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Oral history interview with Flora Cushinway Thompson

  • SR 9504
  • Collection
  • 1966-04

This oral history interview with Flora Cushinway Thompson was conducted by Joan Arrivee Wagenblast in April 1966. Several unidentified people were also present. The interview was conducted as research for Wagenblast's biography of Tommy Kuni Thompson, titled "Flora's song: a remembrance of Chief Tommy Kuni Thompson of the WyAms." The audio recording is a digital copy made from Wagenblast's original reel tapes; the digital files were donated to the Oregon Historical Society Research Library by Wagenblast's daughter, Debra Arrivee, who retained the original tapes.

In this interview, Thompson discusses the family background and early life of Wyam Chief Tommy Thompson. She talks about the settlement that was negotiated by the U.S. government and the Warm Springs, Yakama, Umatilla, and Nez Perce tribes as compensation for the flooding of Celilo Falls; about the construction of the Wyams' new village after they were forced to relocate; and about Tommy Thompson's resistance to the relocation. She talks about the wind rock, which was stolen; describes the Wyam salmon feast; and talks about the spiritual beliefs and practices of the Wyam. She describes how Tommy Thompson always kept copies of federal treaties with him; talks about his rules for salmon fishing; and discusses caring for Thompson at the end of his life. She discusses burial sites along the Columbia River that were moved before the flooding, and also names some white people who were buried at Native sites. She also talks about her children and grandchildren. She closes the interview by speaking about gathering berries in the Columbia River Gorge.

Thompson, Flora Cushinway, 1893-1978

Oral history interview with Susannah P. Malarkey

  • SR 9473
  • Collection
  • 1976-02-12

This oral history interview with Susannah P. Malarkey was conducted by Charles Digregorio at Malarkey's home in Portland, Oregon, on February 12, 1976, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Malarkey speaks at length about her anti-discrimination work with the Urban League of Portland, and talks about her association with Monsignor Thomas J. Tobin. She talks about her early life in the Portland Heights neighborhood of Portland, and about her education at the Catlin Gabel School. She closes the interview by describing her role in the founding of the Willamette Learning Center, an alternative school. She talks about the administration of the school and about the education its students receive.

Malarkey, Susannah P. (Susannah Platt), 1902-1993

Oral history interview with Dorothy B. Leach

  • SR 9463
  • Collection
  • 1978-02-23

This oral history interview with Dorothy B. Leach was conducted by Roberta Watts at Leach's home in Portland, Oregon, on February 23, 1978, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. The sound quality is very poor.

In this interview, Leach discusses the neighborhood in Northwest Portland where she has lived since 1924; talks about her early life in London, England, including her father's career as a sea captain; and shares her memories of operating a sailor's club in Portland during World War II. She talks about her reasons for leaving England, describes some of her travels in the early 20th century, and discusses at length her career as a dressmaker and sewing teacher in Portland. She also describes houses she lived in.

Leach, Dorothy B. (Dorothy Blanche), 1892-1990

Oral history interview with John R. Laidlaw

  • SR 9462
  • Collection
  • 1972-11-11

This oral history interview with John R. Laidlaw was conducted by Joseph A. Schiwek on November 11, 1972. In this interview, Laidlaw discusses the background of his paternal family, the Laidlaws, in Scotland. He talks about an aunt who served as a nurse for Queen Victoria I, and about his family's connection to the Church of Scotland. He speaks at length about the life of his father, James Laidlaw, including his involvement with the Lancashire Rifle Volunteers, his immigration to Portland, Oregon, and his career as a British consul.

Laidlaw, John R., 1898-

Oral history interview with John R. Laidlaw

  • SR 9461
  • Collection
  • 1976-06-10

This oral history interview with John R. Laidlaw was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on June 10, 1976, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library. Henry C. C. Stevens was also present and occasionally contributed to the interview.

In this interview, Laidlaw speaks at length about his family background. He discusses his early life in Portland, Oregon. He talks about prominent families in early 20th century Portland, including the C. E. S. Wood family, and shares anecdotes from his life as a Catholic priest. He talks about serving as a pastor in Astoria during World War I. He also talks about his siblings, their families, and their careers. He closes the interview by sharing further anecdotes about his time as a priest.

