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Oral history interview with Neva Elliott, 1992 April 10-July 10
Overview of the Collection
- Interviewee
- Elliott, Neva M. (Neva Marline), 1908-2001
- Title
- Oral history interview with Neva Elliott
- Dates
- 1992 April 10-July 10 (inclusive)1992-04-101992-07-10
- Quantity
- 0.1 cubic feet, (5 audiocassettes (4 hr., 27 min., 35 sec.))
- Collection Number
- SR 1201
- Summary
- Oral history interview with Neva Elliott conducted by S. Diane Rynerson from April 10 to July 10, 1992, as part of the United States District Court Oral History Project. Elliott was an attorney and pro tem judge on the Multnomah County District Court.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- This project is supported in whole or part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Neva Marline Elliott was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1908. After graduating from high school in 1925, she attended Reed College for two years. She then attended the Northwestern College of Law while working as a secretary for Charles Spackman, who ran the school. She earned her law degree in 1935. She met Neil Chinnock while in law school, and they married in 1939. They had no children, and he died in 1954. Elliott was an attorney in Portland from 1935 to 1993 and served as a pro tem judge on the Multnomah County District Court. She died in 2001.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
Forms part of the United States District Court Oral History Project.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
An incomplete transcript (77 pages) and a handwritten index (10 pages) are available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This oral history interview with Neva Elliott was conducted by S. Diane Rynerson from April 10 to July 10, 1992, as part of the United States District Court Oral History Project. The interview was conducted in seven sessions. The audio for session 7 is missing; its contents are included in an incomplete transcript of the interview.
In this interview, Elliott discusses her family background and early life in Damascus, Oregon, including her social life and her father's store; she also discusses attending Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon. She then talks about attending Reed College, particularly her involvement in drama, then attending Northwestern College of Law in Portland while working as a secretary for Charles Spackman. She talks about working after graduation for U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Esta Snedeker as a court referee in Portland, then for lawyer Frank Seaver as a secretary. She discusses the challenges she faced as a woman in finding a job as a lawyer. She then talks about starting her own law practice in Portland during World War II, when many men were serving in the military and the demographics of the city had changed. She also shares her memories of Judge Claude McCulloch. She talks about some of her cases as a lawyer, including being hired by a woman called as a witness against Chicago mobster Mickey Cohen, and the woman's subsequent murder. She then lists women lawyers she was acquainted with during her career. She briefly discusses serving as a pro tem judge on the Multnomah County District Court. She talks about the many clubs she's been involved with; her world travels; and her social life in Portland.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
Audio available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Preferred Citation
Oral history interview with Neva Elliott, by S. Diane Rynerson, SR 1201, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
Joint copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society and the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society. Use of this interview is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Educational Use Permitted: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Cassette | ||
| 1 | Interview session 1
In the first interview session, conducted on April 10, 1992, Elliott discusses her family background and early life in Damascus, Oregon, including the store and dance hall that her parents operated, her family's farm, and her social life. She describes family vacations, and shares her memories of family homes in Twin Rocks, Oregon, and in the Irvington neighborhood of Portland. She talks about the impact the Great Depression had on her family. She discusses her experiences at Jefferson High School in Portland, including acting as public speaker for the school's community chest. She then talks about her love for writing, especially poetry. She shares why she decided to attend Reed College, and talks about what she studied.
|
1992 April 10 |
| 2 | Interview session 2
In the second interview session, conducted on May 1, 1992, Elliott continues to discuss her experiences at Reed College, including her involvement in literary activities, a fast reading class she took and how it influenced her legal research, and her social life. She speaks at length about Reed College, including its reputation, social activities, and academic system. She then talks about her experience on the debate team, and particularly the Reed College Players, a student group that produced dramas. She also shares her memories about meeting James Beard through Reed College Players. She then talks about attending Northwestern College of Law in Portland while working as a secretary for Charles Spackman. She briefly talks about meeting her husband, Neil Chinnock, in law school. She discusses her early law career as a secretary for Frank Seaver, and as a court referee for U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Esta Snedeker. She talks about her experience as a lawyer, including bankruptcy cases and criminal cases. She also talks about starting her own law practice in Portland during World War II.
|
1992 May 1 |
| 3 | Interview session 3
In the third interview session, conducted on May 15, 1992, Elliott shares her memories of appearing before Judge Alger Fee. She speaks at length about cases she worked on, including a criminal case she argued before Judge Robert S. Bain. She talks about the challenges she faced as a woman in the field of law. She also shares her memories of Judge Claude McCulloch. She then talks about her appointment as judge in the municipal court, and briefly discusses serving as a pro tem judge on the Multnomah County District Court.
|
1992 May 15 |
| 4 | Interview session 4
Tape 4, Side 1. In the fourth interview session, conducted on June 4, 1992, Elliott speaks at length about some of her cases as a lawyer, including being hired by a woman called as a witness against Chicago mobster Mickey Cohen, and the woman's subsequent murder. She talks about her involvement in several clubs, including the advertising club, about women attorneys she was acquainted with, and about handling her inheritance from her mother. She also talks about receiving an estate from a former client.
|
1992 June 4 |
| 4 | Interview session 5
Tape 4, Side 2. In the fifth interview session, conducted on June 26, 1992, Elliott speaks further about women lawyers she was acquainted with, including Shirley Field, Jean L. Lewis, and Helen Althaus. She also talks at length about Portland Mayor Dorothy McCullough Lee, and about Oregon's first woman judge, Mary Jane Spurlin. She discusses serving as chair of the Lewis and Clark College alumni class of 1935.
|
1992 June 26 |
| 5 | Interview session 6
In the sixth interview session, conducted on July 10, 1992, Elliott talks about her involvement with several clubs and organizations, including the women's advertising club and the Advertisement Association of the West. She then talks about her friendship with Robert Gros, a retired vice president of Pacific Gas and Electric. She speaks at length about trips to Central America, India, and Europe. She also briefly discusses hearing about the death of John F. Kennedy during her travels, and shares her obsrvations of reactions to the news around the world. She then talks about her interest in Asian cultures and antiques, and describes her antique and book collections.
|
1992 July 10 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- International travel
- Judges--Oregon
- Lawyers--Oregon--Portland
- Sex discrimination against women
- Women lawyers--Oregon
Personal Names
- Elliott, Neva M. (Neva Marline), 1908-2001
Form or Genre Terms
- interviews
- oral histories (literary works)
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Rynerson, S. Diane, 1952- (interviewer)
