Oral history interview with Wilber Henderson, circa 1965

Overview of the Collection

Interviewee
Henderson, Wilber, 1887-1966
Title
Oral history interview with Wilber Henderson
Dates
circa 1965
Quantity
.1 cubic feet, (1 audiotape reel (53 min., 35 sec.) + transcript (19 pages))  :  5 in. tape; 3.75 ips
Collection Number
SR 9448
Summary
Oral history interview with Wilber Henderson conducted by Charles S. Crookham around 1965. Henderson was an Oregon state representative from 1927 to 1929, and an attorney in Portland, Oregon. In this interview, he talks about his participation in a 1914 balloon race and his service in the Mexican Border War in 1916.
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

Wilber Henderson was born in Georgetown, Illinois, in 1887. He graduated from Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He earned a law degree from Washington University in 1911, passed the Oregon bar exam that same year, and began practicing law in Portland, Oregon. He served in the U.S. National Guard and was activated in 1916 to serve in the Oregon Cavalry on the Mexico border during the Mexican Border War. He served as a member of the infantry during World War I. From 1927 to 1929, he represented Multnomah County in the Oregon House of Representatives. He and Margaret J. Welch Loeding were married in 1931. He was legal counsel for Governor Earl Snell, and later for the Oregon Humane Society. In 1962, he was awarded a medal by the American Humane Association for service to "all living creatures." He died in 1966.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This oral history interview with Wilber Henderson was conducted by Charles S. Crookham in Crookham's chambers at the Multnomah County Courthouse in Portland, Oregon, around 1965. The date is given as September 23. Stephen Parker was also present. Parker's name was given in the audio, but not spelled. The spelling of his name cannot be verified.

In this interview, Henderson speaks at length about his involvement in a balloon race during the 1914 Rose Festival in Portland, and his experiences of being lost in the woods after an emergency landing. He then discusses his military service during the Mexican Border War. He closes the interview by discussing how he earned the nickname Major.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

Audio and transcript available online in OHS Digital Collections.

Preferred Citation

Oral history interview with Wilber Henderson, by Charles S. Crookham, SR 9448, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society. Use is allowed according to the following statement: Creative Commons - BY-NC-SA: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Reel
1 Oral history interview with Wilber Henderson circa 1965
Folder
SR9448 Transcript of oral history interview with Wilber Henderson circa 1965

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Balloon races--Oregon
  • Ballooning--Accidents--Oregon

Personal Names

  • Henderson, Wilber, 1887-1966

Corporate Names

  • United States. Army--History--Punitive Expedition into Mexico, 1916--Personal narratives, American

Form or Genre Terms

  • interviews

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Crookham, Charles S. (interviewer)