Uintah Basin oral history project, 1976-1978

Overview of the Collection

Collector
Uintah County Library
Title
Uintah Basin oral history project
Dates
1976-1978 (inclusive)
Quantity
2 boxes, (0.5 linear feet)
Collection Number
Accn0772
Summary
The Uintah Basin oral history project (1976-1978) consists of transcripts of interviews with residents of Vernal, Utah. Most interviews took place at the Golden Age Center in Vernal.
Repository
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Languages
English

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Uintah Basin oral history project (1976-1978) consists of transcripts of interviews with residents of Vernal, Utah. Most interviews took place at the Golden Age Center in Vernal.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Uintah Basin oral history project must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: Uintah Basin oral history project, Accn 772, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott. Salt Lake City, Utah.

Following Citations:Accn 772.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Donated by Roy Webb in 1983.

Processing Note

Processed by Karen Carver in 2008.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Oral HistoriesReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 1

Container(s) Description Dates
Folder
1
Volume I
item
1
Ralph Chew
Growing up in Brown's Park, serving aboard the USS Minneapolis in World War I, settling the Chew Ranch, buying the Chapman place, Pat Lynch, the Jarvie family, location of old buildings. Interviewed by Roy Webb. 21 pages.
1978
2
William Wallis
Coming to Vernal about 1917, running the Roosevelt Standard before taking over management of the Vernal Express, the newspaper business.Interviewed by Mike Brown. 8 pages.
1977
3
Lowell Wardle
Background and genealogy, handling bricks, hauling freight, gilsonite mines, coal mining, the Depression, shearing sheep. Interviewed by Mike Brown. 12 pages.
1977
4
Russ Montgomery
Childhood near Meeker, Colorado. An accidental shooting, sale of the farm and journey to Idaho, a rodeo in Rawlins, marriage and working cattle, working for Charley Crubine in Nevada, the I.W.W., trapping coyotes in Wyoming, the ghost of Cedar View Reservoir, Vernal old-timers. Interviewed by Mike Brown. 16 pages.
1977
5
Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Merkley
Trading with Wong Sing, losing stock in hard winters, influenza epidemic of 1918, Pete and Elmer Dillman, Interviewed by Mike Brown. 7 pages.
1978
6
Hilda Faulkner
Background and childhood in Vernal, family involvement in the LDS Church, teaching in Vernal, marriage and ranching, death of her husband, raising her children in Vernal, second marriage, death of her youngest son, divorce, involvement in church activities and senior citizens organizations, description of children and grandchildren, looking back over her life. Monologue. 13 pages.
2
Volume II
item
1
Iva Holmes
Family background, childhood on a homestead, making brick, stories about Indians, courtship and marriage, Jake Workman, coyotes, starting a sheep herd, lonliness on the homestead, raising children. Interviewed by Mike Brown. 18 pages.
2
Rosalie Burton
Birth in Kentucky and arrival of the family in Brown's Park in 1905, schooling, marriage and childreen, Hy Bernard, Bassett family, cattle, the Depression, social life. Interviewed by Diedra Northern. 11 pages.
1978
3
Harvey McKee
Growing up in Jensen, flu epidemic, schooling in Maeser, social life, church-sponsored sports, movies, road construction, marriage, mining, cattle, dairy business, the Carroll family, the Depression, Roosevelt and the WPA, payment in kind, tithing, experience of being a bishop. Interviewed by Mike Brown. 20 pages.
1977
4
Alfred Simper
Lumber business, payment in kind for tithing, hauling freight, neighbors. Interviewed by Diedra Northern. 5 pages.
1977
5
Leroy Carroll
Background and genealogy, boyhood memories, death of his father, move to Logan, death of his brother, World War II and the draft, flu epidemic, social life in the 1920s, the Depression, the cattle killing program, Roosevelt. Interviewed by Mike Brown. 13 pages.
1976
6
N. J. "Nick" Meagher Jr.
Story of N. J. Meagher Sr., opening of the bank in Vernal, water rights in Utah, shipping bricks through the United States Postal Service, herds owned by foreign mine workers, the Sunshine Ranch, the Depression, political views. Interviewed by Mike Brown. 13 pages.
1978
7
Ralph Siddoway
His father's move from Salt Lake City to Vernal in 1888, earlier settlers, polygamy, running a sawmill, non-Mormon bank, S. R. Bennion, politics, social life, hired girls. Interviewed by Mike Brown. 12 pages.
1978
8
Charles Slaugh
Homesteading in the Vernal area, running cows from a place on the Green River, hauling freight, working for the Two-Bar Ranch, early buildings in Vernal. Interviewed by Diedra Northern. 11 pages.
1977
3
Volume III
item
1
R. W. Jones
Move to Colorado after World War II, trucking business, working for oil companies during the oil boom, Vernal as a boom town, running a business, government regulation. Interviewed by Mike Brown. 7 pages.
2
Sue Watson
Background and genealogy, trouble with an Indian Agent at the White Rocks Agency, growing up in Island Park, Idy Ackerat, sqatting versus homesteading, Thomas Lion, rustling Indian cattle, roundups, Charlie Goslin, Pat Lynch, Minnie Crouse. Interviewed by Mike Brown. 15 pages.
1977
3
Sue Watson
Childhood memories of Vernal, being a non-Mormon in school, Uncle Jake, Pete Dillman, her mother's story. Interviewed by Mike Brown. 20 pages.
1977
4
B. H. Stringham
Grandfather's association with Brigham Young, father's homestead near Ashley Creek Canyon, childhood on the farm, visiting neighbors, sheep business, homestead near Willow Creek, trouble with cattle men, John Darnell, Skull Creek Jones, drought, the Depression, overgrazing and the BLM, how Diamond Mountain got its name, treasure hunting. Interviewed by Mike Brown. 13 pages.
1977
5
Minnie Crouse Rasmussen
The Jarvie property, the Jarvie boys, the murder of John Jarvie, Indians in Brown's Park. Interviewed by Bill Tennant. 18 pages.
1978
6
Dorothy Green, Iva Gray, Mada Dudley, Mary Wilson, Sue Watson, Laris Hunting, Ralph and Marsale Siddoway
Ferries, ice harvesting, the Bear Lake monster, cattle, a jailbreak, settlers, rodeo. 33 pages.
1978
7
Hugh Colton
Background and genealogy, stories of his parents.Interviewed by Diedra Northern. 3 pages.

Master FilesReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 2

RESTRICTED. Access limited to Manuscripts Division.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Corporate Names

  • R. W. Jones Trucking Co.

Geographical Names

  • Uinta Basin (Utah and Colo.)
  • Vernal (Utah)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Oral histories

Finding aid created by Karen Carver
2008

CC0

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West