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Oral history interview with Katherine O'Neill, 1980 March 14
Overview of the Collection
- Interviewee
- O'Neill, Katherine E. S. (Katherine Elizabeth Schnabel), 1899-1995
- Title
- Oral history interview with Katherine O'Neill
- Dates
- 1980 March 141980-03-141980-03-14
- Quantity
- .1 cubic feet, (1 audiocassette ( 1 hr., 3 min., 13 sec.))
- Collection Number
- SR 9481
- Summary
- Oral history interview with Katherine O'Neill conducted by Linda S. Dodds on March 14, 1980. O'Neill was the daughter of a prominent Portland, Oregon, attorney.
- 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
Katherine Elizabeth O'Neill, nee Schnabel, was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1899. She and Edward A. O'Neill were married around 1918; they later had one child. Katherine O'Neill was the daughter of prominent Portland lawyer Charles J. Schnabel, who was shot and killed in the Multnomah County Courthouse in 1921. She died in 1995.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
Handwritten index (2 pages) is available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This oral history with Katherine O'Neill was conducted by Linda S. Dodds at O'Neill's home in Portland, Oregon, on March 14, 1980. At the time of the interview, Dodds' name was Linda S. Brody. Admiral John H. Besson, who was a cousin of O'Neill's, and several unidentified women were also present and contributed to the interview.
In this interview, O'Neill discusses Smith and Watson Iron Works in Portland, a business operated by her grandfather, Charles Smith. She talks about the sorts of items the business produced, including steam donkeys and parts for the Kaiser shipyards in Portland. She also talks about the Schnabel family home that later became the Multnomah County Hospital; the family's ownership of the Congress Hotel and many of the hotel's famous guests; and the legal career of her father, Charles J. Schnabel, including his 1921 murder by a disgruntled client. She closes the interview by talking about her early life and education in the King's Hill neighborhood of Portland.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
Audio available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Preferred Citation
Oral history interview with Katherine O'Neill, by Linda S. Dodds, SR 9481, 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 license: 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cassette | ||
| 1 | Oral history interview with Katherine O'Neill | 1980 March 14 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Hotels--Oregon--Portland
- Ironwork--Oregon
- Lawyers--Oregon--Portland
- Murder--Oregon--Portland
Personal Names
- O'Neill, Katherine E. S. (Katherine Elizabeth Schnabel), 1899-1995
- Schnabel, Charles Joseph, 1867-1921
- Smith, Charles E., 1839-1912
Corporate Names
- Congress Hotel (Portland, Or.)
- Smith and Watson Iron Works
Form or Genre Terms
- interviews
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Besson, John H., Jr. (John Henry), 1912-2011 (interviewee)
- Dodds, Linda S. (interviewer)
