Janis Kafton Collection on Klamath County, Oregon Local History

Janis Kafton Collection on Klamath County, Oregon Local History, 1905-2000

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Kafton, Janis
Title: Janis Kafton Collection on Klamath County, Oregon Local History
Dates: 1905-2000 (inclusive)
19052000
Quantity: 25 linear feet , (47 boxes and 1 audio cassette cabinet)
Collection Number: SHL012 (collection)
Summary: The Janis Kafton Collection on Klamath County, Oregon Local History is organized by family, location, business, and organization. This series is made up of documents, photocopies, newspaper clippings, hand written notes, audio cassette tapes, card files, sketches, maps, and photographs covering the period 1905-2000. Janis Kafton was a Klamath County educator and amateur historian.
Repository: Oregon Institute of Technology Libraries, Shaw Historical Library
Oregon Institute of Technology Libraries
3201 Campus Drive
Klamath Falls, OR
97601
Telephone: 5418851772
Fax: 5418851777
libtech@oit.edu
Access Restrictions: The collection is open for research use. Researchers should contact the library in advance of their visit if they wish to use the audio-visual materials in this collection.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Janis Kafton was a Klamath County educator and amateur historian. She and her husband William were active volunteers and supporters of the Klamath County Museum and the Klamath County Historical Society. In 1988 William and Janis Kafton received the National Community Service Award from the American Association of Retired Persons due to their outstanding volunteering and contributions to the community.

Janis Blackman was born April 15, 1919 in Weleetka, Oklahoma. Her family moved to the Klamath Basin in Oregon to take up farming when she was very young. She and her five siblings attended Henley grade school and high school. After graduation in 1938, Janis attended Ashland Normal School and in 1940 began teaching in Klamath Falls, Oregon where she met William Kafton. They were married in December of 1940. Together they had two daughters, Sharon and Linda, and a son, Eddie. Janis was a stay-at-home mother and a homemaker until 1955 when she resumed teaching.

After William’s death in 1988, it became Janis’s passion to continue volunteering and collecting extensive research in several areas regarding Klamath County. She served on the Klamath County Museum Board, Klamath County Historical Society, and the Landmark Commission Board. Janis Kafton died on February 6, 2002.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Janis Kafton Collection on Klamath County, Oregon Local History is organized by family, location, business, and organization. This collection is made up of documents, photocopies, newspaper clippings, hand written notes, audio cassette tapes, card files, sketches, maps, and photographs.

Series I: Klamath County Local History consists of materials documenting many Klamath County, Oregon families, businesses, organizations and events. Many of these topics correlate with one another.

Series II: Audio-Visual Series consists of 93 audio cassettes. Some cassettes document Klamath County Historical Society programs, and others contain interviews by Janis Kafton. The contents of some cassettes are not documented.

Series III: Janis Kafton Papers consists of information on Janis Kafton and her family. This includes her autobiography, personal journals, photographs, drawings, paintings, and poetry.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Before materials from the Shaw Historical Library may be quoted in print or otherwise reproduced in whole or in part in any publication, exhibit, broadcast or other manner, the user must obtain permission from the owner of the physical property and the holder of the copyright. Copyright status for collections in the Shaw Historical Library varies. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred Citation

[item identification], Janis Kafton Collection on Klamath County, Oregon Local History, The Shaw Historical Library, Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into three series: Series I: Klamath County Local History, Series II: Audio-Visual Series, and Series III: Janis Kafton Papers.

Location of Collection

Shaw Historical Library

Custodial History

Acquisition Information

Donated to the Shaw Historical Library by Janis Kafton and her family.

Processing Note

Portions of the collection arranged by library staff.