Laidlaw, John R., 1898-

Oral history interview with Gabriel V. and Vera P. Krivoshein

  • SR 9459
  • Collection
  • 1976-04-30

This oral history interview with Gabriel V. Krivoshein and Vera P. Krivoshein was conducted by Charles Digregorio at their home in Portland, Oregon, on April 30, 1976, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, the Krivosheins share their experiences as Russian refugees in Portland, Oregon, in the 1920s. Gabriel Krivoshein talks about learning to speak English, about finding work in the Portland shipyards and in logging camps in Washington, and about adjusting to life in the United States. He talks about his experience in the Imperial Army during World War I and during the Bolshevik Revolution, then describes his journey to the United States via China in the early 1920s. He speaks about the Russian community in Portland.

Vera P. Krivoshein shares her first impressions of Oregon after immigrating from Russia in 1925, and talks about adjusting to life in the United States. She speaks about her experience in the University of Oregon extension, about the Russian community in Portland, and about her reasons for not seeking U.S. citizenship until the late 1930s. She talks about jobs she worked, about her experiences during the Depression, and about her reasons for remaining in Portland.

They close the interview by talking about their early lives in Russia, and Gabriel Krivoshein describes his first American Halloween.

Krivoshein, Gabriel V. (Gabriel Vladimirovich), 1896-1990

Oral history interview with Dorothy Knowlton

  • SR 9458
  • Collection
  • 1976-02-05

This oral history interview with Dorothy Knowlton was conducted by Charles Digregorio at Knowlton's home in Portland, Oregon, on February 5, 1976, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Knowlton discusses her family background and early life in Freeport, Illinois, and shares the reasons why her family later moved to Portland. She also talks about the lives and careers of her siblings. She shares her memories of Armistice Day, then talks about her career as an elementary school teacher in Portland beginning in the 1920s, including the schools she taught at, and how the teaching profession changed. She also talks about teaching on the East Coast for a few years, and compares her experiences there with her experiences in Portland. She also speaks about her brother-in-law, Frederick Strong, and his family background. She closes the interview by talking about her experiences teaching at Catlin Hillside School, which later became Catlin Gabel School.

Knowlton, Dorothy, 1894-1985

Oral history interview with Sam Johnson

  • SR 9454
  • Collection
  • 1980-07-02 - 1981-06-25

This oral history interview with Sam Johnson was conducted by Linda S. Dodds at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, in two sessions on July 2, 1980, and June 25, 1981, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody.

In the first interview session, conducted on July 2, 1980, Johnson discusses his family background, particularly regarding the lumber business in Oregon, and his early life in the San Francisco Bay Area and in France. He talks about working in the Oregon timber business in Sisters during the Depression, about buying timber for the military as part of his service in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II, and about his marriage to Becky Johnson. He then speaks at length about his involvement in the Oregon and California timber business after the end of the war, particularly regarding his work with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to develop Warm Springs Forest Product Industries. He also talks about Becky Johnson's work to improve education, and about his children and their careers.

In the second interview session, conducted on June 25, 1981, Johnson discusses his service in the Oregon House of Representatives from 1964 to 1978, including his first campaign in 1964, legislation he worked on, and his fellow legislators. He shares advice for aspiring politicians, shares his reasons for retiring from the Legislature in 1978, and talks about his service as mayor of Redmond, Oregon, from 1978 to the time of the interview. He closes the interview by discussing his plans for the future of the city of Redmond.

Johnson, Sam (Samuel Spencer), 1911-1984

Oral history interview with Becky Johnson

  • SR 9453
  • Collection
  • 1981-11-09

This oral history interview with Becky Johnson was conducted by Linda S. Dodds at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on November 19, 1981, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody.

In this interview, Johnson discusses her family background and early life in Bellevue, Ohio. She talks about her college experiences at Miami University in Ohio and at Wellesley College, and discusses her career as a teacher in Ohio and Michigan during the Depression, including her salary. She shares her reasons for leaving the teaching profession to join the U.S. Navy during World War II, and shares her experiences recruiting women for the Navy in Portland, Oregon. She closes the interview by briefly discussing her involvement in Oregon politics.

Johnson, Becky (Elizabeth Avery Hill), 1913-2007

Oral history interview with Narcissus M. Hutchinson

  • SR 9451
  • Collection
  • 1981-09-03

This oral history interview with Narcissus M. Hutchinson was conducted by Linda S. Dodds at Hutchinson's home in Portland, Oregon, on September 3, 1981, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody.

