Mary. She grew up in their homes in Washington D.C. and Burlingame, California, and was a skilled equestrienne. She was married to William Daniel Thomas Jr., a Naval Commander, and had one daughter, Marye Helen Thomas. After her divorce in 1938 she began looking for a ranch to purchase in Nevada and located a piece of property in Wadsworth, Nevada on the Truckee River. Helen bought the ranch from Joe Gardella in 1939 and added to the house and buildings on the property. She named the ranch the S Bar S; it was the scene of extensive entertainment and a base of operations for Helen's and Phyliss Walsh's many civic activities. The S Bar S Ranch was deeded to the University of Nevada's College of Agriculture in 1970 to serve as a field laboratory.

Phyliss Walsh (1897-1985) was Helen's long time friend and helped manage the ranch. Together they were active in founding and running such organizations as the American Women's Voluntary Services, the Nevada Silver Centennial Committee (to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of silver), and the Virginia City Trust Foundation (to help preserve and protect historic Virginia City).

Helen Marye Thomas died March 24, 1970.

Scope and Content

The Marye Family papers consist of documents related to George Thomas Marye Jr., his wife Mary, and daughter Helen Martha Marye Thomas. The collection dates from approximately 1895-1970 and contains one cubic foot of material. It was donated to the Special Collections Department in 1980 by Phyliss Walsh; there are no restrictions on use of the collection.

A major part of the collection documents Helen Thomas' acquisition and management of the S Bar S Ranch (S-S), and the activities of the Nevada Silver Centennial Committee and the Virginia City Trust Foundation. Additionally, there is material which documents Helen's father's business and diplomatic careers, and her mother's social prominence.

The S-S papers detail the negotiations leading to the purchase of the ranch and provide extensive specifications and drawings of the reconstruction of the main house in 1948. The many newspaper clippings document the ranch as a focal point for Helen's entertainment. There is also a court deposition made by Thomas in which she testifies about her ranching operations. Thomas deeded the ranch to the University of Nevada-Reno in 1970, at which time a title report was prepared. The report is part of this collection and provides a factual, if somewhat dry, evaluation of the ranch's use and value, as well as excellent photographs of the land and buildings.

The Nevada Silver Centennial celebration commemorated the 100th anniversary of the discovery of silver in Virginia City. Helen Thomas and her friend Phyliss Walsh were founding members of the committee which organized and founded this event. The event is represented in this collection by minutes of the committee, bylaws, an outline of activities, stationery samples, a program for the cornerstone ceremony, and news releases.

Thomas and Walsh were also members of the Virginia City Foundation Trust which was established to restore and preserve Virginia City. Trust records present here include minutes, a proposed restoration plan submitted by Thomas C. Watson Advertising Agency of Reno, receipts and disbursements, correspondence, and news clippings.

Helen Thomas was very proud of her Marye heritage and in particular of her grandfather George Thomas Marye, Sr., and George Thomas Marye, Jr. It was Miss Walsh's desire to have a Marye room dedicated to their memory on Helen's behalf in the College of Agriculture at the University of Nevada-Reno. To that end, one folder of biographical material was gathered by Walsh and is part of this collection. Newspaper articles, a letter appointing George Jr. as U. S. Ambassador to Russia, sections of published personal histories and other material are present. This series includes a scrapbook of clippings about the Marye financial interests in San Francisco and about social activities of the Marye and Thomas families. There are many excellent photographs of the two families, including some from George Jr.'s ambassadorial career; they have been transferred to the photo archives section of the Special Collections Department.

Processed by: Susan Searcy
Date: December 21, 1987

Manuscripts | Special Collections

Please direct questions to Jacquelyn Sundstrand
Updated June 22, 2008