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Oral history interview with Allan Hart

  • SR 1067
  • Collection
  • 1992

This oral history interview with Allan Hart was conducted by Allan F. Schulte, Hart's grandson, in 1992. The interview was recorded on the audiocassettes out of order.

In this interview, Hart discusses his family background and early life in Portland, Oregon, as well as his education at Moran School and Stanford University. He talks about investigating the Red Squad in Portland while he was an assistant U.S. attorney; about his time in the Department of Justice; and about his work prosecuting a case against the American Medical Association. He discusses getting drafted into the Army and his experiences in the Pacific theater during World War II. He speaks about being chairman of Maurine Neuberger's election campaign in 1960. He discusses his law career, including cases he worked on; working with Lindsay, Hart, Neil & Weigler in Portland; and nearly being appointed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He closes the interview by sharing his childhood memories of World War I.

Hart, Allan (Charles Allan), 1909-2002

Oral history interview with Dorothy H. Thornton

  • SR 1076
  • Collection
  • 1991-09-10 - 1991-12-13

This oral history interview with Dorothy H. Thornton was conducted by Nancy Hawver from September 10 to December 13, 1991, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. The interview was conducted in four sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on September 10, 1991, Thornton discusses her family background and early life in Tillamook, Oregon, including her parents' involvement with the Tillamook Creamery Association. She talks about her early education, her recreational activities, and her early interest in art. She discusses a trip she took to Europe in 1935. She talks about her experiences in high school and at the University of Oregon. She also revisits the topics of the Tillamook Creamery Association and her early life in Tillamook. She discusses her marriage to Robert Y. Thornton and talks about his legal and political career.

In the second interview session, conducted on October 17, 1991, Thornton discusses her experience during World War II and talks about working in the blimp factory in Tillamook. She also talks about Robert Y. Thornton's service in the U.S. Army during the war. She discusses Robert Y. Thornton's study of Japanese and her own study of art. She then discusses living in Tillamook at the end of the war, talks about her involvement in the Tillamook Library Board, and about raising her son, Thomas Wells Thornton.

In the third interview session, conducted on November 22, 1991, Thornton discusses living in Salem after Robert Y. Thornton was elected to the Oregon State Legislature in 1950 and talks about her experiences as a wife of a politician, her involvement with the Bush House Auxiliary, and her interest in art and photography. She also talks about cases Robert Y. Thornton worked on as state attorney general.

In the fourth and final interview session, conducted on December 13, 1991, Thornton continues to discuss living in Salem, including her involvement in early childhood education. She also continues to discuss Robert Y. Thornton's career as state attorney general. She talks about her involvement in the Arts in Oregon Council and other arts organizations; describes her cornea transplant surgery; and discusses taking art classes. She talks about a trip she took to Japan in the late 1950s, about attending attorneys general conventions, and about the establishment of the Grove of the States in 1967. She closes the interview by discussing her involvement with the Portland Art Museum and other arts organizations.

Thornton, Dorothy H. (Dorothy Haberlach), 1913-2005

Oral history interview with Allan Hart

  • SR 1200
  • Collection
  • 1986-04-15 - 1986-07-22

This oral history interview with Allan Hart was conducted by James Strassmaier at Hart's office in the KOIN Center in Portland, Oregon, from April 15 to July 22, 1986. In this interview, Hart discusses his family background and early life in Portland, Oregon, including his education at Moran School. He talks about his education at Stanford University and Yale Law School, including his social life, his friendship with Boyd McNaughton, working for the Stanford and Yale papers, and the relationship between Yale and Harvard. He then discusses returning to Portland, joining his father's law firm, and cases he argued. Hart talks about serving as an assistant U.S. attorney from 1936 to 1938 and cases he prosecuted, including liquor and narcotics cases. He also discusses the Lawyers Guild and the Oregon State Bar; his investigations into the Red Squad; the De Jong case; and his work on an antitrust case involving the American Medical Association. He then discusses his work as counsel for the Bonneville Power Administration from 1938 to 1941, including the beginnings of BPA, as well as dealing with private utilities and aluminum companies, particularly PGE and Alcoa. Hart also describes his experience during World War II as an officer in the Judge Advocate General Corps in the Pacific Theater, and then during the occupation of Japan.

Hart discusses his return to law practice in 1946. He talks about taking on the Kenji Namba v. McCourt case as a way to overturn the Alien Land Law. He briefly discusses his involvement with the Oregon Democratic Party, as well as raising a family. He talks about establishing the Hart, Davidson, and Veazie firm in 1956, including working with Jebbie Davidson, as well as the subsequent changes the firm underwent, which ultimately led him to the law firm of Lindsay, Nahstoll, Hart, and Krause. He discusses his involvement with the American Civil Liberties Union and civil rights cases that he worked on. He discusses his involvement with education, including serving on the board of the Sylvan School District from 1952 to 1956, and facing issues of school funding; serving on the State Board of Higher Education; and serving on the board of Catlin Gabel School. Hart speaks at length about discriminatory practices at many Portland social clubs, as well as U.S. District Court Judge Gus Solomon's efforts against them. He then discusses his relationships with Solomon and U.S. Supreme Court Justices William O. Douglas and Abe Fortas. Hart talks about his stymied aspirations of being appointed as a judge; political infighting in the Democratic Party; and additional cases he worked on. He revisits the topic of the Bonneville Power Administration, describing the changes it underwent after World War II, as well as the WPPSS crisis of the 1980s. Hart closes the interview by discussing his retirement activities.

Hart, Allan (Charles Allan), 1909-2002

Oral history interview with Floyd H. Hart, Jr.

  • SR 1176
  • Collection
  • circa 1969

This oral history interview with Floyd H. Hart, Jr. was conducted by Bob Reese circa 1969 at the Capitol studio in Salem, Oregon. In this interview, Hart discusses his efforts for property tax relief legislation. He also discusses the need for a sales tax to help fund public schools. He goes on to talk about pending legislation regarding air and water pollution.

After about 10 minutes of dead air, this tape also includes the swearing-in ceremony of Lee Johnson to the office of Oregon attorney general in 1969, including a short speech Johnson made to the Oregon Legislature.

Hart, Floyd H., Jr. (Floyd Henry), 1931-2014