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G. Herbert Root Photograph Collection, circa 1891 - 1936

Predominant Dates: circa 1902 - 1905

The G. Herbert Root Photograph Collection consists primarily of photographs of Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) students, athletes, and faculty. The images were acquired by Root, who attended OAC in the early 1900s and was captain of the 1905 football team. Images from this collection have been digitized and are available in Oregon Digital.

ID: P 127

Extent: 0.2 cubic feet

More Extent Information

Scope and Content Notes

Biographical / Historical Notes

George Herbert Root was born in Hydesville, California, October 28, 1878 to Henry George Root and Harriet Ann Goodyear. Henry Root, who grew up herding cattle near Tulare, California, was farming his own ranch near Hydesville, California by the time he turned 29 in 1871. In 1873, he married Harriet Ann Goodyear, a schoolteacher; three years later, their third child, George Herbert Root was born. In 1881, the Root family traveled to The Dalles to meet Henry’s father, William, and two uncles, Irvin and John, with whom they planned to scout land for homestead claims. Henry eventually filed two claims, at 160 acres each, for a plot of land near Locust Grove, a small community four miles west of Wasco, Oregon. Here he would farm wheat, potatoes, and barley.

George Root worked on his father’s farm until he was in his early twenties. He matriculated at OAC in 1902 as a student in Mechanical Engineering, but switched his major to Agriculture his sophomore year. As a student, Root was described as “prince of good fellows” and, as Captain of the 1905 football team, “fast, fierce…irresistible in a line buck, and very swift at end running.” Root graduated in 1907; in the winter of that same year he married Amelia Christina Kaseberg (1882–1966) at Walla Walla, Washington.

On September 27, 1909 their only child, Herbert Floyd Root, was born in Wasco. George and Amelia lived with George’s parent for a time after Herbert’s birth. By 1920, however, George had purchased his own plot of land in Locust Grove, where he too farmed wheat. In 1948, George retired from ranching, and he and Amelia relocated to The Dalles. George Herbert Root passed away on March 24, 1971.

George’s son, Herbert Floyd Root (1909–1984), also played football for OSC, graduating in 1932 with a degree in Commerce. True to his family’s wheat ranching roots, he was instrumental in the founding of the National Association of Wheat Growers, and from 1960 to 1962 was president of the Western Wheat Association, a group established to market Oregon wheat internationally. Herbert’s two sons – Robert Floyd Root (Agricultural Economics) and William Herbert Root (Food Technology) – graduated from OSU with Bachelor of Science degrees in Agriculture in 1960 and 1961, respectively.

Author: Larry Landis and Rachel Lilley

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation: G. Herbert Root Photograph Collection (P 127), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Acquisition Note: Photographs P127:1-66 were donated to the Horner Museum in 1985 by Randi M. Root, great-granddaughter of G. Herbert Root. The photographs were transferred to the University Archives in August 1996 and combined with the existing G.H. Root Photograph Collection, which was received by the University Archives in the 1960s.

Acquired: 1996.

Languages of Materials

Container List

Series 1: Photographs, circa 1891 - 1936 Add to Shelf

The G. Herbert Root Photograph Collection consists primarily of photographs of Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) students, athletes, and faculty. The images were acquired by Root, who attended OAC in the early 1900s and was captain of the 1905 football team. The current name of buildings pictured in the photographs is included in brackets.