In this interview, Hutchinson discusses her family background and early life on Sauvie Island and in various neighborhoods of Portland, Oregon, particularly St. Johns. She talks about her education and about having future Oregon Governor Douglas McKay as a classmate. She then discusses working as a cook in a logging camp in Rainier, Oregon, in the early 1910s, and about working on ranches in Oregon and Idaho while raising a family. She closes the interview by sharing her memories of attending the dedication of the John Mock House at the time it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Hutchinson, Narcissus M. (Narcissus Marie), 1894-1988

Oral history interview with Nell F. Hoak

  • SR 9449
  • Collection
  • 1980-05-07

This oral history interview with Nell F. Hoak was conducted by Linda S. Dodds at Hoak's home in Portland, Oregon, on May 7, 1980, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody.

In this interview, Hoak discusses her family background and early life in Imperial, Nebraska, including medicine her family used and life on a homestead with a sod house. She describes traveling by covered wagon to Siloam Springs, Arkansas. She shares her reasons for moving to Portland, Oregon, in 1919, and talks about her home and family life.

Hoak, Nell F. (Nell Florence), 1888-1984

Oral history interview with Charles H. Heltzel

  • SR 9447
  • Collection
  • 1977-03-02

This oral history interview with Charles H. Heltzel was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on March 2, 1977, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library. A transcript is available.

In this interview, Heltzel discusses his family background, particularly the legal and political career of his father, James Garfield Heltzel. He talks about his early life in Salem, Oregon, including his experiences during the Depression. He then speaks about his career as a lawyer in Salem, and about the civic organizations he was involved with, including the Salem Symphony and Salem Memorial Hospital. He talks about practicing law in Washington, D.C., during the late 1950s, and compares his experiences there with his experiences in Salem. He then discusses his work as public utilities commissioner of Oregon in the 1950s. He shares his thoughts on the future of energy, and talks about his accomplishments while serving on the Salem City Council. He closes the interview by talking about his wife, Muriel Heltzel, about her family background, and about her involvement in civic organizations.

Heltzel, Charles H. (Charles Holmstrom), 1914-1997

Oral history interview with Mary P. Hamblet

  • SR 9445
  • Collection
  • 1977-11-25

This oral history interview with Mary P. Hamblet was conducted by Roberta Watts at Hamblet's home in Portland, Oregon, on November 25, 1977, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Hamblet discusses her family background and early life in Portland, Oregon. She talks about owning an antiques business, describes purchasing antiques to resell, and about appraising antiques and estates. She talks about scouting houses for parties, about the education and career of her brother, and about her friendship with chef James Beard. She discusses her favorite restaurants, talks about her love of visiting Ireland, and describes how Portland changed over the 20th century.

Hamblet, Mary P. (Mary Patricia), 1909-1999

Oral history interview with Earl R. Goodwin

  • SR 9442
  • Collection
  • 1982-07-22 - 1982-08-24

This oral history interview with Earl R. Goodwin was conducted at Goodwin's home in Portland, Oregon, by Linda S. Dodds in two sessions, on July 22 and August 24, 1982, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody.

In the first interview session, conducted on July 22, 1982, Goodwin discusses his early life in Portland, Oregon. He shares his first memories of Portland after moving there from California in 1908, talks about his experiences at Lincoln High School, and describes how he became a sportswriter for the Oregonian, then later assistant sports editor for the Oregon Journal. He explains the origins of his nickname, "Sarge." He speaks at length about his experience reporting on the 1924 Olympics in Paris, France. He describes how he became a congressional private secretary for U.S. Representative Charles H. Martin in 1931 and speaks at length about his experiences in that role.

In the second interview session, conducted on August 24, 1982, Goodwin shares his reasons for leaving Charles H. Martin's staff when Martin was elected Oregon governor in 1935. He then talks about his work as chief clerk of draft board number one in Oregon during World War II. He speaks about his health, and about his admiration for Charles H. Martin. He closes the interview by speaking further about the 1924 Olympics.

Goodwin, Earl R. (Earl Raines), 1893-1990

Oral history interview with Jack L. Fuller

  • SR 9439
  • Collection
  • 1981-09-09

This oral history interview with Jack L. Fuller was conducted by Glen Meek in Portland, Oregon, on September 9, 1981, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Fuller discusses his family background and early life on ranches and farms in Oregon. He talks about driving a milk delivery truck during the Depression, discusses managing Fuller's Restaurant with a brother, and speaks about owning and operating Fuller's Coffee Shop.

