Stacher family.

Samuel Franklin Stacher. (Box 1).

Samuel F. Stacher was born September 17, 1875 near Congress, Ohio. He entered the United States Indian Service in 1903, assigned to the Sac and Fox Agency and school in Eastern Oklahoma as a farmer. Stacher moved to the Navajo Springs Day School, near Cortez, Co. in 1906, where he remained until 1909, when he was transferred to Pueblo Bonito (Chaco Canyon, N.M.) with instructions to find a suitable location for the establishment of an agency and school. With this appointment, Stacher was also given the duties of U.S. Indian agent for the Navajo Indians living off the established reservation, but on the public domain (checkerboard area) in New Mexico and Arizona. At Pueblo Bonito, Stacher and his family rented the old stone hotel which was built by the Hyde Exploration Co., from Richard Wetherill. He briefly contemplated locating the school and agency at Pueblo Bonito, but decided that Wetherill wanted too much money to sell the land ($30,000), and it was too far from the railroad for getting supplies. In March 1910, Stacher chose Crownpoint as the site for the Indian agency and boarding school. He named the site Crownpoint for the rock peaks that looked like crowns. The school was established in 1912.

Stacher also originated the idea for the Indian Ceremonial, first held in 1920 and 1921 at Crownpoint. In 1922, the Ceremonial was moved to Gallup, where S. F. Stacher was director in charge of exhibits.

When the Crownpoint Agency was abolished in 1935, Stacher was transferred to the Indian Land Department, where he was later appointed superintendent of the Consolidated Ute Agency, headquartered in Ignacio, CO. He remained in this position until 1940, when he retired at the mandatory retirement age of 65. Samuel F. Stacher died on Aug. 28, 1952 in Albuquerque, N.M.

Herbert Cornell Stacher, born on July 29, 1901 near Fay, OK, was one of Samuel F. Stachers 5 children. He attended the University of New Mexico from 1917-1920, and served in the United States Navy from 1920-1922. He began a 25 year career working as a mine clerk for the Gallup Southwestern Coal Co. in 1922. Herbert C. Stacher was president and general manager for the 5 years before the mine closed down in 1947. In 1952, he accepted a position as Organization and Methods Examiner at the Fort Wingate Ordinance Depot, east of Gallup. He later became Chief of the Management Engineering Office. In 1969, he retired from Federal civil service.

From the guide to the Stacher Family Papers, 1940-1982, 1980-1982, (University of New Mexico. Center for Southwest Research.)