San Souci was born in Saco, Maine,[1] the son of Euzebe San Souci and Marie Louise (Couett) San Souci.[2] As a small child he moved with his family in 1860 to St. Albans, Vermont. His father was a member of the Army of the Potomac and was killed in battle in 1864.[3] San Succi attended school in St. Albans until he was eleven.[4] He left school to work so he could help his mother raise the family.[5]
He worked as a clerk in Biddeford, Maine, before working as a shoe clerk in Greenfield, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island. In 1877, he moved to Hartford, Connecticut, to work for a shoe making company. He worked for that company until 1890 when he opened a shoe and clothing store business with his brothers in Providence.[6] The company became very successful, and he served as secretary and treasurer of the company.[7]
Political career
San Souci held many political positions in Providence, and served on the Providence City Council from 1900 to 1907.[8] In 1908 he was appointed aide-de-camp to Governor Pothier, and served in that position for six years.[9] He was elected as a Republican Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island in 1914, and was reelected in 1916 and 1918. He served as lieutenant governor from 1915 to 1921.[10]
In 1921 he was elected Governor of Rhode Island,[11] in large part due to the strong support of women voters. 1921 was the first year women were allowed to vote in state elections in Rhode Island.[12] He served as governor from January 4, 1921, to January 2, 1923, and did not win the nomination for governor in 1922 in large part to his handling of a large textile strike. He called in the state militia to handle the strike, and he lost the support of many in his party.[13]