Fuller, Jack L. (Jack Lester), 1906-1989

Oral history interview with John F. Gange

  • SR 9440
  • Collection
  • 1978-01-27

This oral history interview with John F. Gange was conducted by Roberta Watts in Eugene, Oregon, on January 27, 1978, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Gange discusses his family background, including his grandfather's experiences in the Union Army during the Civil War, and his early life on an orange farm in Lindsay, California. He talks about his reasons for attending Stanford University instead of West Point. He discusses a trip he took to the Dominican Republic during World War II, and describes the country's politics during the war. He speaks about his involvement in the writing of the United Nations charter during the 1945 San Francisco conference. He then gives a brief overview of his career in international relations, particularly his work in Southeast Asia.

Gange, John F. (John Frederic), 1910-1991

Oral history interview with Mira H. Ehrman

  • SR 9434
  • Collection
  • 1976-01-20

This oral history interview with Mira H. Ehrman was conducted by Charles Digregorio at Ehrman's home in Portland, Oregon, on January 20, 1976, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Ehrman discusses her involvement with the Oregon Social Hygiene Society, the Mental Hygiene Society, the Fruit and Flower Mission, the Portland Symphony, Catlin Gabel School, and other organizations. She also talks about her early life in the San Francisco Bay Area, including her education at the University of California at Berkeley, her experience during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and her work at a medical clinic. She discusses fundraising for the various civic organizations she was involved in, talks about awards she received, and shares her knowledge about Portland Mayor William Spencer Mason. She speaks at length about her involvement with the USO and also describes her work organizing 500 women volunteers during World War II.

Ehrman, Mira H. (Mira Harris), 1892-1982

Oral history interview with David C. Duniway

  • SR 9430
  • Collection
  • 1981-01-09 - 1981-06-11

This oral history interview with David C. Duniway was conducted by Linda S. Dodds in Salem, Oregon, and at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, from January 9 to June 11, 1981, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody. The interview was conducted in three sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on January 9, 1981, Duniway speaks at length about his family background, including the education and career of his father, Clyde Augustus Duniway. He discusses his early life in Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, and England. He talks about traveling with his family, about his childhood reading habits, and about his decision to pursue a career as an archivist. He describes visiting several archives in North America.

In the second interview session, conducted on January 22, 1981, Duniway discusses his relationship with his father, talks about traveling to Europe with his family, and speaks about teachers at Stanford University, Carleton College, and the University of California at Berkeley who influenced him. He describes how he became an archivist at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. He talks about collections he processed, and discusses his work as a reference librarian there during World War II. He speaks about his transfer to the West Coast as a field representative for the National Archives at the Office of Price Administration. He also talks about his involvement with the American Association for State and Local History. He describes the creation of the Oregon State Archives, and how he became Oregon's first state archivist in 1946. He talks about collecting government records for the archives, about the archives' storage space, and about how advances in technology changed the field of records management over the 20th century. He then discusses his involvement with the historic preservation of several buildings in Salem, particularly the Asahel Bush house.

Partway through Tape 5, Side 1, through Tape 6, Side 2. In the third and final interview session, conducted on June 11, 1981, Duniway continues to discuss his involvement with the historic preservation of several buildings in Salem, particularly the Deepwood historic house museum. He speaks further about his work as state archivist, and speaks at length about his relationship with Oregon governors, including Charles Sprague, Mark Hatfield, and Earl Snell. He closes the interview by sharing anecdotes about his grandmother, Oregon suffragist Abigail Scott Duniway.

Duniway, David

Cleveland Rockwell papers

  • Mss 2163
  • Collection
  • 1862-1907

This collection consists primarily of pencil and watercolor sketches and drawings made by artist and cartographer Cleveland Rockwell from 1862 to circa 1905. The materials include eight bound sketchbooks, as well as loose sketches, many of which have handwritten page numbers that suggest they were once part of bound volumes. Rockwell's sketches predominantly depict landscapes, particularly coastal and mountain scenes, in Oregon, Washington, California, and Alaska, as well as British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. Of particular note is a panorama of Lassen's Butte from Big Meadows at Prattville (folder 3), and sketches of British Columbia and California in volume 7. In addition to landscape scenes, the collection features a significant number of sketches depicting Pacific Northwest and California wildflowers, some of which were drawn by Cornelia F. Rockwell, Cleveland Rockwell's wife. The sketches also include ships and boats, as well as portraits of unidentified people. Many sketches throughout the collection have handwritten notes about light and color in the scenes depicted.

