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Oral history interview with William G. East, 1984 November 8-15
Overview of the Collection
- Interviewee
- East, William G., 1908-1985
- Title
- Oral history interview with William G. East
- Dates
- 1984 November 8-15 (inclusive)1984-11-081984-11-15
- Quantity
- 0.1 cubic feet, (4 audiocassettes (3 hr., 57 min., 38 sec.) + transcript (97 pages))
- Collection Number
- SR 1213
- Summary
- Oral history interview with William G. East conducted by Rick Harmon from November 8-15, 1984, as part of the United States District Court Oral History Project. East was a judge on the Oregon Circuit Court and the U.S. District Court of Oregon.
- 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
William G. East was born in Kansas in 1908. The "G," he insisted, stood for nothing, despite one aunt telling him it stood for Grant. He came to Salem, Oregon, with his family at a young age. His father worked at a Salem bank, and was killed in a fire at the bank around 1910. East attended the University of Oregon, earning his bachelor of law degree in 1931 and his juris doctorate in 1932. While in college, he joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps to help pay his tuition. In 1933, he and Louise Frances Wilhelm were married; they had later one child. He practiced law in Eugene, Oregon, until 1942, when he was called up to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. He served from 1942 to 1946. After his discharge, he returned to private law practice in Eugene. He served as city attorney for Eugene from 1946 to 1947, and in 1949 he was appointed judge for the second district of the Oregon Circuit Court by Governor Douglas McKay. He served on that bench until he was appointed to the U.S. District Court of Oregon by President Dwight D. Eisenhowser. In 1967, he took senior status, and he served in that capacity until his death in 1985.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
Forms part of the United States District Court Oral History Project.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
A summary (15 pages) is available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This oral history interview with William G. East was conducted by Rick Harmon in East's chambers in Eugene, Oregon, in two sessions from November 8-15, 1984, as part of the United States District Court Oral History Project.
In the first interview session, conducted on November 8, 1984, East discusses his family background and early life in Salem, Oregon, including his education and interest in journalism and sports. He then discusses attending the University of Oregon from 1927 to 1932 and studying law. He talks about the Depression hitting in the middle of his studies, his social life, and his developing political outlook. He also talks about Orlando Hollis and Wayne Morse as law professors. He then discusses practicing law in Eugene from 1932 to 1942, including law firms he worked at and cases he tried. He describes his experience in the U.S. Army during World War II, including his training, service in Germany, and his involvement in the capture of Hermann Göring. He describes his return to civilian life and law practice, as well as his position as city attorney for Eugene.
In the second interview session, conducted on November 15, 1984, East talks about his service on the Oregon Circuit Court from 1949 to 1955, including his appointment, conflict with the press, and various cases he heard. East goes on to discuss his service on the U.S. District Court of Oregon from 1955 to 1967, including his appointment. He particularly focuses on a scandal that nearly derailed his appointment and on a meeting with President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He also discusses cases he heard, including a negligence case involving Booth-Kelly Lumber Company that he heard twice, and a case on public defender compensation. He describes the changes to court procedures implemented by Judge Gus Solomon. He then discusses his decision to take senior status in 1967, as well as his activities since then, including cases on Native American rights and sovereignty. He closes the interview with a discussion of his judicial philosophy, his involvement with various civic organizations, and his hobbies and family life.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
Audio and transcript available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Preferred Citation
Oral history interview with William G. East, by Rick Harmon, SR 1213, 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 is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Educational Use Permitted, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Judges--Oregon
- Justice, Administration of--Oregon
- Lawyers--Oregon--Eugene
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Personal Names
- East, William G., 1908-1985
Corporate Names
- Booth-Kelly Lumber Company
- United States. Circuit Court (Oregon)
- United States. District Court (Oregon)
Form or Genre Terms
- interviews
- oral histories (literary works)
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Harmon, Rick (interviewer)
