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Oral history interview with Chuck T. Collins

This oral history interview with Chuck T. Collins was conducted by Michael O'Rourke at Collins' home on Mercer Island, Washington, on October 19, 1999. The interview was conducted as part of the Northwest Power Planning Council Oral History Project, which documented the history and purpose of the Northwest Power Planning Council, now known as the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.

In this interview, Collins discusses his family background and talks about his early life on a ranch in Missoula, Montana, and about his teenage years in Spokane, Washington. He talks about his experiences at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., at Gonzaga University in Spokane, and at the University of Washington. He also talks about his marriage to Nancy Querna. He speaks at length about his service as a cavalry platoon leader in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He also shares his thoughts about the unfairness of the draft system and about the morality of the war. He talks about working with John Spellman in King County government and about serving as director of King County Metro.

Collins speaks at length about representing Washington on the Northwest Power Planning Council, now known as the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, from 1981 to 1986. He talks about other members and staff of the council, about the mission and purpose of the council, and about the development of the council's first power and conservation plan. He discusses opposition to the council's Model Conservation Standards and shares his reasons for leaving the NWPPC. He also speaks at length about the bankruptcy of the Washington Public Power Supply System. He talks about the activities of the council after his departure, particularly the change in state politics in the 1990s and how that affected the work and membership of the NWPPC. He also discusses the council's efforts to increase salmon populations in the Columbia River. He discusses his activities since leaving the NWPPC, and talks about his children, their families, and their careers. He closes the interview by speaking further about other members of the council.

Collins, Chuck (Charles T.)

Oral history interview with Cindy Cumfer

This oral history interview with Cindy Cumfer was conducted by Erik Funkhouser and Tim Aguirre on February 21, 2009, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with Instructor Pat Young. One name was redacted from the audio and transcript at Cumfer's request.

In this interview, Cumfer discusses her involvement in the gay community and gay liberation movement in Portland, Oregon, in the 1970s. She talks about bars, restaurants, and bookstores that were welcoming to gay people. She discusses her work as a lawyer for the Community Law Project in Portland, and talks about some of the cases she worked on, particularly custody cases involving lesbians, and cases involving adoptions by gay parents. She also talks about the judicial career of Katharine Nachtigal. She discusses the Oregon ballot measures against LGBTQ rights in the 1980s and 1990s, and talks about how the homophobic campaign rhetoric led to her involvement in the First Unitarian Church. She closes the interview by discussing a case regarding guardianship and same-sex couples that got national attention in the 1980s.

Cumfer, Cynthia

Oral history interview with Cindy Muñoz

This oral history interview with Cindy Muñoz was conducted by Ricardo Nagaoka and Sankar Raman on June 3, 2017. The interview was recorded for The Immigrant Story, an organization that documents and archives the stories of immigrants and refugees in the United States. In this interview, Muñoz discusses her early life in Oregon. She talks about dealing with racial discrimination, and describes several incidences of racism at her high school. She closes the interview by sharing her thoughts about "The American Dream."

Muñoz, Cindy

Oral history interview with Claire Argow

  • SR 9090
  • Collection
  • 1977-11-28 - 1977-12-02

This oral history interview with Claire Argow was conducted by Roberta Watts at Argow's home in Portland, Oregon, from November 28 to December 2, 1977. The interview was conducted in two sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on November 28, 1977, Argow discusses her education and career in social work and criminology in New England, including her college experiences at Vassar and at Yale Law School, her work as assistant director for the Survey of Connecticut Prisons, and her work with the National Society for the Prevention of Crime in New York City. She talks about her views on capital punishment and about working with prisoners who were executed. She discusses her work with the Oregon Prison Association, and talks about prison conditions when she started in 1945, her successes in prison reforms, and opposition she faced.

In the second interview session, conducted on December 2, 1977, Argow talks about moving to Oregon in 1945 and shares her early impressions of the state, particularly regarding racism in Oregon. She discusses her work with Oregon Literacy, which helps adults learn to read and write, as well as learn English as a second language. She talks about her involvement in the creation of the Claire Argow Center, also known as the Multnomah County Women's Jail. She discusses the rising crime rate at the time of the interview in 1977, particularly among women. She closes the interview by speaking about her belief in restorative justice rather than only punitive approaches.

