Oral history interview with John F. Kilkenny
Scope and Contents
This oral history interview with John F. Kilkenny was conducted by Rick Harmon in Portland, Oregon, in 15 sessions from June 12 to October 3, 1984. A transcript is available. The original audio of the recording is incomplete due to irretrievable damage to Tape 14, side 2. Tape 17 is a re-enactment of that audio. The re-enactment was created after the damage to the original tape was discovered. It was based upon an earlier transcript created before the damage occurred, which no longer exists. The accuracy of the re-enactment cannot be verified.
In this interview, Kilkenny discusses his family background and early life on a sheep farm in Heppner, Oregon, his education, and his early law career in Pendleton. He talks about his service as a judge on the U.S. District Court of Oregon from 1959 to 1969, his service on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals from 1969 to the time of the interview in 1984, and his involvement in the preservation of the Pioneer Courthouse in Portland.
Dates
- Creation: 1984 June 12-October 3
Creator
- Kilkenny, John F. (Interviewee, Person)
- Harmon, Rick (Interviewer, Person)
- O'Donnell, Terence, 1924-2001 (Speaker, Person)
- United States District Court of Oregon Historical Society (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Joint copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society and the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Educational Use Permitted, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Biographical note
John Francis Kilkenny was born in Heppner, Oregon, in 1901. He grew up on a farm and was sent to Portland, Oregon, to attend Columbia Preparatory. He attended Notre Dame Law School, earning his bachelor of law degree in 1925. He then returned to Oregon, where he practiced law in Pendleton. In 1934, he and Virginia Brannock were married; they later had two children. He served as city attorney for Pendleton from 1930 to 1934. In 1959, he was appointed to the U.S. District Court of Oregon by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 1969, he was appointed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Portland by President Richard Nixon. In 1971, he took senior status. He died in 1995.
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (17 audiocassettes (13 hr., 16 min., 48 sec.) + transcript (230 pages))
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Oral history interview with John F. Kilkenny conducted by Rick Harmon from June 12 to October 3, 1984, as part of the United States District Court Oral History Project. Kilkenny was a judge on the U.S. District Court of Oregon and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society (Lib. Acc. 25578).
Existence and Location of Copies
General
Forms part of the United States District Court Oral History Project.
General
Typescript index (41 pages) is available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Subject
- United States. District Court (Oregon) (Organization)
- United States. Court of Appeals (9th Circuit) (Organization)
- Kilkenny, John F. (Person)
- Title
- Guide to oral history interview with John F. Kilkenny
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Sarah Stroman
- Date
- 2020; revised 2022
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
- Sponsor
- This project is supported in whole or part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon.
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