| Last Name |
Beard |
| First Name |
Ralph |
| Middle Name |
Hector |
| Born |
24 Jan 1902 in Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales |
| Home Addresses (Salem)
|
555 N. 15th
454 N. Church St.
541 Mill
235 N 25th
1437 Marion St.
571 S. 17th |
| Died |
3 Sep 1975 in Vancouver, WA |
| Place Buried |
Evergreen Memorial Gardens in Vancouver, WA |
| Spouse |
1st – Viola Eiche
2nd – Ida A. Krueger |
| Date of Marriage |
1st – 30 Nov 1922 in Salem, OR [divorced]
2nd – 14 Dec 1935 in Vancouver, WA |
| Children |
1st marriage – Betty Viola, Arline Joyce
2nd marriage – Ervin E, Linda Loleta |
| Dates of Employment |
1933-1942 |
| Job(s) at TKWM |
Weaver |
| Life Story
|
Ralph Beard worked as a weaver from 1935-1942 at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill.
Ralph Hector Beard was born 24 Jan 1902 in Ferndale, Wales, where his father worked in the coal mines. He was the fourth of six children born to Herbert C. and Hester [Fry] Beard. The family immigrated to the United States in August 1902 when Ralph was just over six months old. They were sponsored by Ralph’s uncle in Malad, Idaho, who had secured a coal miner job for Herbert.
In the fall of 1920, the family moved to Salem, OR, and settled at 555 N. 15th St. Ralph, then 18 years old, found work as a general laborer. His mother passed away two years later, on 2 Mar 1922 from chronic myocarditis. His father remarried the following year.
On 30 Nov 1922 in Salem, Ralph married Viola Eiche. Both were residents of Salem. Ralph was 20 years old, and Viola was 17. The couple lived in various rental properties while Ralph worked first as a driver for Salem Fuel Yards and then as a fireman on Engine 2 for the Salem Fire Department.
They had two daughters, Betty and Arlyne. Tragically, Betty passed away at the age of 2 in 1925. Her death certificate listed the cause of death as gangrene of bowel due to thrombosis, contributory to a burn on the thigh caused by spilled boiling coffee.
By 1930, the family had moved again, this time to Logan, Utah where Ralph worked as a cook in a cafe for a couple of years. They returned to Salem in 1932, where Ralph found employment at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill in May 1933.
In 1934, Viola filed for divorce, charging Ralph with cruel and inhuman treatment. She sought custody of their minor daughter, alleging that Ralph had taken the child from a girls’ school where she had been providing support, and that he had not adhered to a stipulation to pay $10 a month.
Ralph married Ida A. Krueger on 14 Dec 1935, in Vancouver, WA. Both were residents of Salem at the time. Ralph was 34 years old, and Ida was 36. He worked as a textile worker, while Ida was a housekeeper. This was Ida’s first marriage and Ralph’s second. They had two children together: a son named Ervin and a daughter named Linda.
In 1942, Ralph left his position at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill for a job in the Kaiser Shipyards in Portland. His WW2 draft registration card from the same year, described him as being 5’8 ½” tall, weighing 143 pounds, with a light complexion, brown hair and blue eyes. After the war, by 1950, Ralph transitioned to work as a farm hand in rural Clark County, WA as recorded by the census.
He died 3 Sep 1975 in Vancouver Memorial Hospital at the age of 73 from heart problems. He was buried in Evergreen Memorial Gardens in Vancouver, WA. His wife Ida lived to the age of 102 and died on 25 Feb 2002 in Vancouver. |
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| Name |
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| Salem City Directories |
1924 Beard Ralph (Viola), driver Salem Fuel Yards, h 541 Mill
1928 Beard Ralph (Viola), fireman Engine 2, SFD [Salem Fire Department], h 235 N 25th
1934 Beard Ralph, TKWMCo
1936-37 Beard Ralph H (Ida) weaver, TKWM Co, h 1437 Marion
1938-39 Beard Ralph H (Ida A) weaver, TKWM Co, h 1437 Marion
1940-41 Beard Ralph H (Ida A) weaver, TKWM Co, h 1437 Marion
1942 Beard Ralph H (Ida) weaver, TKWM Co, 1437 Marion |
| Census Records |
1910 Hector R. Beard. Age: 8. Birth Date: 1902 in Wales. Home in 1910: Malad, Oneida, ID. Single, son to HOH. Additional household members: Herbert C. Beard, age 38 (father), Hester Beard, age 39 (mother), Elenor Beard, age 20 (sister), William J. Beard, age 15 (brother), Florina M. Beard, age 13 (sister), Herbert C. Beard, age 11 (brother).
