596 Turner Rd  

1905 S. Nob Hill  

480 S Turner Rd  

395 E. Rural Ave. 

1868 Ferry St.  

470 S. 14th  

RD 6, Box 1 

Engineers Cottage, Oregon State Penitentiary 

2605 State 

1965 S. Commercial 

360 E. Lincoln St. 

2nd – Leone Belle Trindle 

2nd – 30 June 1910 in Loveland, Colorado 

2nd marriage – Virginia, Richard 

Oscar Newton Gookins was born 7 Oct 1872 on a farm near Napoleon, Indiana, to parents William S. and Sarah Jane [Hennegin] Gookins, one of eleven children born to the couple. He attended school through the eighth grade. 

At the age of 23, he married Nora Griffith on 17 June 1896 in Ripley County, Indiana. They had two children: Madge (born 29 Apr 1899) and Paul (born 21 July 1901). By Paul’s birth, the family had moved to Jackson, Iowa where Oscar practiced blacksmithing and farming. 

Between 1905 and 1909, the family relocated to Colorado. Tragically, Nora died of tuberculosis on 9 Mar 1909 in Loveland, Colorado, at the age of 35. The funeral was held in the Baptist Church, and she was buried in Lakeside Cemetery. 

Oscar, age 37, worked as a machinist for a steam-powered planing mill and rented a room from the Radford family. Following his wife’s death he had sent the children, Madge (11) and Paul (7), to live with relatives. 

On 30 June 1910, in Loveland, Colorado Oscar married Leona Belle Trindle. He was 37 and she was 24. They had two children: Virginia (born 31 Jan 1918, died in infancy) and Richard (born 21 Mar 1921). 

In 1911, the family moved further west to Grays Harbor, Washington, where Oscar worked as a carpenter and millwright for Vance Lumber Company. 

The family moved to Salem in 1913 where Oscar worked for Charles K. Spaulding Logging Co. They rented a home at 1858 S. 13th St.  In 1915, he took a machinist job at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill and remained until 1918. They then moved to Portland for work at the Albina Engine & Machine Company and rented a home on Athins Ave. During this time, their daughter Virginia was born 31 Jan 1918 and died five days later; she was buried in Mt. Scott Park Cemetery. In 1918, Oscar’s draft registration described him as medium height and build, with blue eyes and dark hair. 

The family returned to Salem in 1920 and lived at 480 S. Turner Rd. Oscar worked as a millwright. On 16 Oct 1920, his son Paul died of tuberculosis at 19 years old. The following year, son Richard was born on 21 Mar 1921. The family remained in Salem until 1927, renting homes at 1868 Ferry, 1905 W. Nob Hill and 395 E. Rural Ave. 

In 1927, Oscar moved the family to Tumwater, WA, where he worked as a mechanic and watchman at the Tumwater Paper Mills near Olympia. They returned to Salem in 1930. Oscar now 56, worked as a foreman in the penitentiary machine shop and lived at 3470 S. 14th St. with Leona and their nine-year old son Richard.  

By 1935, Oscar was chief engineer at the penitentiary, a position that came with a cottage on the prison grounds. The 1940 census reported his income to date as $1800. He worked 52 weeks the year prior. He retired on 1 July 1947, after 20 years of service. 

Following retirement, the family eventually settled at 360 E. Lincoln St. in Salem. By the 1950 census, Oscar was 77 years old and lived with his wife.  He died on 20 Oct 1952 in Salem at 80 years old and was buried in City View Cemetery. Leona died 22 Nov 1976 at age 91 in Salem. She was buried with Oscar in City View Cemetery. 

