Farm in Chemawa District

Burtis Mildred Baker was born on 9 Dec 1874 in Niles, Michigan to Robert and Mary Emma Baker. Robert was farming when Burtis’s brother, Floyd was born in 1880. The family later moved to South Bend, Indiana where Burtis got a taste of woolen mill operations as a young adult. His father worked in the shipping department of a mill.

By 1900, Burtis had left the family home in Indiana but continued to live nearby. Records indicated that he lived in Urbana and Danville. These towns were most likely the ones in Indiana, but they could have been Illinois towns with the same names.

It is unclear what brought Burtis to Oregon but by 1902, we find him living in Salem and working at TKWM. In April 1904, when Burtis married Maude Myrtle Powell in Salem, the wedding announcement said he had worked at a local woolen mill for several years.

Burtis acquired a building lot in Salem in 1904 and built a home at 171 18^th St. By 1905, Maude was working as a milliner at Rostein and Greenbaum.  By 1910, Burtis and Maude had two young sons, Floyd and Merle. Burtis had tired of mill work so he moved the family in the Chemawa District and began to farm.

Sadly, Burtis died of typhoid fever in 1912 at age 38. 28-year-old Maude was left to raise Floyd, 7 and Merle (Jack) 4. She may have had some help in that it appears that Burtis’ father, mother and brother moved to the Salem area either just before or shortly after Burtis died.

Maude remarried in 1923 to Arch M. Lady, had one more child and divorced sometime between 1940 and 1950. She passed away on 27 April 1960 in McMinnville and is buried next to Burtis at the Womer Cemetery, Pedee, OR.

1900 Federal Census. Robert Baker, 46, born June 1853 in Michigan.  Mortgaged residence 517 Cottage Grove Ave, Portage, Indiana. Married HOH. Married in 1872 for 28 years. Wool Shipper. Additional household members: Robert Baker 46 HOH, Mary Baker 47 wife, Lloyd Baker 20 son (day laborer). (No Bertie Baker)

1910 Federal Census.  Burtis Baker, 36, born abt 1874 in Michigan. Rents farm in Chemawa, OR.  Married HOH.  Mother and father born in Michigan. Farmer. Additional household members: Burtis Baker 36 HOH, Maud Baker 25 wife, Floyd Baker 5 son, Merle Baker 1 son.

1920 Federal Census. Robert T. Baker, 65, born abt 1855 in Michigan.  Residence mortgaged farm Bevens Valley E of D and K rd. Married HOH. Father born in Indiana. Mother born in New York. Farmer. Additional household members: Robert T. Baker 65 HOH, Mary E Baker 65 wife, Lloyd E Baker 38 son (farm laborer).

1940 Federal Census. Arch M Lady, 64, born abt 1876 in Oregon. Married HOH. Rents home, Marry St, Rural, Douglas, OR. Leader CCC Camp. Completed 8^th grade. Additional household members: Arch M Lady 64 HOH, Maude M Lady 55 wife, Ford M Lady 14 son.

1950 Federal Census.  Arch M Lady, 73, born abt 1877 in OR. Divorced brother of HOH. Residence Hwy 99 north of town of Canyonville, OR. No work indicated. Additional household members: Lore Lady 65 HOH, Lyla G Lady 56 wife, Arch M Lady 73 brother.

Maud M Baker, Milliner Rostein and Greenbaum, res 171 18^th.

1909  Burtis M Baker, weaver TKWM res 171 18^th.

Maude M Baker. Birth: 19 Aug 1884. Death: 25 Apr 1960. Burial: Womer Cemetery, Pedee, OR.  Same headstone as Burtis.

South Bend Indiana Tribune 17 Dec 1900, p 5 – Burtis Baker who has been visiting his parents, Mr and Mrs Robert T Baker of Cottage Grove Av, left last night for Urbana, O.  (Urbana IN or IL?)

Weekly Oregon Statesman 26 Feb 1904, p. 3 – Deeds Recorded. D. L. Feister to Burtis Baker, north half of lots 7 and 8, block 3, in Capital Park addition to Salem.

Oregon Statesman 17 Apr 1904, p. 3 – Double marriage ceremony described. At the home of Mrs J S Powell on E Ferry St. Miss Maude Myrtle Powell and Mr Burtis Mildred Baker, Miss Bessie Luella Davis and Mr John Savage were wed. Ceremony performed by Rev F W Cliffe of the First Baptist church of Salem. Mr Savage is a prosperous dairy farmer and Mr Baker has been a weaver at the Salem Woolen Mills for several years.

Oregon Statesman 1 May 1904, p.5 – Marriage license issued by Marion County Clerk on 11 Apr 1904 to Burtis M Baker and Maude M Powell.

Weekly Oregon Statesman 5 Jul 1904, p. 6 – Burtis Baker recently completed a five-room, bathroom and pantry home at 171 18^th St.

Oregon Statesman 15 Oct 1933, p. 3 – Robert T Baker obit. Died at age 81 while living at Rt 3 Box 256, (city not stated). Services at Terwilliger Funeral Home, 770 Chemeketa St. Interment, Hayesville.

Oregon Statesman 28 Apr 1960, p. 5 – Maude Lady obit. Died in McMinnville hospital. Born 1894 in Salem. Married to Bert Baker in 1904. He died in 1912. Then she married Arch M. Lady in 1923. He died in 1959. She lived in Southern Oregon until about 1940 when she moved to McMinnville. Survivors, sons, Floyd T and Jack M Baker both of McMinnville and step-son Ford M Lady of Vantage, WA. Interment at Womer Cemetery near Pedee.

1912 Oregon Death Certificate. Burtis Baker died in Airlie RFD, Polk County, OR at 6 am on 10 Oct 1912 of Typhoid Fever. 39-year-old farmer. Born 9 Dec 1873 in Niles, Michigan. Father Robert Baker. Mother Mary E File. No spouse named. Died of Typhoid Fever. Medical certifier only saw Burtis for one day. No informant named.

1912 Polk County, OR Probate Record. Burtis M Baker, deceased, age 38. Estate aggregate value of $2000. Decedents all of Arlie, OR:  Maude M Baker 28, widow; Floyd T Baker 7 son; Merle M Baker 4 son.  He left no will.