Finding aid of the Jerry Briscoe Collection of Stockton,
California Oral Histories
Processed by Melani Wilkie
Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections
University of the Pacific Library
3601 Pacific Ave.
Stockton, CA 95211
Phone: (209) 946-2404
Fax: (209) 946-2942
URL: http://www.pacific.edu/Library/Find/Holt-Atherton-Special-Collections.html
© 2005
University of the Pacific. All rights reserved.
Finding aid of the Jerry Briscoe Collection of Stockton,
California Oral Histories
Collection number: MSS 308
Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections
University
of the Pacific Library
Stockton, California
- Processed by:
- Melani Wilkie
- Date Completed:
- 2005
- Encoded by:
- Shan Sutton
© 2005 University of the Pacific. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Jerry Briscoe Collection of Stockton, California
Oral Histories
Dates: 1994-2000
Collection number: MSS 308
Creator:
Briscoe, Jerry B.
Collection Size: .2 linear feet
Repository:
University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Dept. of
Special Collections
Stockton, California 95211
Abstract: This collection consists of audio tapes and
typed transcripts of oral history interviews conducted by Dr. Jerry Briscoe
between 1994-1996. Interviewees are predominately residents of Stockton or San
Joaquin County who were active in political or civic activities.
Physical location: For current information on the location
of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Languages: Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
Collection open for research.
Publication Rights
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as
the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the
researcher.
Preferred Citation
Jerry Briscoe Collection of Stockton, California Oral Histories.
Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific
Library.
Biography / Administrative History
Dr. Jerry Briscoe was a Professor of Political Science at University of
the Pacific.
Scope and Content of Collection
This collection consists of audio tapes and typed transcripts of oral
history interviews conducted by Dr. Jerry Briscoe between 1994-1996.
Interviewees are predominately residents of Stockton or San Joaquin County who
were active in political or civic activities. Interviews cover the twentieth
century history of Stockton and nearby areas including agricultural and water
issues, development and redevelopment, and local political or social
organizations. Dr. Briscoe began this oral history project with the goal of
interviewing political figures who have knowledge of various local institution
and agency histories.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged into two series: I. Transcripts of Oral History
Interviews; II. Audio Tapes of Oral History Interviews. Files within each
series are arranged alphabetically by the interviewees last name.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this
collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Benjamin,
Theodosia
Davis, Olive
DeCarli, Dean,
1908-
Dunlap, Yvonne
Waidhofer, Joseph
Lofthus, Ort J.
Nelson, Hal
Ross, Leon T.,
1931-
Agriculture - California - San Joaquin
County
Real estate development - California -
Stockton
San Joaquin County (Calif.) - History
Stockton (Calif.) -
History
San Joaquin County (Calif.) -
Politics and government
Stockton (Calif.) - Politics
and government
Series I: Transcripts of Oral History Interviews, 1994-2000
I.1.1: Transcript of Theodosia Benjamin Interview,
1996.
Scope and Content Note
Theodosia Benjamin (b. September 13, 1905). Legal
secretary, poet, artist. Interview includes information on: Westerners; apricot
production and harvest; memories of Stockton, 1910 – 1925; Tone Ranch; Audubon
party of 1849.
I.1.2: Transcript of Olive Davis Interview, April 7,
1995.
Scope and Content Note
Olive Davis (b. November 16, 1922). Executive
Director of California Agricultural Exposition; retired turkey farmer; author
of Sunrise Port on the San Joaquin; The History of the Slow, Tired, and Easy
Railroad; and A Biography of Captain William S. Moss. Interview includes
information on: agitating for causes in the town of Linden including the
opening of the first bank and the provision of local telephone service
throughout Linden and into Stockton, 1970s; water issues regarding the
Calaveras River and irrigation in Linden and Stockton; turkey farming and
innovations her family made in turkey feed and breeding; her husband’s (Warren
Davis) design of a round barn for horse training, now built in multiple
locations; working as Linden correspondent for the Stockton Record, 1968-1973;
the publication of her local historical interest books; waterfront development
in Stockton; the founding of the Ag Expo; farming innovations that were
developed in California and spread into the Midwest.
I.1.3: Transcript of Dean DeCarli Interview, September
1, 1995.
