ORAL HISTORY

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KIRKPATRICK, JEAN

Interviewed By:

Cynthia L. Stephens

History of the Mother Lode Course Instructor: Dick Dyer

May 1, 1992

Jean Kirkpatrick (Jenson)

Jean Kirkpatrick (Jenson) was born September 25, 1913, in Napa, California. Her mother, Vivian Steves, was born in 1892 in the Fresno area. Vivian was a descendant of an early pioneer family who made their fortune during the Gold Rush and settled in the Napa area. Jean's father, Peter Jenson, was a native of Denmark. He moved to the United States to work on communication projects in the early 1900s. He and his partner invented the microphone and the loudspeaker, earning and quickly spending several fortunes.

Although not a native of Calaveras County, Jean began spending the summer months in Sheep Ranch when she was a child. She moved to Sheep Ranch when she was twelve, living there for several years. Her parents divorced, and while her mother stayed in Calaveras County, her father remarried and lived near Chicago. Jean spent the majority of her high school years with her father, but her real "home" was always Calaveras County. Jean moved to Murphys from the Bay Area in the 1940s, becoming a very active community volunteer, and later a teacher. She taught at the schoolhouse in Vallecito as well as many years at Mark Twain Elementary School in Angels Camp.

The first of the three interviews focuses on Jean's family background, her father's inventions, her schooling, and her activities in Calaveras County. The second interview focuses on Jean's memories about the Miwok Indians living in the Sheep Ranch area. The final interview describes the Sheep Ranch area and several of its residents, as well as the Murphys area and changes therein since the 1940s.

The quality of the first interview taping is poor as an older recorder was used. The quality is much improved for the remaining two interviews.

Recorder Count

001

067

214

265

314

325

363

430

481

542

INTERVIEW #1

March 15, 1992

Subject

Family background - Napa area

Father's history

Mother's move to Calaveras County

Riding the school bus from Sheep Ranch to San Andreas

Jean's home in Sheep Ranch

Children's activities in Sheep Ranch

Sheep Ranch Library (1920-30s)

Murphys Library (more recent history)

Jean's employment at Stanford outpatient clinic in San Francisco during the Depression

Jean's return to school to get teaching credentials in 1960s.

Recorder Count

001

034

149

231

258

328

360

381

392

418

442

INTERVIEW #2

March 29, 1992

SUbject

Description of Sheep Ranch Indian Camp

Story about "Limpy" (Rose Davis)

Jeff Davis' wife - Betsy Jeff Davis' death and disintegration of Sheep Ranch Indian

community

Jean's interaction with Miwoks in her community

Miwok children

Quail hunting

Acorn gathering

Interaction between children at school

Lenny Jeff

Story about basket made by Pinky Davis

Story about seeing Miwok men at Stanford Clinic in San Francisco

Recorder Count

001

046

107

207

256

303

340

428

INTERVIEW #3

April 12, 1992

Subject

Pioneer Hotel, Sheep Ranch

Bijoe Anderson

Miners and High Grade Holes

History of Jean's home in Murphys - built in 1882

Coke Wood - Murphys Museum

Ranch on Moran Road owned by Jean's mother

Murphys in 1940s - 50s

First Congregational Church, Murphys