Argow, Claire Angevin, 1903-1997

Oral history interview with Clara May Patterson

  • SR 44
  • Collection
  • 1980-06-11

This oral history interview with Clara May Patterson was conducted by Mary Cowan and Ruth Kinon on June 11, 1980. The interviewers are not identified in the audio, so their names are inferred from the handwriting on the physical audiocassette.

In this interview, Patterson describes her experience singing in the choir at the Lewis and Clark Exposition in 1905. She then discusses her family background and early life in Camas, Washington, including the medical career of her father, Theophilius C. Humphrey, and the houses her family lived in. She then talks about her later life in Portland, Oregon, including raising a family. She closes the interview by describing the overland journey of the Humphrey family from Iowa to Oregon in 1852.

Patterson, Clara May, 1882-1982

Oral history interview with Clay Myers

This oral history interview with Clay Myers was conducted by Tom Wright at the Oregon Historical Society and at Wright's home in Portland, Oregon, from June 17 to October 27, 1994. In this interview, Myers describes his family background and early life at length. He discusses the year he spent in South Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and how that experience helped form his politics. He also talks about life on a farm in Tillamook, Oregon, during the Depression. He talks about attending Benson High School, enlisting in the U.S. Navy immediately after graduation in 1945, and attending the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut until his discharge later that same year. He also talks about choosing the Episcopalian Church and the Republican Party as a teenager. He then discusses attending the University of Oregon, including his social life, his involvement with the Young Republicans, and fraternities. He discusses attending Northwestern College of Law in Portland and working in real estate at the Trust Department of the First National Bank. He then discusses campaigning for Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and the controversy surrounding Wayne Morse at the 1952 Republican convention. He also discusses going to work for Aetna Insurance. He talks about meeting Elizabeth Arndt through the Young Republicans, their courtship, and their wedding in 1955. He goes on to talk about returning to Oregon in 1956 and raising a family, the houses the family lived in, and his children's educations. He discusses his friendship with Tom McCall, his relationship with the press, and the election of Mark Hatfield to the governorship in 1958, as well as the effect it had on McCall. He goes on to discuss his involvement in Republican politics, both national and in Oregon, in the 1950s through the 1980s, including his work campaigning. He also discusses his work with the Episcopalian Church, particularly his work toward allowing women, as well as lesbians and gays, to become priests. He also talks about his personal health history.

Myers discusses his political career, beginning with his service on the Multnomah County Welfare Commission, then on the State Welfare Commission under Governor Mark Hatfield. He also talks about serving as assistant secretary of state to Tom McCall from 1965 to 1966, and about his own term as secretary of state from 1967 to 1977. He talks at length about working with McCall and helping him campaign. He discusses the duties of the office, particularly overseeing elections and audits. He also discusses the behind-the-scenes political machinations of the Republican presidential nomination of 1968. He closes the interview by talking about acting as governor during the prison riots of 1968.

Myers, Clay, 1927-2004

Oral history interview with Clay Myers

This oral history interview with Clay Myers was conducted by Ellen Nesbitt from October 9-10, 1997. In this interview, Myers discusses his terms as Oregon secretary of state from 1967 to 1977, as well as his term as Oregon treasurer from 1977 to 1984. He discusses his main accomplishments in those offices, including working with Tom McCall in the creation of the Willamette Greenway and SB 100, Oregon's landmark land-use planning legislation, as well as his role in bringing Intel to Oregon. Myers then discusses his involvement in the Episcopal Church, including the changes in the church since he first joined as a teenager in the 1940s, particularly on the subjects of the inclusion of women clergy in 1976, birth control, and views on homosexuality. He speaks at length about the evolution of his own views on LGBTQ people.

Myers, Clay, 1927-2004

Oral history interview with Clayton P. Strain

  • SR 9676
  • Collection
  • 1970-09-30

This oral history interview with Clayton P. Strain was conducted by Larry C. Skoog on September 30, 1970, for the Oregon Historical Society.

In this interview, Strain discusses the political career of his father, Charles Preston Strain, on the Pendleton City Council, including a conflict with the Union Pacific Railroad. He shares his memories of life in Pendleton, Oregon, in the first decades of the 20th century. He describes the town, talks about ranches and farms in the area, and discusses the origins of the Pendleton Round-Up. He speaks at length about the Round-Up's early years. He closes the interview by further discussing his father's political career.

