Forms part of the Oregon Legislature Oral History Series.
Collection is open for research.
Jean Young, nee Kitts, was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1904. Her family came to Oregon in 1910. She studied romance languages at the University of Oregon. While at college, she met Frederic W. Young. They were married in 1926 and later had two children. Jean Young held posts in various civic organizations, including legislative liaison for the Oregon Parent Teacher Association from 1945 to 1949, and president of the Oregon Federation of Republican Women from 1971 to 1973. She was also historian for the Oregon Republican State Central Committee. She also held numerous positions in the Oregon Republican Party, including Republican Party precinct committee member for Multnomah County from 1936 to 1967; representative of the Republican Party on a legislative Interim Committee on Elections from 1955 to 1957; secretary of the Oregon Republican State Central Committee from 1954 to 1960; and presidential elector from 1960 until her death. She served on the city council for King City, Oregon, where she moved in 1967, from 1974 to 1980, and as mayor from 1981 to 1989. She died in 1992.
Forms part of the Oregon Legislature Oral History Series.
Incomplete transcript (110 pages) and handwritten index (32 pages) are available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Oral history interview with Jean Young, by Linda Watkins, SR 1133, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
This oral history interview with Jean Young was conducted by Linda Watkins from February 12 to March 25, 1988. In this interview, Young discusses her family background and early life in the area of Detroit, Michigan, and in Portland, Oregon. She discusses her education at the University of Oregon, her social life, and her study of romance languages. She also discusses meeting her husband, Frederic Young; his family background and early life; their courtship and wedding; and his career as a lawyer in Portland. She talks about raising her children and the dynamics of her marriage. She then discusses the effect the Depression and New Deal had on her political views. She describes her involvement with the Republican Party and her public service career, beginning with being a precinct committee member for Multnomah County from 1936 until 1967. She also shares stories about U.S. Senator Wayne Morse. She talks about as serving as secretary of the Oregon Republican State Central Committee from 1954 to 1960, and campaigning for Republican candidates. She also discusses the changes in Republican Party politics over the decades and the disenchantment many women began to feel about the party. She talks about several prominent Republican politicians, including President Richard Nixon, Barry Goldwater, Clay Myers, and Mark Hatfield. She also shares personal details of her family life. She talks about her role as presidential elector for the Republican Party, first in 1960, then from 1968 to the time of the interview. She also briefly discusses her current position as mayor of King City, Oregon. She describes the state of the Republican Party, both in Oregon and nationally, and her hopes for its future. She closes the interview by discussing her current activities and plans for retirement.
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