Scope and Content Note
Dean DeCarli (b. March 24, 1908). Dairyman, former
Mayor of Stockton, former member of Stockton City Council and Stockton
Redevelopment Commission. Interview includes information on: Stockton city
government during 1950s; changes in dairy industry, 1920s to 1950s; Stockton
politics including William Carlisle and Mike DeYoung; water issues in Stockton
and the Cal Water Company; growth of the frozen foods industry, 1950s to 1990s;
Coffee Club; Stockton Kiwanis Club, scholarship work; working as a volunteer at
Ag Expo.
I.1.4: Transcript of Wilbur Earley Interview,
2000.
Scope and Content Note
Wilbur Earley (b. January 8, 1915). Mechanical
Engineer. Interview includes information on: memories of living
pre-electricity; working at Stockton ship yards, 1940s; mechanical engineering
with Zimmerman and others; the building and operation of canal machines.
I.1.5: Transcripts of Ort J. Lofthus Interview, August
12, 1994. File contains 3 different drafts of transcript.
Scope and Content Note
Ort J. Lofthus (b. June 29, 1925). Radio
Broadcaster, former president of Stockton Chamber of Commerce. Interview
includes information on planning and civic activities in Stockton including:
radio stations KJOY and KJAX; the Yosemite Club; Stockton’s Chamber of Commerce
during the 1960s; Downtown redevelopment during the 1950s; completion of
Interstate 5; completion of the Crosstown Freeway; California’s loss of bid for
the Super Collider project in 1987-88; Stockton Image Committee, 1986-87;
founding of the Dawn House women’s center.
I.1.6: Transcript of Leon T. Ross Interview, November 9,
1994.
Scope and Content Note
Leon T. Ross (b. June 6, 1931) Retired Officer of
the United States Air Force. Retired Deputy County Administrator of San Joaquin
County. Interview includes information on: his father’s service with other
African Americans in the First Army 369th Infantry Division in World War I; his
own experiences and accomplishments in the U.S. Air Force during the 1950s and
60s; researching and writing on local California Black History; Black pioneer
Jim Beckworth; schooling and segregation in Stockton before 1900; local Ku Klux
Klan activities into the 1970s; equal opportunity experiences with women and
ethnic minorities in San Joaquin County.
I.1.7: Transcript of Joseph J. Waidhofer Interview,
August 8, 1994.
Scope and Content Note
Joseph J. Waidhofer (b. 1916) Member of many civic
boards including Stockton East Water District. Interview includes information
on: 1955 Stockton Flood, New Hogan Dam, Planning, Interstate Five, Recall
1966-1967, Groundwater and Surface water supplies, New Melones Dam, and other
water topics in Stockton.
I.1.8: Transcript of Jane Gordon Roberts Interview,
Spring 1995.
Scope and Content Note
Jane Gordon Roberts (b. December 25, 1921 – Sept 15,
2010) She taught music for Stockton Unified School District for 29 years.
Folder also contains photographs, clippings and other personal material from
Roberts. Interview includes information on: College of the Pacific, Stockton
Symphony, Stockton Unified School district.
Series II: Audio Tapes of Oral History Interviews,
1994-1996
II.2.1: Theodosia Benjamin (b. September 13, 1905).
Legal secretary, poet, artist.
II.2.2: Olive Davis (b. November 16, 1922). Executive
Director of California Agricultural Exposition, retired turkey farmer, author.
II.2.3: Dean DeCarli (b. March 24, 1908). Dairyman,
former Mayor of Stockton, former member of Stockton City Council and Stockton
Redevelopment Commission.
II.2.5: Wilbur Earley (b. January 8, 1915). Mechanical
Engineer.
II.2.6: Ort J. Lofthus (b. June 29, 1925). Radio
Broadcaster, former president of Stockton Chamber of Commerce.
II.2.7: Hal Nelson (b. January 10, 1911).
Stockbroker.
II.2.8: Leon T. Ross (b. June 6, 1931) Retired Officer
of the United States Air Force. Retired Deputy County Administrator of San
Joaquin County.
II.2.9: Joseph J. Waidhofer (b. 1916) Member of many
civic boards including Stockton East Water District.
II.2.9: Jane Gordon Roberts (b. December 25, 1921 – Sept
15, 2010) She taught music for Stockton Unified School District for 29
years.