1911  Gookins Oscar N (Leone) carpenter, h Martin cor 2d (Grays Harbor, WA) 

1912  Gookins O N, millwright Vance Lumber Co (Malone, WA) 

SALEM, OR 

1913  Gookins Oscar N (Leona) carpenter, C K S Logging Co, res 1858 S 13th 

1915  Gookins Oscar N (Leone) machinist, TKWM Co, res 596 Turner 

1917  Gookins Oscar N (Leone) machinist, TKWM Co, res 596 Turner 

PORTLAND, OR 

1918  Gookins Oscar N (Leona B) machinist, h 516 Albina av (Portland, OR) 

SALEM, OR 

1921  Gookins Oscar (Leone) chief engineer, h 1868 Ferry 

1924  Gookins Oscar N (Leone B) engineer, h 1905 W. Nob Hill 

1926-27  Gookins Oscar (Leona) millworker, h 395 E. Rural av 

WASHINGTON 

1927  Gookins Oscar N (Leone B) mechanic, h Tumwater (Tumwater, WA) 

1929  Gookins Oscar N (Leona B) watchman, Tumwater Paper Mills Co, h Tumwater (Tumwater, WA) 

SALEM, OR 

1930  Gookins Oscar (Leone B) assistant chief engineer, penitentiary, h 470 S. 14th 

1932  Gookins Oscar N (Leone B) assistant engineer, Penitentiary, h 470 S. 14th 

1934  Gookins Oscar N (Leone B) engineer, Penitentiary 

1935  Gookins Oscar N (Leone B) chief engineer, Penitentiary 

1936-37  Gookins Oscar N, chief engineer, Penitentiary 

1938-39  Gookins O N, chief engineer State Penitentiary, r RD6 box 1 

1940-41  Gookins Oscar N (Leona) engineer, State Penitentiary, h Engineers Cottage 

1942  Gookins Oscar N, chief engineer, Ore. State Pen. 

1945  Gookins Oscar N (Leona B), chief engineer, OSP, h 2605 State 

1947  Gookins Oscar N (Leona B) r 1965 S. Commercial 

1949  Gookins Oscar N (Leona B) r 360 E. Lincoln 

1951  Gookins Oscar N (Leona B) r 360 E. Lincoln 

1900  Unable to locate 

1910  Oscar N. Gookins. Age: 37. Birth Date: 1873 in Indiana. Home in 1910: Fourth St. Precinct 30, Larimer, CO. Widowed, Roomer to HOH. Occupation: Engineer in Steam Planer. Additional household members: John J. Radford, age 51 (HOH), Theodosia Radford, age 48 (wife to HOH), Minnie E. Radford, age 26 (daughter to HOH). 

1920  Oscar Gookins. Age: 47. Birth Year: abt 1873 in Indiana. Home in 1920: 516 Athins Ave. Portland, Multnomah, OR. Married, HOH. Occupation: Machinist in railroad industry. Additional household members: Leona Gookins, age 34 (wife), Madge Gookins, age 22 (daughter), Paul Gookins, age 18 (son). 

1930  Oscar N. Gookins. Age: 56. Birth Year: abt 1874 in Indiana. Home in 1930: 470 S. Fourteenth St. Salem, Marion, OR. Married, HOH. Occupation: Foreman in Penitentiary Machine Shops. Additional household members: Leona B. Gookins, age 44 (wife), Richard N. Gookins, age 9 (son). 

1940  Oscar N. Gookins. Age: 67. Birth Year: abt 1873 in Indiana. Home in 1940: Salem, Marion, OR. Married, HOH. Occupation: Chief Engineer at State Penitentiary. Additional household members: Leona B. Gookins, age 43 (wife), Richard N. Gookins, age 19 (son). 

1950  Oscar N. Gookins. Age: 77. Birth Date: abt 1873 in Indiana. Home in 1950: 360 E. Lincoln St. Married, HOH. Occupation: Retired from State Penitentiary. Additional household member: Leona B. Gookins, age 64 (wife). 

Nora L. Gookins. Birth: 1873. Death: 28 Mar 1909 (aged 35-36). Burial: Lakeside Cemetery, Loveland, Larimer County, CO. Plot: Site 8, Lot 31, Block 1. Memorial ID: 38047289. 

Leona Belle Gookins. Birth: 22 Sep 1885, Van Meter, Dallas County, Iowa. Death: 22 Nov 1976 (aged 91) Salem, Marion County, OR. Burial: City View Cemetery, Salem, Marion County, OR. Plot: Sec. U. Memorial ID: 74328989. 

Fort Collins Express and the Fort Collins Review [Colorado] 7 July 1910, p. 4 – Marriage License, Gookins – Trindle 

Oregon Statesman 17 Oct 1920, p. 5 – Death of son, Paul 

Oregon Statesman 22 Mar 1921, p. 3 – Birth of son, Richard 

Oregon Statesman 21 Oct 1952, p. 7 – Death notice, Oscar 

Capital Journal 24 Nov 1976, p. 14 – Death notice, Leona