Bert Russell Oral History collection, 1971-1978

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Russell, Bert
Title
Bert Russell Oral History collection
Dates
1971-1978 (inclusive)
Quantity
0.5 cubic feet
Collection Number
MG 650
Summary
Research material for the book "Rock Burst." Cassette tapes containing oral interviews of Idaho and Eastern Washington residents.
Repository
University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
University of Idaho Library
875 Perimeter Drive
MS 2350
Moscow, ID
83844-2350
Telephone: 2088850845
libspec@uidaho.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research

Languages
English

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Research material for the book "Rock Burst." Cassette recordings of interview conducted by Bert Rusell. The Bert Russell Oral History Tapes span the year 1971-1979 and consist of twenty-four cassette tapes containing oral interviews of Idaho and Eastern Washington residents. Interviews tell of personal histories and local community and natural occurrences.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Bert Russell was born on February 15, 1909 in Harrison, Idaho and was raised on his family's sawmill. During World War II, he worked as an electrician at the Vancouver Shipyards in Washington. He also found work as a logger and timber cruiser, eventually owning his own lumber company (Russell Lumber Company) in Springston, Idaho. In 1946, he married his wife, Marie, with whom he had two children: Judy and Walter Russell. In addition to his career in lumber, Russell also worked as a land developer, rancher, and writer. He wrote five books: North Folk of the Coeur d'Alene River, Caulked Boots and Other Northwest Writings, The Sawdust Dream, Hardships and Happy Times, and Rock Burst. The writing of Russell's final book, Rock Burst, was assisted by Marie, who completed transcribing his interviews of old miners from the Harrison area after he was moved to a nursing home in 1993 and unable to do so himself. In his final years, Russell was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease; he passed away on April 4, 1997 in Harrison, Idaho.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

FOR PHOTOS: Photographer, "Title," date. Collection name, object ID. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.

FOR DOCUMENTS: Author, Description or "Title" of item, date. Collection name, collection number, box, folder. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Tapes are arranged alphabetically by first name. Interviews of the same interviewee are grouped generally together, though there a few discrepancies by nature of some tapes containing interviews of multiple individuals.

Related Materials

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1997/may/11/death-cant-silence-writers-voice-bert-russells/

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93656516/bert-abraham-russell