1920 Hector R. Beard. Age: 17. Birth Year: abt 1903 in Wales. Home in 1920: Malad, Oneida, ID. Immigration Year: 1895 [incorrect, should be 1902]. Single, son to HOH. Language: Welsh. No occupation listed. Additional household members: Herbert C. Beard, age 49 (father), Hester Beard, age 49 (mother), William J. Beard, age 24 (brother), Herbert C. Beard, age 20 (brother), Victor L. Beard, age 8 (brother).
1930 Ralph Beard. Age: 28. Birth Year: abt 1902 in Wales. Home in 1930: Logan, Cache, UT. Married, HOH. Citizenship: Naturalized. Language: Welsh. Occupation: Cook in Cafe. Additional household members: Viola Beard, age 24 (wife), Arlyne Beard, age 5 (daughter).
1940 Ralph Beard. Age: 38. Birth Year: abt 1902 in Wales. Home in 1940: 1437 Marion St. Salem, Marion, OR. Inferred residence in 1935: Salem, Marion, OR. Married, HOH. Citizenship: Naturalized. Occupation: Weaver in Woolen Mill. Additional household members: Ida Beard, age 40 (wife), Ervin E. Beard, age 1 (son).
1950 Ralph H. Beard. Age: 47. Birth Date: abt 1903 in England. Home in 1950: County Rd. 104, Clark, WA. Married, HOH. Occupation: Farm Hand on Farm. Additional household members: Ida A. Beard, age 50 (wife), Ervin E. Beard, age 11 (son), Linda L. Beard, age 9 (daughter). |
| WW2 Draft Registration |
Hector Ralph Beard. Residence: 571 S. 17th Salem, OR. Age: 40. DOB: 24 Jan 1902 in Ferndale, South Wales. NOP: Ida Beard, 1437 Marion St. Salem, OR. Employer’s Name: Thomas Kay Woolen Mill / Kaiser Co [written in margin]. Physical Description: Height: 5’ 8 ½” Weight: 143. Complexion: Light. Hair: Brown. Eyes: Blue. Other obvious physical characteristics that will aid in identification: 4 vaccinations left humerus. Date of registration: 14 Feb 1942 in Salem, OR. |
| 1st Marriage Record |
Beard – Eiche. 30 Nov 1922 in Salem, OR. Husband: Ralph Beard. Residence: 555 N. 15th Salem. Age: 20. Birthplace: Wales. Occupation: Laborer. Marriage: First. Father’s Birthplace: England. Mother’s Birthplace: England. Wife: Viola Eiche. Residence: 596 Turner St. Salem. Age: 17. Birthplace: Washington. Occupation: Housekeeper. No. Of Marriage: First. Father’s Birthplace: Missouri. Mother’s Birthplace: Oregon. |
| 2nd Marriage Record |
Beard – Krueger. 14 Dec 1935 in Vancouver, WA. Groom: Ralph Beard. Residence: Salem, OR. Age: 34. Divorced. One previous marriage. Birthplace: Wales. Occupation: Textile Weaver. Name of Father: H.C. Beard. Maiden Name of Mother: Esther Fry. Bride: Ida A. Krueger. Residence: Salem, OR. Age: 36. Single. Birthplace: Kansas. Occupation: Housekeeper. Name of Father: August Krueger. Maiden Name of Mother: Wilhelmina Brandt. Certificate #B15258 |
| Washington Death Index |
Ralph H. Beard. Age: 73. Birth Date: abt 1902. Residence Place: Vancouver, WA. Death Date: 3 Sep 1975. Death Place: Vancouver, WA. Certificate #020305 |
| Find-a-Grave |
Ralph Beard Birth: 24 Jan 1902, Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Death: 3 Sep 1975 (aged 73) Vancouver, Clark, WA. Burial: Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Vancouver, Clark, WA. Plot: Garden of Apostles, 3/480. Memorial ID: 181666478.
Ida A. Krueger Beard Birth: 27 Jun 1899, Saint Francis, Cheyenne, Kansas. Death: 25 Feb 2002 (aged 102) Vancouver, Clark, WA. Burial: Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Vancouver, Clark, WA. Plot: Garden of Apostles. Memorial ID: 181666454 |
| Digital Newspapers
|
Capital Journal 30 Nov 1922 p. 1 – Marriage License, 1st
Capital Journal 23 Apr 1934 p. 7 – Divorce, suit filed
Capital Journal 16 May 1934 p. 9 – Divorce
Capital Journal 18 Dec 1935 p. 11 – Marriage License, 2nd
The Columbian 5 Sep 1975 p. 2 – Obituary, Ralph Beard
The Columbian 28 Feb 2002 – Obituary, Ida Anna Beard |
| WHC Materials |
M3 1966-001 Mill Records |