Item P127:01: Portrait of Walter E. Boggs as a child, circa 1891 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Winter Photo Company in Eugene, Oregon
Item P127:02: Portrait of Norval Niel, circa 1925 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Kennell Ellis Photo Company in Marcola, Oregon
Item P127:03: Portrait of Asa Robley, circa 1930 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Kennell Ellis Photo Company in Marcola, Oregon
Item P127:04: Asa and Evelyn Robley, 1936 Add to Shelf: "Bride and groom in front of their Corvallis cottage where we had lunch"
Item P127:05: Portrait of Essie Adams, circa 1905 Add to Shelf
Item P127:06: Portrait of Essie Adams, circa 1902 Add to Shelf
Item P127:07: Portraits of Essie Adams, circa 1902 Add to Shelf: "Souvenir of our school days." Produced by: Emery in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:08: Portrait of Floyd Williams, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Emery in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:09: Portrait of George von der Hellen, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Emery in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:10: Portrait of David Gellatly, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Emery in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:11: Portrait of Frederick Stimson, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Emery in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:12: Portrait of Eva Applegate, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: produced by: Emery in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:13: Portrait of James McMan, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Emery in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:14: Portrait of Zaphod Thorpe, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Emery in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:15: Portrait of Edna Irvine, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Emery in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:16: Portrait of Edna Buster Bumpskie, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Gardner's in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:17: Portrait of John Buster, circa 1904 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Gardner's in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:18: Portrait of Kenneth L. Cooper, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Gardner's in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:19: Portrait of Joseph Ringo in his cadet uniform, circa 1906 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Gardner's in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:20: Portrait of Thomas Willard Espy, circa 1904 Add to Shelf: G. Herbert Root's roommate in Cauthorn Hall [Fairbanks Hall], produced by: Gardner's in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:21: Portrait of Harvey Earle "Rat" Rinehart, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Gardner's in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:22: Portrait of Bert Pilkington, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Gardner's in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:23: Portrait of Albert B. Bower, circa 1905 Add to Shelf
Item P127:24: Bertie Webber, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:25: Bessie Smith, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:26: Ben Miller, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:27: "Mr. Wovels", circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:28: Two unidentified women, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:29: Unidentified man, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:30: Unidentified man, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:31: Unidentified man, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:32: Unidentified man, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:33: Unidentified man, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:34: Unidentified man, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:35: Unidentified man, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:36: Unidentified man, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:37: Unidentified man, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:38: Unidentified woman, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:39: Unidentified woman, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:40: Unidentified woman, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:41: Unidentified woman, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:42: Unidentified woman, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:43: Unidentified woman, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:44: Two unidentified women, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:45: Unidentified woman, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:46: Unidentified woman, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:47: Unidentified woman, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:48: Unidentified woman, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:49: Unidentified woman, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Mounted, 2.5 x 2.75 inch, portrait photograph; may be a cigarette card
Item P127:50: Class of 1904, circa 1904 Add to Shelf: In front of Mechanical Hall [Kearney Hall]
Item P127:51: President Gatch and OAC faculty in front of Mechanical Hall, circa 1903 Add to Shelf
Item P127:52: Football players, 1902 Add to Shelf: Pictured: William G. Abraham, Gault, Burnough, Albert B. Bower, and Lyman Bundy
Item P127:53: Football players, 1902 Add to Shelf: Pictured: Bert Pilkington and Harley Laughlin
Item P127:54: Football players, 1902 Add to Shelf: Pictured: Rod Nash, Ted Gellatly, Thorpe, and Percy A. Cupper
Item P127:55: Portrait of Floyd Williams in track uniform, circa 1905 Add to Shelf
Item P127:56: Portrait of Bert Pilkington in football uniform, circa 1905 Add to Shelf
Item P127:57: Portrait of Floyd Wiliams in football uniform, circa 1905 Add to Shelf
Item P127:58: Portrait of Harvey Earle "Rat" Rinehart in football uniform, circa 1905 Add to Shelf
Item P127:59: Portrait of the OAC women's basketball team, 1905 Add to Shelf
Item P127:60: OAC women's basketball team on the steps the OAC Gymnasium and Armory [Valley Gymnastics Center], 1905 Add to Shelf
Item P127:61: Portrait of OAC women's basketball team, 1904? Add to Shelf
Item P127:62: Portrait of OAC men's basketball team sitting on the steps of the OAC Gymnasium and Armory [Valley Gymnastics Center], 1905 Add to Shelf: Pictured: Karl Steiwer, Merrill Moores, Will Trine, Frederick Stimson, Grover Cate, Hamon Bilyeu, Harvey Rinehart, Claude Swann, and Francis Stokes
Item P127:63: OAC vs. University of Oregon track and field, 1905 Add to Shelf: "Bowers in shot put, record 37 feet"
Item P127:64: Floyd Williams running in a track meet, circa 1905 Add to Shelf: Produced by: Emery in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:65: Claude Swann pole vaulting, circa 1905 Add to Shelf
Item P127:66: Merrill Moores high jumping, circa 1905 Add to Shelf
Item P127:67: OAC cadets with artillery in basement of Armory, 1904 Add to Shelf: Pictured: G. Herbert Root
Item P127:68: OAC football team backfield, 1902 Add to Shelf: Pictured: G. Herbert Root, Bert Pilkington, Harley Laughlin, and Floyd Williams. Produced by: Emery in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:69: OAC football team seated on steps of Mechanical Hall [Kearney Hall], 1902 Add to Shelf: Pictured: Percy Cupper, Bill Abraham, Bert Bower, Lyman Bundy, Ted Galatley, Harley Laughlin, G. Herbert Root, Floyd Williams, Bert Pilkington, and Rod Nash
Item P127:70: OAC vs Washington Agricultural College in Corvallis, 1903 Add to Shelf: First game of the series. Produced by: Emery in Corvallis, Oregon
Item P127:71: G. Herbert Root in football uniform, circa 1903 Add to Shelf: In the playing field near the Armory [2 photographic prints]

People, Places, and Topics

Forms of Material

Related Materials

Barometer, Souvenir Edition; 1905

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