In addition to artwork, the collection includes a small quantity of family and biographical materials. The family materials are a photograph of Cleveland Rockwell and Cornelia F. Rockwell's two daughters, circa 1898, and an original 1949 letter from their younger daughter, Cornelia Rockwell Kearney, to "Eleanor," probably Eleanor Graves, who donated many of the materials in this collection to the Oregon Historical Society Research Library. The letter discusses Cleveland Rockwell's life and career, his artistic process, and outings that he and Cornelia F. Rockwell took to sketch wildflowers. Other materials include handwritten notes, made circa 1965, with biographical information about Cleveland Rockwell and his family, including information from 1863 and 1864 U.S. Coast Survey reports, and from obituaries for Rockwell in the Oregonian newspaper on March 22 and March 23, 1907.

Rockwell, Cleveland, 1837-1907

Oral history interview with Elizabeth C. Ducey

  • SR 9429
  • Collection
  • 1978-04-24

This oral history interview with Elizabeth C. Ducey was conducted by Roberta Watts in Portland, Oregon, on April 24, 1978, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Ducey discusses her family background and early life in San Francisco, California, and Portland, Oregon, including her education. She speaks about her involvement with the Junior League of Portland. She talks about her work with the Oregon Roadside Council to lobby the Oregon Legislature regarding billboards, and speaks at length about the political career of U.S. Senator Richard L. Neuberger. She closes the interview by discussing a trip she took to Iran.

Ducey, Elizabeth C. (Elizabeth Carney), 1897-1991

Oral history interview with Malcolm H. Clark, Jr.

  • SR 9366
  • Collection
  • 1980-02-07

This oral history interview with Malcolm H. Clark, Jr., was conducted by Linda S. Dodds in Portland, Oregon, on February 7, 1980, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody.

In this interview, Clark discusses his family background. He talks about his early education in Portland, and about his early interest in writing. He briefly describes his college experience, talks about dropping out to begin a career as a writer, and shares his memories of living in San Francisco, California, and in several towns in Mexico during the Depression. He also talks about working in a lumber camp during World War II. He discusses his career as a writer, beginning with submitting short stories to magazines, and later as an author of books on Oregon history. He speaks at length about his work to edit and publish the diary of Judge Matthew P. Deady.

Clark, Malcolm, 1917-

Oral history interview with Henk Pander

  • SR 9328
  • Collection
  • 1978-07-28

This oral history interview with Henk Pander was conducted by Charles Digregorio at Pander's home in Portland, Oregon, on July 28, 1978, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Pander briefly discusses his early life and education in the Netherlands. He talks about his early career as an artist in Amsterdam in the 1960s, about his marriage to Marcia Lynch, and about moving to Portland, Oregon, in the mid-1960s. He discusses adjusting to life in the United States, shares how his experiences as a college professor during the Vietnam War influenced his art, and talks about some of his other artistic influences, including astronomy and science fiction. He closes the interview by talking about his use of color in his paintings.

Pander, Henk, 1937-

Oral history interview with Dorothy J. and Hurtis M. Hadley, Sr.

  • SR 1406
  • Collection
  • 2021-11-19

This oral history interview with Dorothy J. Hadley and Hurtis M. Hadley, Sr., was conducted by Sarah Harris via Zoom videoconferencing software on November 19, 2021. The interview was conducted as part of Harris' graduate thesis project at Portland State University, in collaboration with the Hadleys, the Oregon Historical Society, and the Milwaukie Museum. A transcript of the interview is available.

In this interview, the Hadleys discuss how they first met. Hurtis M. Hadley, Sr., talks about his career and training as a bakery manager, and shares his experience of being denied a promotion because he is Black. The Hadleys talk about purchasing the Milwaukie Pastry Kitchen in 1977, about operating the business, and about their reasons for closing in 1985. They talk about raising a family while running the bakery, including the work their children did in the bakery, and about going on vacations. Dorothy J. Hadley discusses their children's education and their experience with being bused to a school in Northeast Portland, and talks about encountering racial discrimination in the school system. The Hadleys talk about the bakery's customers. Dorothy J. Hadley discusses her recent work creating and decorating mock cakes out of towels for weddings and baby showers. She also discusses their cookbook, "Stories to Laugh About"; and the origins of her nickname, Honi. The Hadleys talk about their favorite desserts sold in the bakery, and they close the interview by discussing their efforts to have the site of the bakery marked with a historical plaque.

Hadley, Dorothy Jean, 1942-

Oral history interview with Erskine Wood

  • SR 441
  • Collection
  • 1974-07-11

This oral history interview with Erskine Wood was conducted by Pierre Kolisch and Marian Wood Kolisch on July 11, 1974. The interview was part of a series conducted by Kolisch to accompany portraits of Oregon artists, businesspeople, and politicians. Louise Wood was also present and occasionally contributed to the interview.