Separated Materials

Janis Kafton’s local history books and periodicals have been cataloged into the book collection of the Shaw Historical Library.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I: Klamath County Local HistoryReturn to Top

23 linear feet, 46 boxes

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box
1	People A - B
	George Ager Family
	Gilbert Anderson Family
	Gilbert Anderson
	Applegate Family
	Wm. F. Arant
	Audrieu
	Wallace Baldwin
	Dan Barry
	Ludwig Biehn Family
	Biehn - Klamath Falls
	Brown - Olene
	Brown - Crystal
	Daniel Brown Family - Crystal Creek
	Browns
	Bunnell Family
	Burleighs - Merrill
	Burton Robinson - Autobiography - Klamath Falls
2	People C - G
	George L. Chase Family
	Ray Chase - Fort Klamath
	Chase Family
	John and Dan Colwell
	Miscellaneous Andy Collier & Judge Siscmore - Fort Klamath
	May Deboy - Ragtown
	Glenn Dehlinger
	Diridon
	Thomas and Percy Dixon
	Dixons
	Bailey - John Donnell Families
	Donnell, Bailey and Hildebraud - Dairy
	Dorris Family
	Henry Duncan Family - Langell Valley
	Pres Dorris & Family
	Si Dotch
	Josiah Doten Family
	Emmitt
	Fairchilds - Langers
	H.G. Fairclo and J.A. Fairclo
	Fairclos
	Martin Frain Family
	Giacomini Family
	Sam Dixon - Galbreath Family
	Shur - Tokk - Hattie Gay - Keno
	Louis Gerber Family
	John F. Goeller Family
	Goellers - K. Falls
	Ed Gowen
	Grigsby - O.T. Brown
	John B. and Stephen Griffith
3	People H - O
	Ichabod Hall
	Wm - Hall
	Hamaker Brothers
	Hamakers
	Hanks and Lenz - K. Falls
	David Haynes - Henry Bussey Families
	Helfrich Families
	Henleys - Steeles
	Hammonds - Merrill
	Louis Hessig Family
	Louis and Bill Hill
	Hill Family
	Henry Hoagland Family
	Wm. Horton Family
	Howe - K. Falls
	S. Kendall
	Levi and Chas. Kester Family
	Silas Kilgore Family
	Van Landrum - K. Falls
	LaPrarie Family - K. Falls
	Liskeys Family
	Merle Long - Tule Lake
	John Loosley Family
	McCornack Family
	Melhase Family
	G. Neubert Family
	Joseph and John Nichols
	M. Nitschelm
	"Capt" Nosler
	Wendolyn Nus
	Obenchain Family
	Philip Oden Family
	George Offield
4	People P - Z
	Paugh Family
	Catherine Prehm
	Roberts
	Vinnie Shadler
	John A. Short Family
	Shorts Henley Turners
	James Shreeve Family
	Stukel Family
	O.A. Stearns
	Alonzo Storey Family
	Stukel Family
	Sam - Joseph Taylor
	Keith Charles (Red) Wells - Jackson and Josephine Counties
	Wests
	ElKanah Whitney Family
	Simpson Wilson - Langell Valley
5	Malin
	Malin - Events and Places
	Malin People
	Malin Modern Times
	Malin
6	Keno/Plevna
	Old Keno Families
	John Chapman, Flowers, McCollum, Rambo
	Dotens and Whittles
	Fulkersons
	Gays of Bear Valley
	Howards - Keno
	Thomas McCormick Keno
	Prentiss Ruckett - Keno
	Pucketts of Keno
	Spencers
	Sterns - Agers
	Notes on Keno
	Early Keno
	Keno
	Keno Historical Material
	Keno after 1930
	Maps
	Klamath River Canyon
	Round Lake
	Keno Schools
	Keno Store
	Plevna
	Stagers, Steamers
	Kena - Plevna
7	Klamath County
	Weather History
	Weather Records
	Klamath General History
	Baldwin Museum
