Charles Elmer Bier was born in 1875 in Salem, Oregon to Nicholas and Lydia Jane [Churchill] Bier. His father Nicholas was born in Pennsylvania and emigrated to Oregon as a child. Mother Lydia was born in Oregon. Sadly, Lydia died in 1891, when Charles was 16 years old. Father Nicholas remarried.   

In his late teens, Charles began working as a clerk in the woolen store associated with the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill. After a year, he moved on to clerk for Joseph Meyers and Sons in Salem. His obituary mentioned brief stays in Portland and California during this period, though no records could be found to confirm this at the time of research.  

Charles married Leila Grace Jones on 26 April 1905. In 1909, he returned to work at the Salem Woolen Mill Store associated with TKWM, a sales role he held for seven years. The couple welcomed their only child, Charles Jr., in 1910. Tragically, Charles Sr. passed away from typhoid on 19 Aug 1916, in the home of his childhood, 307 Liberty St. in Salem.  

His wife Leila and son Charles moved in with grandfather Nicholas Bier, who was then 80 years old. Leila found work as a clerk for the Secretary of State’s Office. After Nicholas passed away in January 1927, the family home was sold to developers who built the Nelson building at the corner of Liberty and Chemeketa Streets. Leila and her son moved to a boarding house at 271 N. Summer St.  

Charles Jr. later married and worked in the theater business. In the early 1930s, following the death of her sister, Leila moved to their property off River Rd. in Marion County, to keep house for her brother-in-law. She passed away 31 Dec 1943 in Salem Hospital, following a heart attack, and was buried next to Charles Sr. in the City View Cemetery in Salem, Oregon.  

1900  Charlie Bird [Bier]. Age: 23. Birth: abt 1877 in Oregon. Single, lodger to HOH. Residence: 323 Chemeketa, Salem Ward 2, Marion, Oregon. Occupation:  Salesman, clothing. Household members: Nicholas Bird [Bier], age 55, lodger, father to Charlie. Home was owned by the Biers, who lived in part of the property. The main house was rented to Samuel Purvine and family.   

1910  Chas [Charles] E. Bier. Age: 34. Birth: 1876 in Oregon. Married HOH. Residence: Rents home at 357 Chemeketa. Years married, 5. Father born in Pennsylvania. Mother born in Oregon. Occupation: Clothing Salesman. 1 child born, 1 living. Household members: Chas [Charles] E. Bier, age 34, HOH; Lena Bier, age 33, wife; Charles E. Bier Jr. age 9 mos., son; Ellen Jones, age 60, mother-in-law.   

1920  Lela Bier. Age: 40. Birth: abt 1880 in Oregon. Widow, daughter-in-law to HOH. Residence: Chemeketa St. Salem Ward 2, Marion, Oregon. Occupation: Bookkeeper at State House. Household members: Nicholas Bier, age 80, HOH; Lela Bier, age 40, daughter-in-law; Charles Bier, age 10, grandson; Myrle Lawerence, age 42, boarder.  

1930  Leila G. Bier. Age: 50. Birth: abt 1880 in Oregon. Widow, roomer to HOH. Residence: 271 N. Summer St. Salem, Marion, Oregon. Occupation: Clerk in State House. Household members: Christina M. Harold, age 68, HOH; Charles E. Bier, age 20, roomer, son to Leila; Leila G. Bier, age 50, roomer; seven additional household members related to the HOH.  

1940  Leila G. Bier. Age: 62. Birth: abt 1878 in Oregon. Widow, sister-in-law to HOH. Residence: Croisan, Marion, Oregon. Highest grade completed, 4th year High School. Additional household members: Donal B. McCarthy, age 67, HOH and brother-in-law to Leila.  

1890  Nicholas Bier, shoemaker D R Yantis, res 307 N Liberty (father’s household) 

1893  Charles E Bier, clerk, Salem Woolen Mills Store, res 947 Center 

1896  Charles E Bier, bds 323 Liberty 

1905  Charles E Bier, clerk, Joseph Meyers and Sons, bds 323 Liberty 

1909/10  Charles E Bier, clerk, Salem Woolen Mills Store res 307 Liberty 

1913  Charles E Bier (Lelia G), clerk, Salem Woolen Mills Store, res 947 Center 

1915  Charles E Bier (Leila G), clerk, Salem Woolen Mills Store, res 307 N Liberty.  

Leila G. Bier  Birth: 1877. Death: 1942 (aged 64-65). Burial: City View Cemetery, Salem, Marion County, Oregon. Plot: Section F, Row 5. Memorial ID: 58611706 

Oregon Statesman 30 Aug 1916, p.5 – Charles Elmer Bier Sr. Obit.  Typhoid Fever takes Woolen Mills Store salesman at age 40.  Native of Salem at residence 307 N Liberty St. same home in which he was born.   Associated with the Salem Woolen Mills store for the last 7 years.  Except for short stays in Portland and Los Angeles, he was a lifelong resident of Salem.  Father Nicholas Bier is a pioneer resident of Salem coming from MO. Married to Miss Lela Jones of Oregon City, 26 Apr 1905. One son, Charles Jr 7, sister Mrs. Donald P McCarthy of Independence, an aunt, Mrs. George F Smith and uncle Enoch Churchill both of Salem.  City View Cemetery.    

Oregon Statesman 1 Jan 1943, p.5 – Leila Bier, Obit. Heart Attack Fatal. Born in house on Miller St. spent girlhood in Oregon City returning to Salem in 1905-06. Employed for number of years by Secretary of State’s office. Died following heart attack on Christmas Day.  

Oregon Birth Certificate. Charles Elmer Bier Jr to Charles E Bier 33 and Leila Jones 31 at their home, 947 Center St, Salem, OR on 1 Aug 1909.  

Oregon Death Certificate. Charles E Bier, 40 of 307 N Liberty, Salem, OR. Clerk.  Died 29 Aug 1916 of Typhoid.  B in OR.  Father N Bier b in MO. Mother Jane Churchill b in OR.  Informant Mr. Donald McCarty [McCarthy], Salem, OR. 

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