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Oral history interview with John R. Leach, 1968 February 22-23
Overview of the Collection
- Interviewee
- Leach, John Roy, 1882-1972
- Title
- Oral history interview with John R. Leach
- Dates
- 1968 February 22-23 (inclusive)1968-02-221968-02-23
- Quantity
- .1 cubic feet, (1 audiotape reel (2 hr., 9 min., 24 sec.)) : 7 in.; 7.5 ips
- Collection Number
- SR 758
- Summary
- Oral history interview with John R. Leach conducted by Jean S. Whitford from February 22-23, 1968. Leach was a Portland pharmacist who founded the Leach Botanical Garden with his spouse, Lilla Leach. He recounts stories from his autobiography and discusses his family history, folk medicine, his early life in Eastern Oregon, and his adventures with Lilla Leach.
- 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
- Digitization funded by the James F. Miller Endowment.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
John Roy Leach was born in Weston, Oregon, in 1882. He graduated from Oregon Agricultural College, now Oregon State University, in 1906. He was a Portland pharmacist and founder of the Southeast Portland chapter of the Chamber of Commerce. In 1913, he and Lilla Lydia Ann Irvin were married. In 1931, the Leaches purchased a five-acre tract at the foot of Mt. Scott and transformed the land into a botanical garden. John Leach died in 1972.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This oral history interview with John R. Leach was conducted by Jean S. Whitford from February 22-23, 1968. The interview was conducted in two sessions.
In the first interview session, conducted on February 22, 1968, Leach discusses his wife, Lilla Leach. He tells stories from his recently published autobiography, "Oxbows and Bare Feet," including his remembrances of Sam Warfield, known as "Uncle Sam"; Lorenzo Chapman; Joe Meeks; and others in the Lexington, Oregon, area. He also discusses the history of the Leach family and their journey west to Oregon.
In the second interview session, conducted on February 23, 1968, Leach discusses frontier life, folk medicine, and his childhood and early life in Eastern Oregon. He closes the interview by describing his adventures with Lilla Leach.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
Audio available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Preferred Citation
Oral history interview with John R. Leach, by Jean S. Whitford, SR 758, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
Joint copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society and the estate of John R. Leach. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Non-Commercial Use Permitted, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Acquisition Information
Gift of Forrest Leigh Whitford, March 1988 (Lib. Acc. 18696).
Related Materials
Leach Family papers, Mss 2617, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Related Materials
The Oregon Historical Society Research Library also holds a copy of John R. Leach's autobiography, published circa 1952 and titled "Ox bows and bare feet: a few curt facts about John R. Leach, and some who were responsible for him. Where he came from and where he is most likely going."
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Reel | ||
| 1 | Interview session 1 | 1968 February 22 |
| 1 | Interview session 2 | 1968 February 23 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Frontier and pioneer life--Oregon
- Traditional medicine
Personal Names
- Leach, John Roy, 1882-1972
- Leach, Lilla Irvin, 1886-1980
Family Names
- Leach family
Geographical Names
- Oregon--History
Form or Genre Terms
- interviews
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Whitford, Jean S. (Jean Shirley), 1922-2014 (interviewer)
