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Introduction

Harold Forbush Oral Interview Transcriptions

Collection Processed by Joel Miyasaki

Date: September 24, 2003

Physical Description: .5 linear feet

Biographical Sketch of Harold Forbush

Harold Sanford Forbush was born on December 2, 1921, in the small community of Driggs, Idaho. He was the first son of his parents, Elmer and Blanche Forbush. At age eleven, Forbush lost his sight in a tragic hatchet accident, and he subsequently attended the School for the Blind and Deaf at Gooding, Idaho. Graduating from high school in Sugar City, Forbush continued his education at Idaho State University and then at the University of Idaho. Forbush graduated from the University of Idaho Law School in 1949 and was admitted to the Idaho Bar Association in the same year. He practiced law in Driggs while also serving as the Teton County Attorney until 1973. In 1973, Forbush was appointed as the magistrate over Madison County and he continued in this capacity until his retirement in 1985.

Being blind, Forbush became an excellent and detailed listener. He was passionate about collecting and preserving the history of Southeast Idaho. Forbush traveled extensively all over the Upper Snake River Valley and recorded his conversations with prominent individuals of the communities. He is known as one of the greatest and most prolific oral historians in Idaho. The results of Forbush’s interviews have led to the publication of several books such as Education in the Snake River Valley, The Idaho Falls LDS Hospital, Pioneering the Snake River Fork Country, and History of Teton Valley, Idaho. In retirement, Forbush has moved around the Snake River Valley, but he has continued to play a major historical role as an active member of the Upper Snake River Historical Society.

Scope and Content

This collection is the result of on ongoing joint effort between the BYU-Idaho Special Collections & Archives and the Upper Snake River Valley Historical Society. These two organizations are pooling their resources in order to transcribe a large collection of Harold Forbush’s interviews in the series he titled Oral History of the Snake River Valley. These transcriptions represent a panorama of Southeast Idaho’s social, religious, and political history. Of particular interest are the interviews that address the lives of minorities and the disabled.

The collection is organized according to the numbering system used on Judge Forbush’s original tapes. As the transcription process continues, the hope is to insert the new transcriptions within the same numbering system.

Inventory

Box 1: Voices From The Past

#1Taylor Brothers Raising Sheep: Gordon B. Taylor

#2 Mail Delivery Ashton, Id- West Yellowstone: A. C. Nichols

#3 The Assessor of Madison County: Benjamin E. Summers

#4A The Spanish Speaking People Among Us: Agustin Gutierrez

#4B Mexicans and Spanish Speaking: Hermilo Chavez

#4C Navajo Indians: Alice Juaniqua Chee

#5 Blind of Eastern Idaho: Alma B. Larson

#6 Settlement of the Upper Snake River Valley: Carl Johnson

#7 Life Devoted to Public Service: William Hansen

#8 Henry’s Lake Area 1910-35: William and Bertie Rayburn

#9 Newspaper Work in Sugar City: Nettie Garner

#10 Johnson's Settlement: James Johnson

#11 Life in the Ricks and Smellie Family: Ruth Ricks

#12 History of Beaver Dick: Vera Baldwin

#13 The Settling of Presto Idaho: Agnes Reid

#13B Preston, Idaho: Elvin W. Henninger

#14 Governorship and Politics in Idaho: Robert Smylie

#15 J. Earl Garner : J. Earl Garner

#16 Rexburg Postal Services: Cyral A. Watson

#17 Oswald J. and Myrtle Munns Neeley

#18 Stage Coaches in the Park: Ira A. Stanton Howard

#19 Oliver Kingsbury Meservy

#20 W. Ernest Murri

#21 Changing the Landscape: Lowell R. Barrick

#22 Ward Willard Reynolds

#23 Early School Teaching: Andrew Anderson Nelson

#24A Fremont County Journal, Issue May 30, 1900 Part 1 and 2 Read by: Dori Palmer, Louis J. Clements and Florence Forbush

#25A Gravity Flow Sprinkler Irrigation: Melvin W. Burgner

#26 History of Mud Lake: Mildred Stayley and Joe Hartwell

#27 Grace Christian School: Pastor Jerry and Gail James

#30 Impact of Depression on Sugar City: Norma and Cleo Browning

#32 Boxing and Wrestling :Gordon Dixon

#36 Eagle Rock: Fred W. Keefer

#41 Rigby, Idaho: Omar Cordon

#43 Sugar City: William and Douglas Pincock

#48 Living Experiences in Fremont, Madison, and Teton Counties: Clendon Edgar Gee

#58 A Life Sketch of Jacob Spori: Elizabeth Spori Stowell and Annie Spori Kerr

#79 A History of Irrigation in Fremont, Madison, and Fremont Counties: James Cyrus Young

#101 Pea Seed Industry: Fred O. Wilcox

#136 Henry Alvin “Harry” Munn’s Life Story: Alvin W. Munns

#143 Scouting: Teton Peaks Council: Vernon L. Strong

#151 Beet Sugar Factory, Sugar City: John Camphouse

#153 “He Was a Hero to Family and Friends”: John Rolland Clark

#156 Tommy Miyasaki’s Triumph over Obstacles Along Life’s Pathway: Tommy Miyasaki

#159 Poole’s Island Settlemen:t John and J. Rulon Poole

#163 Emory Gilbert Adams: Emory Gilbert Adams

#174 John Schwendiman: Switzerland to Upper Snake River Valley: John Schwendiman

#180 Teton Flood & Recovery: W. Keith Walker

#190 Hayden, Teton County: Jim Breckenridge

Clementsville: Silas Clements

Railroad Removal: Ashton to West Yellowstone: Dean L. Palmer

History of Henry Flamm and Flamm’s Funeral Services: Russell Flamm