Strain, Clayton P. (Clayton Preston), 1892-1987

Oral history interview with Clement M. Risberg

  • SR 811
  • Collection
  • 1993-08-26 - 1993-10-13

This oral history interview with Clement M. Risberg was conducted by Linda Watkins at Risberg's home in Sherwood, Oregon, from August 26 to October 13, 1993. The interview was conducted in three sessions. In the first session, Risberg's cousin, Erik Åkerberg, was also present and frequently contributed to the interview.

In the first interview session, conducted on August 26, 1993, Åkerberg discusses the Risberg family background and his early life in Sweden in the early 20th century. Risberg talks about the reasons his parents immigrated to the United States.

In the second interview session, conducted on October 12, 1993, Risberg discusses his father's journey from Sweden to Portland, Oregon, in the early 20th century. He talks about his parents' marriage, and his early life in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, including his recreational activities, his family life and vacations, and his education. He also briefly talks about his service in the Oregon National Guard. He describes the various jobs he held after dropping out of high school, talks about cars and motorcycles he owned, and discusses his marriage to and divorce from Lucille Foster. He talks about working at Vandekamp's Bakery at the time it was bought out by Fred Meyer, Inc., and describes how that led to his starting a trucking business, Risberg Truck Service. He discusses working with Fred Meyer, Inc., and speaks about trucking logistics and innovations he instituted to streamline the shipment of goods. He talks about his marriage to Virginia Emma Karther, as well as how World War II affected his business.

In the third and final interview session, conducted on October 13, 1993, Risberg continues discussing his marriage to Virginia Emma Karther, their social life, and raising a family. He talks about expanding his trucking business to include truck rentals, warehouses, and distribution; buying out other trucking companies; and expanding the company to encompass all of Western Oregon. He speaks about his children, their families, and their careers. He also talks about his horse riding hobby. He then returns to the topic of expanding and running his trucking business, until its sale in 1978. He speaks about other businesses he started, including Commercial Employers Inc. and Risberg Investment, and talks about his continued involvement with Risberg Truck Service, Inc. He then talks about his marriage to Mary Courtney James. He discusses selling off his trucking contracts and businesses in the 1980s and 1990s; describes changes in the trucking industry since he began in 1934; and shares his thoughts about the future of trucking. He talks about his family life and activities at the time of the interview in 1993; reflects on his accomplishments and regrets; and talks about his health and hopes for the future. He closes the interview by talking about Mary Risberg's children and grandchildren.

Risberg, Clement M. (Clement Magnus), 1911-1996

Oral history interview with Cleveland C. Cory

This oral history interview with Cleveland C. Cory was conducted by George Fraser as part of the United States District Court Oral History Project. The interview was conducted in two sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted at Cory's home in Portland, Oregon, on June 19, 1990, Cory discusses his family background and early life in Englewood, New Jersey. He then discusses his college experience, including attending Yale Law School from 1940 to 1943. He talks about working for the Davis & Polk law firm in New York, including representing Prince Edward, the Duke of Windsor, as well as various railroads. He then discusses relocating to Oregon in 1949 and his reasons for doing so, including seeking an improved quality of life and the difficulty of becoming a partner at a New York law firm. He talks about his career at a law firm in Portland, now known as Stoel Rives, including many of the cases he tried. He also briefly discusses his renowned memory for cases.

In the second interview session, conducted at a later, unidentified date at the Crestview Convalescent Home in Portland, Oregon, where Cory was recovering from a broken shoulder, Cory further discusses his early employment in Portland.

Cory, Cleveland C. (Cleveland Cady), 1918-1991

Oral history interview with Clyde Rice

  • SR 1054
  • Collection
  • 1985-01-22 - 1985-03-13

This oral history interview with Clyde Rice was conducted by Rick Harmon at Rice's home in Clackamas, Oregon, from January 22 to March 13, 1985. The interview was conducted in seven sessions. The audio on tapes 3, 4, 6, and 13 is affected by speed issues.

In the first interview session, conducted on January 22, 1985, Rice discusses his family background, particularly his father's flavor extract business. He talks about his early life in Portland and Salem, including his family's Christian Science faith, his social life, and his relationship with his family.