	Subject Cards - re Klamath County History
	Oil Wells
	Early Explorers
	Magazine Articles
8	Klamath County
	Newspaper Articles	1947; 1952; 1960s
	Nespaper Clippings	1970s
	Newspaper Articles	1980s
	Altamont
	Hager Homedale
	Letter from George Nurse Desk	1979
	Bootlegging Days
	Journals and Articles
	Altamont - Summers Ln
9	Klamath County
	Chemult
	Northern Klamath Co. - Odell - Crescent
	Historical Resource Survey
	Upper Klamath - West Side
	Town Wood River V. - I
	Town Wood River V. - II
	Population
	Williamson R. Church
	Klamath County
	Mt. Laki - Klamath County
10	Klamath County History
	Mt. Laki, Spring Lake, Lone Pine
	Russian
11	Klamath County Places
	Stages - Topsy Grade, Teamsters
	Merganster
	Rogue Valley Ashland
	Olene
	Historical Overhead Material - Crater Lake
	Miscellaneous Crater Lake
	Pine Grove
	Bly - Beatty
12	California
	Picard
	Tulelake Town - People
	CCC Camps - Tulelake
	Bloody Point
	Willow Creek
	Pot Hole Springs
	Dorris - Picard
	Lava Beds
	Shasta, Lassen, Weaverville, Weed
	Oklahoma Valley/Dorris
	History of Winnemucca
	Newspaper Clippings - Undated
13	Klamath County History
	Midland Worden
	Lower Lake
14	Merrill
	J.F. Adams
	Van Brimmer Family
	Potatoe Festival
	Lairds
	Merrill Miscellaneous
	Merrill Questions
	Merrill Obituaries and Anniversarys
	Merrill (more modern) Newspaper Clippings
	Newspaper Clippings Miscellaneous for Merrill
	Sharon Massey as an 18 yr old won History Contest
	Elkanah Whitney
	Merrill Cattlemen and Sheepmen
15	Merrill
	Merrill and Bonanza Newspaper Clippings
	Merrill Ranchers 40, 50, 60, etc
	Photos and copes - Merrill and area
	The Merrills
	Merrill Roads
	Telephones
	Miscellaneous copies of articles, etc
	Mills - Merrill area
	Church and Library
	Merrill Cemetary
	Merrill Photographs
	Merrill Sports
	Merrill Maps
16	Klamath County Places
	Chiloquin - Willianson River
	Applegate Bros. Swan Lake
	Tennant - Bray
	Pokegama
	Crater Lake
	Miscellaneous Families Swan Lake
	Upper Lake - West Side
	Upper Lake - West Side Maps
	Sprague River
17	Swan Lake
	Swan Lake 1
	Swan Lake Notes 2
	Swan Lake 3
	Swan Lake 4
	Swan Lake 5
	Swan Lake Tid Bits 6
	Lincoln Gabriel (lived in Swan Lake)
	Miscellaneous Swan Lake
18	Other Places - Lakeview
	Lakeview Co. 1
	Lakeview Co. 2
	Lakeview Co. 3
	Lakeview Co. 4
	Lakeview Co. 5
	Lakeview Co. 6
19	Modoc War, Tribes, Ben Wright
	Indians Generally
	Modoc War I
	Klamath Indians
	Modoc War II
	Modoc War III
	Ben Wright
	Klamath Agency - Yainax
	Winema
20	Klamath County History
	Early Explorers
	Fremont Explorers
	Miscellaneous Odds & Ends
	Note Cards
	Autos
	Landmark Commission Committee Papers
	Oregon Art
	WWII (1940's) articles
	Veterans World War II
	Drawings
	Calandars
	Evening Shadows - poem by Janis Kafton 1999
	"Harper" the play
	Material to be re-filed in better location
	Green Springs
21	Bonanza
	Bonanza - Pictures, articles, photos
	People of Bonanza
	Bonanza Hotel
	Bonanza as of the 1950s
	Bold Family - Bonanza
	Note Cards - Bonanza
	South Side Bonanza