In this interview, Erskine Wood discusses spending summers with Chief Joseph and the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) people in the Wallowa Valley, Oregon. He describes daily life, discusses living conditions on reservations, and talks about recreational activities, including horse races and games. Pierre Kolisch discusses his plan to visit members of the tribe in Idaho. Wood talks about photographs he took on glass plates while visiting Chief Joseph. He closes the interview by briefly discussing some of the artists that were acquainted with his father, C. E. S. Wood.

Wood, Erskine

Oral history interview with John R. Laidlaw

  • SR 69
  • Collection
  • circa 1980

This oral history interview with John R. Laidlaw was conducted by Sally R. Stout around 1980. In this interview, Laidlaw discusses the background of his maternal family, particularly the Plowden family, in England and the United States. He talks about the Plowden family plantation in Maryland, and about the Plowden family's religious affiliation. He talks about his siblings, their careers, and their families.

Laidlaw, John R., 1898-

Masuo Yasui letter to Sagoro Asai, 1946 January 18

  • Coll 956
  • Collection
  • 1946-01-18

The collection consists of a three-page letter, in Japanese, from Masuo Yasui to Sagoro Asai, written shortly after Yasui was released from incarceration in January 1946. In the letter, Yasui thanks Asai for his friendship, and describes his sadness over the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. He makes reference to an incident in which the American Legion post in Hood River, Oregon, removed the names of Japanese American soldiers from a local monument. He praises Asai's son Masami for having served in the U.S. military and for returning to Hood River despite white residents' opposition to the return of any Japanese Americans. He also shares his own hope to return to Hood River.

In addition to the original letter and its envelope, the collection includes transcripts in the pre-World War II Japanese writing system and modern Japanese characters, and a translation to English, all of which were made by Yoko Gulde in 2022.

Marcus and Narcissa Whitman collection, 1834-1947

  • Mss 1203
  • Collection
  • 1834-1947 (inclusive)

The collection consists of papers of and relating to missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman. A substantial portion of the collection consists of letters that they wrote to Narcissa Whitman's family. These letters describe the Whitmans' overland journey to the Pacific Northwest in 1836, and their lives as missionaries in the following decade. The letters also frequently express frustration with Native peoples' cultural norms and their reluctance to convert to Calvinist Christianity, often using patronizing and derogatory language. The letters also include pejorative terms for Roman Catholics and for biracial people of Native and European or Euro-American descent.

Other writings by the Whitmans include typescript copies of their correspondence with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and a typescript of Marcus Whitman's proposed legislation to establish outposts to assist Euro-American emigrants traveling westward. Other materials in the collection include original and reproduced materials regarding the Whitman killings and their aftermath; microfilm of Mary Saunders and Helen Saunders' recollections of the Whitman killings and aftermath; and items related to the memorialization of the Whitmans, including efforts in the 1890s to erect a monument in their honor.

Oral history interview with Sergiu Luca

  • SR 11080
  • Collection
  • 2005-07-20 - 2005-08-17

This oral history interview with Sergiu Luca was conducted by Jim Strassmaier at Luca's home in Otis, Oregon, from July 20 to August 17, 2005, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. The interview was conducted in two sessions. Collection also includes two digital and three print photographs of Luca.

In the first interview session, conducted on July 20, 2005, Luca discusses his family background and early life in Bucharest, Romania, including his early education in playing the violin. He talks about immigrating to Israel with his family in 1950, his father's death shortly after, and continuing his musical education. He then speaks about studying violin in London, England, and in Switzerland with Max Rostal, and later studying violin in the United States at the Curtis Institute with Ivan Galamian. He talks about his involvement with Portland State University and the origins of Chamber Music Northwest, including its funding and early performances, and the reasons why he left the organization. He also discusses his restaurant, Uncle Chen's. He then talks about the origins of the Cascade Head Music Festival.

In the second interview session, conducted on August 17, 2005, Luca speaks at length about living with Jenny Grimm, wife of Socialist leader Robert Grimm, while studying violin in Switzerland. He discusses his career as a professor of violin at William Marshall Rice University in Houston, Texas. He also revisits the topic of his musical education, then continues to discuss the Cascade Head Music Festival. He closes the interview by talking about his musical process, the music he enjoys playing, and popular music pieces.

Luca, Sergiu, 1943-2010

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