In the second interview session, conducted on January 29, 1985, Rice continues discussing his early life in Portland and Salem, including his family's Christian Science faith. He tells several anecdotes about his early school life; describes racism he observed; and shares his memories of World War I.

In the third interview session, conducted on February 7, 1985, Rice discusses his involvement with the Portland Art Museum School (now known as the Pacific Northwest College of Art), including the professors and curators. He talks about the artistic community in Portland and discusses his own art. He revisits the topic of racism that he observed and Portland politics in the early 20th century.

In the fourth interview session, conducted on February 14, 1985, Rice continues discussing Portland politics in the early 20th century. He then talks about homesteading in Clackamas County during the 1930s and describes clearing the land, hunting, and farming. He discusses returning to Portland a few years later and working for his father's flavor extract business. He talks about his marriage to Marguerite Evelyn "Nordi" Nordstrom, and about meeting his second wife, Virginia Lee Broms.

In the fifth interview session, conducted on February 21, 1985, Rice describes building a rammed earth house in the Mt. Scott neighborhood of Portland during the late 1930s. He speaks at length about his affair with Virginia Lee Broms. He also revisits the topic of working for his father's flavor extract business. He talks about spending time in Alaska before his divorce from Nordi Rice, his marriage to Virginia Lee Broms, and how both events affected his son.

In the seventh and final interview session, conducted on March 13, 1985, Rice continues discussing his development as an author. He describes the years-long process of writing and publishing his first novel, "A Heaven in the Eye." He also talks about plans to publish his other writings.

Rice, Clyde, 1903-1998

Oral history interview with Connie McCready

This oral history interview with Connie McCready was conducted by Clark Hansen at McCready's home in Portland, Oregon, from March 21 to July 5, 1994. In this interview, McCready discusses her family background and early life in Portland. She also discusses her early career in journalism working for the Coos Bay Times and the Oregonian; and starting a family with her husband, Oregonian reporter Albert L. McCready. She discusses her involvement with the Republican Party, campaigning, her liberal politics, and her experience as a woman in the Oregon Legislature during the 1967 and 1969 sessions. McCready also discusses legislation she worked on, including taxes, fair employment, public transportation and TriMet, and her work on behalf of sternwheelers. McCready talks about some of the legislators she worked with, including Tom Mahoney, Bob Packwood, Stafford Hansell, and Jason Boe. She then discusses her time in the Portland City Council from 1970 to 1979, including the Mount Hood Freeway vote; the bureaus she ran, including fire, cable, and public works; her support for gay rights; and receiving death threats. She discusses the city commissioners and mayors she worked with, including Frank Ivancie, Neil Goldschmidt, Terry Schrunk, and Mildred Schwab. She also discusses her campaign against John Lorenz in 1976, and Portland's sister-city relationship with Sapporo, Japan.

McCready, Connie (Constance), 1921-2000

Oral history interview with Connie McCready

  • SR 9046
  • Collection
  • 1981-04-01 - 1984-06-17

This oral history interview with Connie McCready was conducted by Linda S. Dodds in Portland, Oregon, from April 1 to June 17, 1981. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody.

In this interview, McCready discusses her family background and early life in Pendleton and Portland, Oregon. She focuses particularly on her father, Edgar Averill, and his career as a reporter for the East Oregonian and later as state game warden. She talks about studying journalism at the University of Oregon, including working on the student newspaper, the Daily Emerald. She also discusses other newspapers she worked for after college, including the Coos Bay Times, now The World, and the Oregonian. She talks about meeting Albert McCready, a reporter for the Oregonian, and their subsequent marriage. She also describes some of her other colleagues at the Oregonian; the Oregonian strike of 1959 to 1965; and the merger of the Oregonian and Oregon Journal.