	North Side Bananza - Bank, Bolds, Horn House Hotel
	Roads - Bonanza
	Shootings, Feuds - Bonanza
	Livery Barns - Bonanza
	Sherriff Sam Walker
	Hickman Hotel - Bonanza
	Black Bridge - Bonanza
	Nichols Cabin
	Sewell House - Bonanza
	Big Springs Hotel - Bonanza
	After Fire 1910 - Bonanza
	Market Street P.O., Bank, etc
	Bonanza
	Miscellaneous information on Bonanza
	Bonanza OR. Newspaper Clippings
22	Poe and Langell Valleys
	Hildebrand
	Freuers
	Poe Valley General
	Shook Brothers
	Ira Oream
	Algoma
	Yonna Valley
	Hildebrand (2)
	Poe Valley/Hildebrand
	Miscellaneous Notes
23	Merrill
	Merrill School
	Merrill Miscellaneous
	Merrill Agriculture
	Merrill newspaper picture copies
	Merrill Disasters and Fire
	Merrill news
	Merrill - the story of our town
24	Klamath County History
	1900-1920
	1920s
	1930-1940
	Early Newspapers
	Auto Tours
	Court House
	Early Business Establishments
25	Klamath County History
	1960s
	Mt. St. Helens
	Theatres
	Stevens Hotel
	Miscellaneous Hotels
	Sanitation Street Work
	Miscellaneous
	Algoma/Modoc Pt
	Pioneer Society
	Citizens before 1920
	Airport History
	Libraries
	Earthquakes
26	Klamath County History
	White Pelican
	Early Homes in K-Falls
	Lodges/Clubs
	Lairds Landing
	Trains
	Weyerhaeuser
27	Klamath County History
	Miscellaneous Lumbering Mills
	1950s
	1970s
	1980s
	Churches
	Klamath Falls Views
	Flour Mills
28	Klamath County History
	1952
	Fire Departments
	Ronald Reagan's Visit to Klamath Falls
	Klamath Falls Churches
	Klamath People and Places
	Upper Lake - East & West
	Space Shuttle
	Complete Main Street	1936
	District 20: 82-1930
	Klamath County Historical Society
	Christian Church
29	Poe Valley
	Poe Valley
	Poe Valley
	Poe Valley
30	Poe Valley
	Langell Valley
	Langell Valley Churches
	Main Street	1936
	Langell Valley Schools
	Creamery
	Electric Power
	Horton
	Chapman
	Galbreath
	Kester
	Casey
	Webber/Holzhouser
	Rightmeir/Breithaupt
	McFall
	Roberts
	Barton
	Museums
	Spud Harvest Camps
	Tule Lake
	Inquired Info. From Carol Barrett
	Klamath Falls History
	Algoma
	Landings
31	Poe Valley
	Poe Valley Continued 3
	History of Klamath County
	Miscellaneous
	Masten
	Bradbury
	History of Early Midland
	Horton
	Courthouse Controversies
	Hagelstein
	Bord
	Tipton
	Marshall
	Van Riper
32	Maps
	Americana Catalogues/Nations of the World Map
	Klamath Falls maps and info
	State Maps: Oregon, Nevada, Pennsylvania, California
33	Miscellaneous Box
	Various
	Janis Kafton
	Ernest Burnham
	Miscellaneous card Riddle
	Poe Valley
	Merrill
	Deschutes Country (yesteryear)
	Cutouts/Miscellaneous
	Card file/newspaper index
	Perry Shellburne Recollections - Helfrich
	Klamath Falls Past Laws
	Klamath/Linkville Jails
	Miscellaneous (to look through)
34	Baldwin Family
	Miscellaneous Baldwin
	Baldwin Hotel
	George T. Baldwin
	Baldwin Family
	Maud Baldwin
	Miscellaneous Pictures
	Baldwin Museum
	Baldwin Businesses
	Baldwin Museum 1991 Tour Guide
35	Klamath County History
	Henry Duncan Family
	Lorella Family
	Miller Family
	Cheynes Family
	Celia Dromgoole Reference
	Swingle Family
