Samuel Thomas Hauser (January 10, 1833 – November 10, 1914) was an American industrialist and banker who was active in the development of Montana Territory.

A complicated figure, Hauser engaged in fraud and through his First National Bank of Helena he stole over $2 million.

One newspaper called him "Montana's greatest captain of industry, former chief executive, pioneer trailblazer, eminent financier, distinguished citizen and one of the choice and master spirits of the age.

The marriage produced two children: Ellen and Samuel Thomas Jr.[2] In early 1862, Hauser left his position with the railroads and boarded a steamboat for the journey up the Missouri River.

He arrived at Fort Benton, Montana, in June and traveled overland toward the Salmon River to prospect for gold.

Partway through the difficult journey, after hearing disappointing reports about the claims in the Salmon River area, he joined the gold rush at Bannack, Montana, where he arrived in August.

He survived, and while he failed to find gold on the Yellowstone, other members of his party struck it rich at Alder Gulch.

[2] Hauser also acquired a large real estate portfolio in support of his mining and ranching interests.

[7] To solve the problem of shipping, Hauser invested heavily in railroad branch lines to link his mines to markets.

Hauser was perpetually late with his loan payments, angering officials of the cash-strapped Northern Pacific.

Hauser got his railroads, and in return, he often did favors for the Northern Pacific—for example, he once convinced copper kings William Andrews Clark and Marcus Daly to accept a rate increase for ore shipments.

Hauser organized the Alta-Montana Company with himself as director and built a branch line to connect the district to Helena.

[7] Besides his mining interests, Hauser invested in cattle and partnered with Granville Stuart and A. J. Davis in the DHS Ranch.

[10] During his term of office, his many business interests consumed much of his time and many of his duties as governor were delegated to his personal secretary.

Hauser maintained ties to other western Democrats interested in economic development, particularly Missouri Senator George Graham Vest.

[12] It was Vest, along with Montana's territorial delegate James K. Toole, who negotiated Hauser's appointment as governor.

[16] Hauser's bank also made advances against the silver profits of mines, without requiring collateral or an endorser, based only on an assay report.

Langford's reports painted Hauser in a good light, calling him a "rustling active businessman.

[21] But Hauser continued to brush off the bad reports, saying that the loans were mere technical violations of banking statute.

"[25] The grand jury reported misconduct that included kickbacks to the state treasurer and a shady investment program in which poor laborers deposited their small savings with a promise of six percent interest—which was never paid.

[26] In response to the grand jury's report, comptroller of the currency James H. Eckels appointed an independent examiner, H. A. Forman, to look into the allegations.

He found a suspicious account for First National Bank of Butte (also operated by Hauser) that he guessed must have been used to juggle funds and deceive the office of the comptroller of currency.

Besides this, Forman discovered that Hauser had made vast loans to the members of his family and then funneled the money back into his own pockets.

[28] Having lost his first fortune with the closure of his bank and silver mines, Hauser embarked on a new project, a series of hydroelectric developments on the Missouri River.

By tapping the vast energy potential of the Missouri River, Hauser believed, Montana's mining operations could be expanded and fortunes could be made.

[29] In 1896, Hauser convinced Abram Hewitt to invest the money to build the first Canyon Ferry Dam.

In 1900, Hauser formed the Missouri River Power Company and convinced Henry Huttleston Rogers to invest.

Rogers was a leader of Standard Oil, which held controlling interest in the Amalgamated Copper Company in Butte, Montana.

Rogers insisted on a nonperformance clause, which made Hauser liable if his dams could not provide enough electricity.

[33] In 1906, Hauser announced his plans to build his new steel dam on the Missouri River south of Helena.