McCready discusses her entry into Portland politics as a result of her father's failing health. She talks about serving on the Citizens School Committee for Portland Public Schools, which was a body that sought to recruit candidates for the school board; serving as precinct committeewoman for the Oregon Republican Party; and her involvement with the League of Women Voters. She describes her successful 1966 campaign for the Oregon House of Representatives and some of the legislation she worked on during her single term in the Legislature, including on fish conservation, littering, and the creation of Tri-Met. She also talks about working with Representative Betty Roberts on legislation concerning fair employment practices and abortion. She discusses her experiences as one of only four women in the Legislature. She then discusses her appointment to the Portland City Council, and subsequent resignation from the Legislature, in 1970, as well as her re-election campaign later that year. She discusses working with Portland mayors Terry Schrunk and Neil Goldschmidt; her committee assignments; and her fellow city commissioners. McCready talks about serving as Portland mayor from 1979 to 1980, including her accomplishments, as well as her support for controversial issues such as fluoridation, women's rights and gay rights. She speaks at length about her unsuccessful re-election campaign in 1980. She closes the interview by discussing the difficulty of balancing political and personal life.

McCready, Connie (Constance), 1921-2000

Oral history interview with Constance Beaty

  • SR 4003
  • Collection
  • 1986-02-07 - 1986-02-07

This oral history interview with Constance Beaty was conducted by Rick Harmon in Portland, Oregon, on February 7, 1986. In this interview, Beaty discusses her family background, her early life in Portland, and her childhood vacations in Seaview, Washington. She talks about the Golden West Hotel, which the first hotel in Portland to accommodate black people and was owned by her father, William Duncan Allen. She describes the interior furnishing of the hotel and talks about the clientele the hotel catered to. She discusses playing piano and organ; talks about her recreational and social activities as part of Portland's black community; and discusses her education in Portland. She closes the interview by talking about racial discrimination she experienced, and the impact her mother's death in 1924 had on her family.

Beaty, Constance (Nellie Constance), 1910-1996

Oral history interview with Daniel J. Evans

This oral history interview with Daniel J. Evans was conducted by Michael O'Rourke in Seattle, Washington, from February 29 to March 1, 2000. The interview was conducted as part of the Northwest Power Planning Council Oral History Project, which documented the history and purpose of the Northwest Power Planning Council, now known as the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. The interview was conducted in two sessions. Session 2 begins partway through Tape 3, Side 1.

In the first interview session, conducted on February 29, 2000, Evans discusses his family background and early life in Seattle, Washington, including his involvement in the Boy Scouts, and his education. He talks about his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War, and about his marriage to Nancy Bell. He speaks about his service in the Washington State House of Representatives from 1957 to 1965. He talks about some of his fellow legislators, and about some of the legislation he worked on, particularly regarding electrical utilities. He discusses his 1964 campaign for Washington governor, and talks about serving as governor from 1965 to 1977. He speaks about energy issues in the state during the 1970s, particularly focusing on the Washington Public Power Supply System and attempts to create a Columbia Valley Authority. He also discusses serving as president for The Evergreen State College in Olympia.

In the second interview session, conducted on March 1, 2000, Evans discusses his role in passing several pieces of environmental protection legislation in Washington, and talks about the passage of the 1980 Northwest Power Act. He talks about representing Washington on the Northwest Power Planning Council from 1981 to 1983 and acting as its first chair. He describes the first council meeting, talks about the other first members and staff, and speaks at length about his work on the first fish and wildlife plan. He talks about working with Native American tribes on the fish plan, particularly with Tim Wapato of the Yakama. He then discusses his work on the first power and conservation plan, and talks about opposition to both plans. He briefly speaks about serving in the U.S. Senate from 1983 to 1989. He closes the interview by talking about the activities of the NWPPC since his departure.

Evans, Daniel J., 1925-

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

Oral history interview with David E. Becker

  • SR 9410
  • Collection
  • 1976-08-11

This oral history interview with David E. Becker was conducted by Charles Digregorio on August 11, 1976, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program.

In this interview, Becker discusses his family background, and particularly talks about the life and career of his father, Ray F. Becker. He discusses the family steel fabrication business, the Ray F. Becker Company, and talks about how the business changed over the 20th century.

Becker, David E. (David Edward), 1934-2005

Oral history interview with David Irving

  • SR 1084
  • Collection
  • 1992-02-05

This oral history interview with David Irving was conducted by Mark Flint on February 5, 1992. In this interview, Irving discusses working with Glenn Jackson at Pacific Power and Light Company, and speaks at length about Jackson's personality and accomplishments. He also talks about Glenn Jackson and Helen Jackson's marriage and Jackson's involvement in politics.