	Langell Miscellaneous
	Langell Family
	Bussey/Dillard
36	Langell Valley
	Miscellaneous Klamath Falls
	Miscellaneous from Langell Valley Collection
	Poe Valle Miscellaneous
	Langell Valley Miscellaneous Continued
37	Langell Valley
	Feuds - Langell Valley
	Griffith
	Algoma
	Florence Horn
	Kilgore
	Kilgore - Malone Area
	Fulkerson
	Viwson
	Wilson - Galls - McDonalds
	Wilkersons
	Campbell's Continued
	Campbell's
	J.O. Hamaker
	Barnes Valley - Gerbers - DeVauls
	Langell Valley Miscellaneous
38	Early Doctors & Early Hospitals in Klamath County
	Lightfoot Hospital
	Miscellaneous Hospitals/pictures
	Blackburn Sanitarium
	Miscellaneous
	Klamath's early physicians
	Miscellaneous Doctors
	Klamath County Infirmatory
	Meryl West Medical Center
	Intercommunity Hospital
39	Klamath County History
	Miscellaneous
	Carol Barrett Correspondance
	Early Linkville/Klamath Falls
	Klamath History
	Linkville Newspaper/History
	Miscellaneous stores/jobs/hobbies
	Early views of Linkville
	Rodeos
	Lost River Ranch
	Sports in Klamath Falls/County
	Hunting in Klamath Falls/County
40	Early Klamath County
	George Nurse
	Pickett Family
	Baldwin Museum Finances
	Baldwin Museum
	Baldwin Museum Continued
	Arounds Klamath Falls Miscellaneous
	Linkville to Klamath Falls
	Hot Springs/Geothermal
41	Miscellaneous Files 2
	Newspaper Clippings, 1990s, 2000
	Pelican Bay, OR photo negatives
	Newell Relocation Center
	Crawley Cabin - Stone Bridge
	Jacksonville - Yreka (Siskiyou County)
	Crossing the Plains - The Applegates
42	Klamath County History
	Street Car
	City Government
	Early Planes
	Law and Order
	Parades - Entertainment
	Link River
	Telephones
	1940s
	Post Office
	Boating
43	Early Agriculture/Ranches
	Ranchers, Eastern Oregon, Sheemen
	Carr Ranch
	Arant Ranch
	Early Ag. 1
	Early Ag. 2
	Unidentified Ranches
	Local Agriculture, 1940
44	Merrill
	Merrill Index
	Stone Bridge - Merrill's Beginning	1946-1883
	Van Brimmer Ditch to Early Merrill Settlers	1882-1892
	Jesse Carr Ranches of fields in Merrill	1893-1900
	Stone Bridge Families to Dr. Patterson	1901-1904
	Merrill Area	1905-1907
		1908-1909
		1910-1913
		1914-1919
		1920-1925
		1926-1931
		1931-1940
		1941-1955
		1956-1989
	History of Merrill Book 1-5
	Notes
45	Places in Klamath County
	Henley I
	Henley II
	Dairy/Clover Leaf
	Mt. Pitt and Mt. McLoughlin
	Area Cemetaries
	Clippings on roads in K-Falls Co.
	Roads in Klamath Co. II
46	Agriculture & Logging
	Lumber Mills
	Logging and Logging Camps
	Sheep/Cattle
	Homesteads: Tule Lake/Klamath County
	Reclamation
	Potatoes

Series II: Audio-Visual MaterialsReturn to Top

93 audio cassettes

Klamath County Historical Society programs, interviews by Janis Kafton, and untitled cassettes

Series III: Janis Kafton PapersReturn to Top

1 box, 0.4 linear feet

Container(s)	Description
Box
1	Poems by Janis Kafton
1	Janis Kafton Family
1	Janis Kafton's Writing
1	Klamath Falls Riddles
1	Janis Kafton Collection Creator
1	Evening Shadows
1	Janis Kafton

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