| Life Story |
William “Willie” Ettner worked at TKWM from 1908 until at least 1920. He began at age 16 as a carder and became a weaver by 1920.
William John Ettner was born on 4 Dec 1892 in Macon City, Macon, Missouri. His parents were Andrew and Martha (Herboldt) Ettner. William had a little sister, Bessie, who was born in 1895.
William’s grandmother, Christina and his step-grandfather, Henry Semke moved to Salem from Missouri around 1896. Andrew and Martha made the same move in 1905. Andrew and daughter Bessie arrived in Salem first. Martha and William joined them in March of 1906. Martha’s stepfather, Henry Semke was a weaver at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill. He probably had a hand in getting Andrew and Martha hired at the mill, along with his grandkids.
In 1908, records from the woolen mill show William “Willie” worked the night shift as a carder, earning $0.075 an hour, while city directories from 1908 and 1909 also list him as a farmer, indicating he likely did both jobs. He continued in the carding department through 1909-1910 and briefly worked at a sawmill in 1910. A newspaper article from 1 Apr 1916, reported that William cut his finger at the woolen mill. His WWI draft registration in 1917 listed his occupation as a delivery man for Lebold & Co. suggesting he was still searching for his career path.
According to his 1919 military records, William lived on the farm his father purchased in Jefferson, OR. However, the 1920 census still lists him as living at home with his parents and working as a weaver at TKWM. This suggests that William was likely balancing multiple responsibilities and working at the mill intermittently while also managing other jobs. In addition to his work, William was the center fielder for the Kay Weavers baseball team in 1920, earning praise in numerous news articles for his heavy slugging and clever plays. He was also initiated into the Woodmen of the World in April 1920, as part of the largest class ever, consisting of 84 men.
William’s uncle William Herboldt passed away in 1909. Then his wife Grace (Rockhill) Herboldt passed away in 1923, leaving three children without anyone to care for them. A guardian’s bond was approved by the judge in Aug 1923 for William and his mother Martha to assume custody of them. William was 30 years old and single. This was a huge responsibility.
In March 1924 William’s father Andrew deeded his 219.05-acre farm to his wife and their son prior to being placed in the Oregon State Insane Hospital in Salem. He died 29 Apr 1931.
At the age of 33, William met Lena Keller from Waterloo, Linn County and they married on November 20, 1926, in Salem. The couple settled on William’s farm outside Jefferson. Their first child, a don named Donald Lee, was born on Christmas Day, 1927. Less than two years later, on August 31, 2929, they welcomed a daughter, Bernice Lucille.
Farming was going well for the young family until Oct 1932 when their barn caught fire and burned to the ground, destroying 1200 bushels of grain, hay, and farm implements. The fire started from a gasoline lantern hung inside the barn near some celluloid harness rings. Despite this setback, the Ettners stayed on the farm, and on December 22, 1933, their third and last child, Elmer Earl, was born.
In the fall of 1934, the family moved from the Parrish Gap district to Salem, specifically in the Chemawa area. Both became very involved in the Chemawa Grange and the community. William, a carpenter, became a contractor and continued to build homes, making his construction business a success despite suffering a heart attack in July 1942.
William and Lena’s oldest son, Donald, served in the Coast Guard during World War II. Upon his return to Salem, he joined his father in the building industry. By 1956, they formed a partnership called “Ettner and Ettner Builders” and constructed many homes. William and Lena lived in several of these homes on Trail Ave. in Keizer.
Bernice, William and Lena’s only daughter married a man named Carl Enstad from Portland. They lived in the Portland and Wilsonville area.
William and Lena’s youngest son, Elmer, joined the Navy and served in the Pacific in 1954, later serving on a destroyer in 1957. After his service, he lived in San Francisco and worked as an interior decorator. Later, Elmer and his brother Donald formed a partnership to transport Christmas trees from Oregon to San Francisco.
