Oral history interview with Hobart M. Mitchell, 1977 May 4
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Interviewee
- Mitchell, Hobart M. (Hobart McKinley), 1897-1980
- Title
- Oral history interview with Hobart M. Mitchell
- Dates
- 1977 May 41977-05-041977-05-04
- Quantity
- 0.1 cubic feet, (1 audiocassette (45 min., 49 sec.))
- Collection Number
- SR 9479
- Summary
- Oral history interview with Hobart M. Mitchell conducted by Charles Digregorio on May 4, 1977. Mitchell discusses his father, McKinley Mitchell, and talks about his own career as a produce wholesaler in Portland, Oregon.
- 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 Note
Hobart McKinley Mitchell was born in Gervais, Oregon, in 1897. In 1901, the family moved to Portland. In 1919, he earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Stanford University. He returned to Oregon and worked as a produce wholesaler. He retired during World War II. He married twice and had no children. He died in 1980.
Sources: Vital records on Ancestry.com; information provided by Mitchell in his interview.
Other Descriptive Information
An incomplete transcript (12 pages) is available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Content Description
This oral history interview with Hobart M. Mitchell was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on May 4, 1977, as part of the oral history program at the society's research library.
In this interview, Mitchell discusses his family background and talks about his father, McKinley Mitchell, including his father's friendship with cartoonist Homer Davenport, his career as a general store owner, and his service in the Oregon State Legislature. He discusses his own youth in Portland, and talks about how the city has changed over the 20th century. He then discusses his career as a produce wholesaler during the 1920s and 1930s, including his experiences providing provisions for Russian ships. He talks about his activism regarding taxes, and closes the interview by sharing his memories of the Portland waterfront.
Use of the Collection
Alternative Forms Available
Audio available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Preferred Citation
Oral history interview with Hobart M. Mitchell, by Charles Digregorio, SR 9479, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
Joint copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society and the estate of Hobart M. McKinley. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Non-Commercial Use Permitted, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/
Administrative Information
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Grocery trade--Oregon--Portland
- Legislators--Oregon--19th century
- Taxation--Law and legislation--Oregon
Personal Names
- Mitchell, Hobart M. (Hobart McKinley), 1897-1980
- Mitchell, McKinley, 1858-1936
Geographical Names
- Downtown (Portland, Or.)--20th century
Form or Genre Terms
- interviews
- oral histories (literary works)
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Digregorio, Charles (interviewer)
