Oral history interview with Helen W. Stone

Collection

Identifier: SR 9508

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Helen W. Stone was conducted by Deborah M. Frosaker at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, on October 26, 1978, as part of the oral history program at the society’s research library.

In this interview, Stone discusses the legal and political career of her father, Oswald West, and shares her experiences as the daughter of a governor. She discusses Oswald West’s involvement in the operations of the Oregon penitentiary and talks about his reputation for theatrics. She describes the family summer home in Cannon Beach. She closes the interview by discussing Oswald West’s affiliation with the Democratic Party.

Dates

1978 October 26

Creator

Stone, Helen W. (Helen West), 1902-1986 (Interviewee, Person)

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 estate of Helen W. Stone. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Non-Commercial Use Permitted, https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/

Biographical note

Helen West Stone, nee West, was born in Astoria, Oregon, in 1902. Her family soon moved to Salem, where her father, Oswald West, worked as a lawyer and later served as governor of Oregon. After Oswald West left office in 1915, the family moved to Portland. In 1924, Helen West earned a bachelor’s degree from Mills College in Oakland, California. In 1925, she and Ellery Wheeler Stone were married; they later had two children. She worked as a real estate agent in Portland, and served on the Oregon Real Estate Board and the Portland Board of Realtors. She died in 1986.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (1 audiocassette (1 hr., 4 min., 20 sec.) + transcript (26 pages))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Helen W. Stone conducted by Deborah M. Frosaker on October 26, 1978. Stone discusses the legal and political career of her father, Oswald West, who served as governor of Oregon.