William and Lena celebrated their 50th Anniversary in November of 1976. William died less than a year later, on 17 Sep 1977 in Multnomah County, Oregon. He was buried in Belcrest Memorial Cemetery in Salem, OR. Lena lived until 5 Jul 1988. She was buried next to William. Son Donald passed away 5 Dec 1995; he was also buried by his parents at Belcrest Memorial Park in Salem. |
| Census Records |
1900 – William Ettner – Age: 7, Birth Date: Dec 1892, Birthplace: Missouri, USA, Home in 1900 : Hudson, Macon, Missouri, Race: White, Gender: Male, Relation to Head of House: Son, Marital Status: Single, Father’s Name: Andrew Ettner, Father’s Birthplace: Austria, Mother’s Name: Martha Ettner, Mother’s Birthplace: Bulgaria, Occupation: Student, Attended: School: 6. Household members: Andrew Ettner (33), Martha Ettner (27), Herbert Herboldt: (15) (Martha’s brother), William Ettner (7), Bessie Ettner (5)
1910 William Ettner – Age in 1910: 17, Birth Date: 1893, Birthplace: Missouri, Home in 1910: S 18th St, Salem Ward 4, Marion, Oregon, USA, Race: White, Gender: Male, Relation to Head of House: Son, Marital Status: Single, Father’s Birthplace: Germany, Mother’s Birthplace: Germany, Native Tongue: English, Occupation: Teamster, Industry: Sawmill, Employer, Employee or Other: Wage Earner, Attended School: N, Able to read: Y, Able to Write: Y, Enumeration District Number: 0224, Out of Work: N, Number of Weeks Out of Work: 8. Household members: Andrew Ettner (47), Martha Ettner (39), William Ettner (17), Bessie Ettner (15)
1920 William J Ettner – Age: 27, Birth Year: abt 1893, Birthplace: Missouri, Home in 1920: South 18th Street, Salem Ward 4, Marion, Oregon, Race: White, Gender: Male, Relation to Head of House: Son, Marital Status: Single, Father’s Name: Andrew Ettner, Father’s Birthplace: Wisconsin, Mother’s Name: Martha Ettner, Mother’s Birthplace: Bulgaria, Able to Speak English: Yes, Occupation: Weaver, Industry: Woolen Mill, Employment Field: Wage or Salary, Able to read: Yes, Able to Write: Yes. Household members: Andrew Ettner (55), Martha Ettner (46), William J Ettner (27)
1930 William Ettner – Birth Year: abt 1893, Gender: Male, Race: White, Age in 1930: 37, Birthplace: Missouri, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Head, Home in 1930: Jefferson, Marion, Oregon, USA,
Home Owned or Rented: Owned, Radio Set: No, Lives on Farm: Yes, Age at First Marriage: 34, Attended School: No, Able to Read and Write: Yes, Father’s Birthplace: Wisconsin, Mother’s Birthplace: Bulgaria, Able to Speak English: Yes, Occupation: Farmer, Industry: General Farm, Class of Worker: Working on own account, Employment: Yes, Veteran: Yes, War: WW. Household members: William Ettner (37), Lena Ettner (30), Donald Ettner (2), Bernice Ettner (0)
1940 William J Ettner – Age: 47, Estimated Birth Year: abt 1893, Gender: Male, Race: White, Birthplace: Missouri, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Head, Home in 1940: Chemawa, Marion, Oregon, Farm: Yes, Inferred Residence in 1935: Chemawa, Marion, Oregon, Resident on farm in 1935: Yes, Occupation: Carpenter, Industry: House Construction, House Owned or Rented: Owned, Value of Home: 4000, Attended School or College: No, Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 5th grade, Hours Worked Week Prior to Census: 48, Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker in private work, Weeks Worked in 1939: 17, Income: 704, Income Other Sources: No. Household members: William J Ettner (47), Lena Ettner (39), Donald L Ettner (12), Bernice L Ettner (10), Elmer E Ettner (6), John C Keller (76) (father-in-law)
1950 William J Ettner – Age: 57, Birth Date: abt 1893, Gender: Male, Race: White, Birth Place: Missouri, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Head, Residence Date: 1950, Home in 1950: Chemawa, Marion, Oregon, USA, Street Name: Rt 2, House Number: 6th on right, Dwelling Number: 2163, Farm: Yes, Occupation: Carpenter, Industry: Building Construction, Occupation Category: Working, Hours Worked: 48, Worker Class: Own Business. Household members: William J Ettner (57), Lena Ettner (50), Bernice L Ettner (19), Elmer E Ettner (16) |
| Digital Newspapers |
Oregon Statesman 1 Apr 1916, pg. 8 – Society column – Finger Cut at Woolen Mill
Oregon Statesman 12 Dec 1916, pg. 4 – Merry Surprise Party
Oregon Statesman 4 Apr 1920, pg. 8 – Biggest Class is Initiated
Oregon Statesman 18 May 1920, pg. 6 – Spauldings Win from Kay Team
Oregon Statesman 20 Jun 1920, pg. 6 – Spaulding Nine Trounce Kay Team
Oregon Statesman 21 Aug 1923, pg. 5 – Guardian’s Bond Approved
Oregon Statesman 16 Mar 1924, pg. 13 – Real Estate Transfer
Oregon Statesman 31 Aug 1929, pg. 5 – Girl Born Here
Oregon Statesman 22 Oct 1932, pg. 8 – 1200 Bushels of Grain Burned in Ettner Barn Fire
The Capital Journal 29 Dec 1933, pg. 11 – Births: Ettner
The Capital Journal 20 Oct 1934, pg. 11 – Newcomers Complimented
The Capital Journal 17 Dec 1951, pg. 6 – Wed 25 Years
The Capital Journal 28 Mar 1953, pg. 3 – Ettner’s Moved
Oregon Statesman 10 Feb 1954, pg. 4 – Six Month Pacific Tour
Oregon Statesman 18 Feb 1956, pg. 5 – Ettner and Ettner Builders
Oregon Statesman 22 Nov 1976, pg. 11 – Ettners Wed Fifty Years
The Capital Journal 19 Sep 1977, pg. 20 – William J. Ettner Obituary
Oregon Statesman 20 Sep 1977, pg. 22 – William J Ettner Obituary
Oregon Statesman 7 Jul 1988, pg. 12 – Lena Ettner Obituary
The San Francisco Examiner 31 Dec 1995, pg. 21 – Ettner, Donald L. Obituary |
