Oral history interview with Edwin J. Peterson
Scope and Contents
This oral history interview with Edwin J. Peterson was conducted by Jeffrey C. Dobbins in Salem, Oregon, from August 21 to December 11, 2007, as part of the United States District Court of Oregon Oral History Project. The interview was conducted in thirteen sessions. Throughout the interview, Peterson refers to photographs and letters. Copies of some, but not all, of these items are included in the related U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society collection, Coll 560.
In this interview, Peterson discusses his family background in Gilmanton, Wisconsin, including his memories of rural life during World War II, and moving to Oregon in 1944. He talks about studying music at the University of Oregon, describes his service as a personnel officer in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, and discusses attending the University of Oregon Law School. He speaks at length about practicing of law with the Tooze, Kerr, Peterson, Marshall & Shenker firm in Portland. He discusses serving on the Oregon Supreme Court from 1979 to 1993, and about serving as chief justice from 1983 to 1991. He reads entries from his journals detailing this part of his career. He closes the interview by talking about his activities since retiring in 1993.
Dates
- Creation: 2007 August 21-December 11
Creator
- Peterson, Edwin J. (Edwin Junior), 1930-2023 (Interviewee, Person)
- Dobbins, Jeffrey C., 1967- (Interviewer, 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: https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Biographical note
Edwin Junior Peterson was born in 1930 in Gilmanton, Wisconsin. His family moved to Eugene, Oregon, in 1944 due to his severe asthma. He studied music at the University of Oregon, graduating in 1951. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. After his discharge in 1954, he studied law at the University of Oregon, earning his degree in 1957. He met Barbara Lee while in law school, and they married in 1957; Peterson later adopted her two children, and the couple had another two children. He then joined the Portland, Oregon, law firm Tooze, Kerr, Peterson, Marshall & Shenker. Peterson divorced in the late 1960s, and in 1971, he remarried to Anna M. Perrault, nee Chadwick, who had joined the law firm as a receptionist in 1968. In 1979, Governor Vic Atiyeh appointed Peterson to the Oregon Supreme Court. In 1981, he was elected chief justice, a position he held until 1991. During his time on the Oregon Supreme Court, he focused on improving the efficiency of courts and combating racial and ethnic biases in the courts. For his work, he was awarded the American Judicature Society's Herbert Harley Award in 1992. Peterson resigned from the court at the end of 1993. He later became a Distinguished Jurist in Residence at Willamette University. Peterson died in 2023.
Sources: Oral history interview with Edwin J. Peterson, SR 11201, Oregon Historical Society Research Library; articles in the Oregonian, 1979-1994.
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (24 audiocassettes (21 hr., 36 min., 28 sec.) + transcript (406 pages))
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Oral history interview with Edwin J. Peterson conducted by Jeffrey C. Dobbins from August 21 to December 11, 2007, as part of the United States District Court of Oregon Oral History Project. Peterson discusses his youth and education, as well as his career as a lawyer in Portland, Oregon, and as chief justice of the Oregon Supreme Court.
Existence and Location of Copies
Separated Materials
Exhibits mentioned in the interview were separated to the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society collection, Coll 560, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
General
Forms part of the United States District Court of Oregon Oral History Project.
Subject
- Oregon. Supreme Court (Organization)
- Peterson, Edwin J. (Edwin Junior), 1930-2023 (Person)
- Peterson, Edwin J. (Edwin Junior), 1930-2023 -- Childhood and youth (Person)
- University of Oregon -- Students (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to oral history interview with Edwin J. Peterson
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Sarah Stroman
- Date
- 2020; revised 2023
- 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