Irving, David

Oral history interview with David R. Policar

  • SR 9026
  • Collection
  • 1977-11-21

This oral history interview with David R. Policar was conducted by Roberta Watts at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on November 21, 1977. In this interview, Policar discusses his family background and early life in Portland, including a brief history of the Sephardic Jewish people and his family's involvement in fish markets. He speaks at length about the Sephardic Jewish community in Portland. He closes the interview by talking about his activities at the time of the interview in 1977, particularly working at the Liberty Fish Market in Portland.

Policar, David R. (David Rafael), 1912-1988

Oral history interview with David R. Williams

This oral history interview with David R. Williams was conducted by Elizabeth Reichow from December 16, 1991, to January 16, 1992. The interview was conducted in two sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on December 16, 1991, Williams discusses his family background and early life in the Laurelhurst neighborhood in Portland, Oregon, including his educational background and work experiences as a carpenter. He talks about participating in sports in high school and at Reed College. He also speaks about his experiences serving in the U.S. Army in Italy during World War II. He speaks about his marriage to Donna Rockwell and talks about his family.

In the second interview session, conducted on January 16, 1992, Williams speaks at length about his childhood during the Depression, and shares his memories of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's visit to Portland. He speaks about Congressman Homer D. Angell; talks about his involvement with a Welsh singing group called "The Bohemians"; and discusses climbing Mount Hood and his interest in skiing. He then discusses his experience at Reed College, including the pro-German and pro-communist sentiment that was prevalent on campus in the lead-up to World War II. He also talks about the political situation in Russia in 1992. He revisits the topic of his service in the U.S. Army during World War II and his marriage to Donna Rockwell. He also talks about studying law at the University of Oregon. He closes the interview by describing the careers of his brothers.

Williams, David R. (David Rhys), 1923-2004

Oral history interview with David S. Barrows

This oral history interview with David S. Barrows was conducted by Jim Strassmaier from January 31 to March 13, 2000. In this interview, Barrows discusses his family history and childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area of California and in Washington, D.C., as well as his high school education in California. He then talks about attending Willamette University, including having Mark Hatfield as a professor and mentor. Barrows discusses working as a page in the Oregon Legislature and his interest in a career as a lobbyist. He talks briefly about going to law school and practicing law. Barrows then talks about lobbying for the Fairview Home in the 1959 and 1961 legislative sessions, as well as his later lobbying work for tobacco wholesalers and the Oregon Savings and Loan League. His lobbying work included topics such sterilization, taxation, and financial regulations. He also talks about the history of Oregon and California Railroad Revested Lands and his lobbying for the Association of O & C Counties. He also speaks in great detail about legislative procedure, the rules regulating lobbyists, and the relationship between lobbyists and legislators. Barrows closes the interview with a discussion of his lobbying work on behalf of the Oregon Historical Society.

Barrows, David S. (David Stow), 1935-2014

Oral history interview with Debbs Potts

This oral history interview with Debbs Potts was conducted by James Strassmaier in a Super 8 Motel in Grants Pass, Oregon, and at an ExecuLodge in Salem, Oregon, from April 15, 1991, to May 28, 1991. In the interview, Potts discusses his family background and early life in Eastern Oregon, including his family's religious life, his education in one-room schools, and working various jobs as a young teenager. He also talks about the sawmill business, including owning and operating various sawmills. He then discusses his marriage to Bobbye Irene Michael, including their attempts to adopt children. Potts talks about his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, including his training and life on a ship. He also discusses his time as mayor of Grants Pass from 1958 to 1960.

Potts then discusses serving in the state Senate from 1961 to 1984. He talks about his involvement with the Democratic Party; several prominent Democrats, including Harry Boivin and Jason Boe; and his early committee assignments, particularly the Ways and Means Committee. He discusses his campaigns, legislative procedure, and interpersonal politics. He also talks about legislation that came up during his tenure, including on taxes, reapportionment, and education. He discusses working with other legislators, including Monte Montgomery, Ben Musa, Lynn Newbry, and Ed Fadeley. Potts talks about serving as president of the Senate from 1967 to 1970, including the process of getting elected to that position, having Cecil Edwards as his secretary, and the duties of the president. He also discusses working with different governors' administrations, the Senate presidency of Jason Boe, and partisan politics. Potts talks briefly about his faith and his adopted children. He closes the interview with a discussion on his activities after serving in the Legislature, including running the Oregon Lottery.