Acquisition Information

Found in collection in 1984, donor unknown.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series 1: Cassette TapesReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box object
1 1
Andy Oliver / Ed Fick / Mr. & Mrs. Howard Ebert
1 item : Cassette tape containing three interviews. Side A: Andy Oliver, packer-mainline out of Avery, interviewed at Clarkson on August 30, 1975; Ed Fick, cowboy at Doumecq Plain, interviewed on August 30, 1975. Side B: Mr. and Mrs. Howard Ebert-Fernwood, interviewed on October 22, 1975.
30 August 1975-22 October 1975
1 2
Annetta Bellows
1 item : Cassette tape containing interview of Annetta Bellows at Avery on June 6, 1979; interview tells of days clearing up farm alongside the Joe river above Calder and across from Big Creek and experiences during the 1933-34 flood and the flood of 1938.
6 June 1979
1 3
Annetta Bellows
1 item : Empty cassette tape containing typed biographical information on Annetta Bellows.
June 1979
1 4
Bill Cardwell
1 item : Cassette tape containing interview of Bill Cardwell on both sides.
3 April 1975
1 5
Bill Robinson / Elwin Van Bloricom / Doris Sleighton Von Bloricom / Dolly Sleighton Newman / Mary Sleighton
1 item : Cassette tape containing three interviews. Side 1: Bill Robinson; Elwin Van Bloricom. Side 2: Elwin Van Bloricom and Sleighton girls (Doris, Dolly, and Mary).
April 1973
1 6
Dan Zobeck
1 item : Cassette tape containing interview of Dan Zobeck on both sides.
14 December 1973
1 7
Ern Hanson / Neil Yager & Arvid Johnson / Earl Stevens
1 item : Cassette tape containing three interviews. Side A: Ern Hanson, interviewed on June 26, 1976; Neil Yager and Arvid Johnson, interviewed on July 14, 1976; and Earl Stevens, interviewed on October 20, 1976. Side B: Continued Neil Yager and Arvid Johnson interview.
17 June 1976-20 October 1976
1 8
Genevieve Avery / John Akerstrom
1 item : Cassette tape containing two interviews. Side 1: Genevieve Avery, interviewed in Spokane apartment in January, 1974; John Akerstrom, interviewed at the Riverside Hotel in Spokane in January, 1974. Side 2: Continued John Akerstrom interview.
January 1974
1 9
Herb Glidden / Pete Johnson
1 item : Cassette tape containing two interviews. Side A: Herb Glidden telling about his father, Harry Glidden, interviewed on March 18, 1975. Side B: Pete Johnson, interviewed on April 4, 1975.
18 March 1975-4 April 1975
1 10
Charley Boyce / Herb Uttley
1 item : Cassette tape containing two interviews. Side A: Charley Boyce, interviewed in St. Maries on April 26, 1974. Side B: Herb Uttley, interviewed in St. Maries on February 19, 1975.
26 April 1974-19 February 1975
1 11
Herb Uttley / George Ells
1 item : Cassette tape containing two interviews. Side A: Herb Uttley, interviewed in St. Maries on February 19, 1975 (first part blotted out by mistake in recording George Ells). Side B: George Ells, interviewed in Emida on October 30, 1975.
19 February 1975-30 October 1975
1 12
Herb Uttley / Mabel Scribner
1 item : Cassette tape containing two interviews. Side A: Mabel Scribner, interviewed on January 10, 1978. Side B: Herb Uttley, interviewed on February 24, 1978.
10 January 1978-24 February 1978
1 13
John Dennis
1 item : Cassette tape containing interview of John Dennis from November 25, 1971. Side A includes discussion of die off of the ruffled grouse and blue grouse, migration of red squirrels and mule deer, and a lost CC kid form Tin Can Flats. Side B includes discussion of working for Arizona Copper Co, flu on the Harrison Flats and in Dave Dollars camp, and more.
25 November 1971
1 14
John Dennis / Ed Ramey
1 item : Cassette tape containing two interviews. Side A: John Dennis, interviewed on September 24, 1975; interview tells of a trip to Elk Prairie and Surveyor's Ridge. Side B: continued John Dennis interview and interview of Ed Ramey.
24 September 1975
1 15
Lester Griffin
1 item : Cassette tape containing interview of Lester Griffin in February, 1974.
February 1974
1 16
Lois Procopio
1 item : Cassette tape containing interview of Lois Procopio, interviewed October 4, 1978.
4 October 1978
1 17
Muggs Bentley-Packer
1 item : Cassette tape containing interview of Muggs Bentley-Packer, interviewed August 26, 1975; interview discusses Herrick shootout, killing of Condon at Calder by Stern, tough packing trips, and his rodeo background as buckaroo and bulldogger.
26 August 1975
1 18
Pete Johnson
1 item : Cassette tape containing two interviews of Pete Johnson, interviewed April 4, 1975 and May 1, 1975.
4 April 1975-1 May 1975
1 19
Pete Johnson / Ed Ramey
1 item : Cassette tape containing two interviews. Side A: Pete Johnson, interviewed May 13, 1975. Side B: Ed Ramey interviewed on October 27, 1975.
13 May 1975-27 October 1975
1 20
Roy Brickle
1 item : Cassette tape containing interview of Roy Brickle, interviewed on April 15, 1975.
15 April 1975
1 21
Ruth Lindow / Harold Theriault
1 item : Cassette tape containing three interviews. Side A: Ruth Lindow, interviewed on October 9, 1978. Side B: Harold Theriault and Ruth Lindow, interviewed October 31, 1978.
9 October 1978-31 October 1978
1 22
Vernon Martinson / Jake (Jacob) Jessick / Anna Currie Krone
1 item : Cassette tape containing three interviews. Side A: Vernon Martinson, interviewed on April 9, 1975 and Jake Jessick, interviewed on April 11, 1975. Side B: Anna Curie Krone, interviewed on June 26, 1975.
9 April 1975-26 June 1975
1 23
Wade Onthank
1 item : Cassette tape containing interview of Wade Onthank.
undated
1 24
Walt Darry / J. Howard Wheeler
1 item : Cassette tape containing two interviews. Side A: Walt Darry, interviewed on April 21, 1975; interview discusses a drive on the Marble, the Loops on the Maries, and more. Side B: J. Howard Wheeler, interviewed on October 22, 1976 and October 26, 2976.
21 April 1975-26 October 1976

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Authors
  • Harrison, Idaho
  • Interviews
  • Miners