Smithfield Oral History Project
Scope and Contents
Each item in this collection is bound and contains a typed interview transcription, a page containing credits for those who helped compile the interviews and transcriptions, a brief summary of each interview, a digital recording (CD) of the interview (.wav file), and a digital copy (CD) of the transcript (.wps file).
Dates
- 1956-1991
Language of Materials
Material in English
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Smithfield Oral History Project must be obtained from the Curator of the Fife Folklore Archives and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Biographical and Historical Note
Lawrence Cantwell is a resident of Smithfield Utah. In the 1970s and 80s (and 1991), Mr. Cantwell undertook this project on behalf of the Smithfield Historical Heritage Society to document local citizens. These interviews were done on cassette tape and stored for a number of years in the Smithfield City offices.
William "Robert" Thornley, director of the Clark and Gladys Thornley Foundation, early settlers of Smithfield, Utah, worked to get the interviews transcribed with funds from the Thornley Foundation and a grant from the Utah Humanities Council / Utah State History.
The interviews in the Smithfield Oral History Project, conducted by Lawrence Cantwell, focus on the early history of Smithfield. Many of his participants clearly remember World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. Most of these interviews characterize life in Smithfield and surrounding towns in the early 1900s. This collection provides a description of small town farm life during the Progressive Era.
Extent
2 boxes (1 linear feet)
Abstract
The Smithfield Oral History Project contains 37 interviews with residents of Smithfield, Utah. The majority of interviews were conducted by Lawrence Cantwell. William "Robert" Thornley had the items digitized, transcribed, and printed by the Clark and Gladys Thornley Foundation. Transcriptions made possible by a generous grant from the Utah Humanities Council/ Utah State History.
Arrangement
Items are arranged in alphabetical order according to the interviewee’s last name.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Some items in this collection also include a picture of the interviewed.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
William "Robert" Thornley donated 37 oral histories (with transcripts) from the Smithfield Oral History Project. The interviews were done by Lawrence Cantwell with Smithfield, Utah residents. Mr. Thornley was given the tapes by Smithfield City and he had them transcribed and digitized. In June 2010, Mr. Thornley donated the collection to Utah State University Special Collections and Archives (Randy Williams and Brad Cole). The collection was processed in September 2011.
Existence and Location of Originals
Utah State University. Merrill-Cazier Library. Special Collections and Archives.
Separated Materials
The original cassette tapes are housed at Smithfield City.
Processing Information
Processed by Kristal Shegrud, September of 2011. Finding aid prepared by Kristal Shegrud, September 2011; updated by Randy Williams, April 2012.
- Agriculture
- Cache Valley (Utah and Idaho)--History.
- Cache Valley (Utah and Idaho)--Social life and customs.
- City and Town Life
- Depressions--1929--Utah.
- Elementary and Secondary Education
- Farm life--Cache Valley (Utah and Idaho).
- Farm life--Utah--Smithfield.
- Frontier and pioneer life--Cache Valley (Utah and Idaho).
- Frontier and pioneer life--Utah|zSmithfield.
- Medicine and Health
- Military
- Missionaries
- Mormonism (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
- Mormons--Utah--Smithfield--History.
- Mormons--Utah|zSmithfield--Social life and customs.
- Music
- Oral Histories
- Oral history.
- Smithfield (Utah)--History.
- Smithfield (Utah)--Social life and customs.
- Sound Recordings
- World War, 1914-1918--Personal narratives, American.
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American.
- Title
- Guide to the Smithfield Oral History Project 1956-1991
- Author
- Finding aid created by Kristal Shegrud
- Date
- ©2011
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid encoded in English
Revision Statements
- 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.
Repository Details
Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)
scweb@usu.edu