Potts, Debbs (Eugene Debbs), 1908-2003

Oral history interview with Denny Jones

This oral history interview with Denny Jones was conducted by Clark Hansen at Jones' home in Ontario, Oregon, from July 27-30, 1992. Jones' wife, Mildred Jones, was also present. In the interview, Jones discusses his family background and early life in Eastern Oregon and Montana, including training and racing horses, daily life on a cattle ranch, and life during Prohibition and the Depression. Denny Jones and Mildred Jones then discuss their courtship and wedding, as well as her family background. He then talks about buying a cattle ranch and issues ranchers face, including water rights, livestock loss, and using federal land for grazing. Jones discusses getting involved in politics, including lobbying for the Oregon Cattlemen's Association.

Jones discusses serving in the Oregon House of Representatives from 1973 to the time of the interview in 1992, including his campaigns, his constituency, and legislation he worked on, particularly on agriculture and land use. He also discusses working with various governors' administrations, including those of Tom McCall, Bob Straub, Vic Atiyeh, and Neil Goldschmidt. He also discusses his relationship with the press, his conservative politics, and the procedures of the House. He talks about some of his fellow legislators, particularly John Kitzhaber and Vera Katz. He closes the interview by talking about his current family life and ranching activities.

Jones, Denny (Denzil Eugene), 1910-2012

Oral history interview with Diarmuid O'Scannlain

O'Scannlain discusses his family background and Irish heritage, his childhood in New York City, his education at St. John's Prep and Harvard, his involvement with the National Young Republicans and Trumpeters, his work as a lawyer in Portland, Oregon with the Dave Briggs firm (aka Stoel Rices) and Ragen, Roberts & O'Scannlain, his involvement in Republican politics and the Reagan administration, nuclear power, his appointment to the 9th Circuit Court, and some of the cases he oversaw while on that court.

O'Scannlain, Diarmuid F.

Oral history interview with Dick Bown

  • SR 786
  • Collection
  • 1991-11-20 - 1991-12-02

This oral history interview with Dick Bown was conducted by Alex R. Toth, Jr., at Rose Auto Wrecking in North Portland, Oregon, from November 20 to December 2, 1991. The interview was conducted in two sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on November 20, 1991, Bown discusses his family background and early life, particularly relocating to the Portland, Oregon, area from South Dakota in 1941, and his early interest in cars. He talks about running a service station and a billiard supply business. He speaks at length about his life as a race car driver, including his various cars; his first races in Oregon in the early 1950s; NASCAR and Oregon Auto Racing Association races in the 1960s; and the different tracks he has raced on. He also talks about his auto-wrecking business, Rose Auto Wrecking. He then continues discussing his life as a race car driver, including his relationship with his fellow racers and his competitive spirit.

In the second interview session, conducted on December 2, 1991, Bown continues discussing his competitive spirit. He revisits the topic of running a service station and Rose Auto Wrecking, including his experience going bankrupt in 1953 and the history of both businesses. He then discusses his children – Chuck Bown, Sheri Bown, and Jim Bown – and their involvement in automobile racing. He revisits the topic of the race cars he has driven and the tracks he has raced at. He talks about media coverage of car racing on the West Coast, as compared to the South and the East Coast; discusses the athleticism involved in car racing; and describes changes in the technology of racing. He closes the interview by discussing the future of car racing in the Pacific Northwest, and the experience of raising a family as a race car driver.

Bown, Dick (Richard Charles), 1928-

Oral history interview with Dick Erath

This oral history interview with Dick Erath was conducted by Clark Hansen from March 4-12, 1999, at the Erath Winery in Dundee, Oregon. Along with the interview recordings, the collection includes a photograph of Erath taken by Hansen at the time of the interview. The interview was conducted as part of the Oregon Wine Archives Oral History Project, which collected interviews with notable figures in the wine-growing industry, including vintners, vineyard growers, community members, and workers active in the development of Oregon's wine industry.

