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John C. Scharff Collection, 1936-1995

By Karl McCreary

Collection Overview

Title: John C. Scharff Collection, 1936-1995

Predominant Dates: 1971-1995

ID: MSS Scharff

Primary Creator: Scharff, John (1901-1998)

Extent: 0.52 cubic feet. More info below.

Date Acquired: 00/00/1999

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

The John C. Scharff Collection consists of materials documenting alumnus and conservationist John C. Scharff. In addition to a transcript of an oral history interview between Jack Southworth and John and Florence Scharff, this collection includes awards, certificates, photographs, plaques, and a scrapbook. Scharff studied animal husbandry at Oregon Agricultural College.

Scope and Content Notes

The John C. Scharff Collection consists of material documenting alumnus and conservationist John C. Scharff. In addition to a transcript of an oral history interview between Jack Southworth and John and Florence Scharff, this collection includes awards, certificates, photographs, plaques, and a scrapbook. The main focus of the undated interview reflected in the transcript is Scharff's home and work in eastern Oregon. The scrapbook contains a combination of photographs, letters of appreciation, and certificates and it appears to have been assembled to honor Scharff's service in the Jackman Foundation. Most of the images in the scrapbook are portrait shots of colleagues in the Foundation. 

Other photographs in this collection depict Scharff, J. B. Fine, and others managing cattle at the "P" Ranch and other rangeland areas in Harney County. Dating from 1936 to 1937, these images document cattle branding and the operation of a squeeze chute.

Biographical / Historical Notes

Born in 1901 in Monument, Oregon, John C. Scharff studied animal husbandry at Oregon Agricultural College from 1921 to 1922. While his student experience at OAC was brief, Scharff would go on to play an important role at Oregon State University by co-founding the E.R. (Edwin Russell) Jackman Foundation and serving on its board for many years. Extension Agent Jackman and Scharff were longtime friends and collaborated on several projects, including writing the book Steens Mountains of Oregon's High Desert Country.

Employed with the U.S. Forest Service, Department of the Interior, and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Scharff was a longtime fixture in eastern Oregon land management and conservation circles. He served as manager of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge from 1935 until his retirement in 1971. Scharff's interest in conservation work was reflected in his involvement in the Desert Trail Association and the creation of an irrigation system in Harney County that addressed the needs of livestock during winter months while increasing habitat for wildlife at the same time. Scharff described this irrigation project as an example of "holistic farm management."

Honors received by Scharff include Distinguished Service Awards from both OSU and the Department of the Interior as well as the Izaak Walton League for Wildlife Management award.

Scharff died June 11, 1998 in Burns, Oregon.



Author: Karl McCreary

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 45 photographs; 2 boxes; including 1 oversize box

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: The bulk of these materials were transferred to the University Archives by the E.R. Jackman Foundation in 1999. An addition of 10 photographs were accessioned into the collection in 2014. These images were received by the Special Collections and Archives Research Center from an unknown source.

Related Materials: Other collections in the OSU Special Collections and Archives that document John C. Scharff include: the Edwin Russell Jackman Papers (MSS Jackman); the News and Communication Services Records (RG 203); the President's Office Records (RG 013); the College of Agricultural Sciences Photographs (P 036); the Robert W. Henderson Photographic Slides Collection (P 098-SG 1); the Extension and Experiment Station Communications Photographs (P 120); and the Oregon State University Development Office and Foundation Records (RG 144).

Preferred Citation: John C. Scharff Collection (MSS Scharff), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Finding Aid Revision History: This finding aid replaces information placed online about the collection in 2012.

Creators

Scharff, John (1901-1998)

People, Places, and Topics

Cattle--Oregon.
Harney County (Or.)--History.
Natural Resources
Oregon Agricultural College--Alumni and alumnae.
Ranching--Oregon.
Scharff, John, 1901-1998
University History

Forms of Material

Film negatives.
Photographic prints.
Scrapbooks.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.