Oral history interview with Frederick H. Torp, 1998 December 28
Scope and Contents
This oral history interview with Frederick H. Torp was conducted by Brian Booth in the offices of Tonkon Torp LLC in Portland, Oregon, on December 28, 1998. In this interview, Torp discusses his family background and early life in New Jersey. He talks about attending Columbia College in New York City, including his family’s financial difficulties during the Depression. He briefly discusses practicing law in New York before the advent of World War II. Torp then discusses his service in the Navy from 1942 to 1945, including acting as a lawyer in courts martial, and fighting in the Pacific Theater. He talks about joining the law firm of Hart Spencer, now known as Stoel Rives, in Portland, Oregon, in 1945, including the lawyers he worked with and his clients. He also talks about the 1954 termination of federal recognition of the Klamath Tribes and his involvement in some of the legal aspects of the termination. He discusses starting the law firm Tonkon Torp in 1974, including the lawyers he worked with. He talks about his children, their families, and their careers; his involvement with the Episcopal Church and other organizations; and his colleagues at the Hart Spencer firm. He closes the interview by talking about some of the judges on the U.S. District Court of Oregon, including Gus Solomon and James Alger Fee.
Dates
- Creation: 1998 December 28
Creator
- From the Collection: Torp, Frederick H., 1913-2003 (Interviewee, Person)
- From the Collection: Booth, Brian (Interviewer, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Extent
From the Collection: .1 Cubic Feet (1 audiocassette (1 hr., 25 min., 9 sec.) + transcript (34 pages))
Language of Materials
English
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org