The interview was conducted in three sessions. In the first interview session, conducted on March 4, 1999, Erath discusses his family background, including his grandfather's experience in the German Army during World War I, and his parents' experience as German immigrants in the United States. He talks about his early life in Oakland, California, including his recreational activities. He then discusses his education at Oakland Junior College, in the Navy electronic technician training program, and at the University of California at Berkeley. He talks about working for the Shell Development Company while attending college. He also talks about his interest in photography and car racing. He then briefly discusses his marriage to Tina J. Butler in 1961. He describes his early interest in winemaking, taking enology classes at University of California at Davis, and the history of winemaking in California. He discusses his interest in Pinot noir; the similarities between the climates of Oregon and Burgundy, France; and how he chose the site for his winery in Dundee. He also talks about the history of winemaking in Oregon. He describes his early years as a winemaker, his grape-growing experiments, and his early successes and failures. He talks about ideal grape-growing conditions, his first vintage in 1972, and merchandising his wines in the early Oregon wine market.

In the second interview session, conducted on March 9, 1999, Erath discusses his passion for Pinot noir; describes the variables that determine wine flavor, particularly the concept of terroir; and talks about some of the international wine tastings in which he has taken part. He discusses public perceptions of Oregon wines and how they have changed. He talks about the types of wine grapes that grow well in Oregon, the popularity of different varietals, and his hopes for the future of Oregon wine production. He discusses the logistics of wine distribution, the economics of winemaking, and collaboration among Oregon wineries. He talks about the Winegrowers Council of Oregon, the Oregon Winegrowers Association, and the Wine Advisory Board. He describes Oregon wine labeling laws, as well as other regulations for wineries, including land zoning laws. He talks about the development of his winery, Erath Vineyards, as well as the growth of the wine industry in Oregon and growing competition from other parts of the world.

In the third and final interview session, conducted on March 12, 1999, Erath discusses some of the awards his Pinot noir has won. He reflects on his best vintages; talks about how the flavor of wine can vary from year to year; and defines some of the terms he uses in his wine labeling. He discusses his vineyard and winery staff, including migrant laborers. He also talks briefly about his children and their careers. He describes the growth cycle of grapevines, the winemaking process, and long-term maintenance of vineyards. He talks about the development of tasting rooms and Oregon's various wine and food festivals, the growth of the wine industry in the Pacific Northwest, and the increasing cost of wine production. He discusses the varieties of grapes he grows, as well as his grape-growing research and experiments; talks about the Oregon wine market and his place in it; and speaks about the health benefits of red wine. He closes the interview by describing his daily activities at the winery and his plans for the winery's future.

Erath, Dick

Oral history interview with Dick Eymann

This oral history interview with Dick Eymann was conducted by Clark Hansen at the Emerald PUD in Eugene, Oregon, from December 2, 1993, to September 8, 1994. In the interview, Eymann discusses his family background and early life in Saskatchewan, Canada; Scottsbluff, Nebraska; LaSalle, Colorado; Linton, North Dakota; Dallas and Portland, Oregon; and Anaheim, California. He also talks about his experiences studying political science at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, including his early political beliefs and registering as a Democrat. Eymann describes being drafted immediately after college and his experience as a U.S. Air Force airman in the Pacific theater during World War II, including training; deployment to Manila Bay, Philippines, and Okinawa, Japan; his thoughts on the atomic bomb; and serving with African-Americans. He then discusses raising a large family; working for the Weyerhaeuser Company in Springfield, Oregon, and his acquaintance with George Weyerhaeuser; and living on a chicken farm.

Eymann describes his experience representing Lane County in the Oregon House of Representatives from 1957 to 1974. He discusses legislation he worked on, including on taxation, particularly attempts to pass a sales tax; electrical utilities and nuclear power; Lane Community College; and agricultural labor laws. He also speaks about his tenure as speaker of the House. He describes his involvement with the Oregon Democratic Party and campaigning. He also discusses some of the people he worked with in the Oregon Legislature, including Keith Skelton, Clarence Barton, Nancy Fadeley, Debbs Potts, Jason Boe, Pat Dooley, and Stafford Hansell. Eymann relates his experience working under various Oregon governors, including Bob Holmes, Mark Hatfield, and Tom McCall. He closes the interview by discussing his life after politics, including his career with the Emerald People's Utility District in Lane County, Oregon.

Eymann, Dick (Richard Oswald), 1919-2005

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