| Life Story
|
Myron Orval Tuel worked many years at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill. He worked as a picker beginning in 1906. By 1924 he had become a mechanic for the woolen mill, by 1926 he was a carder and by 1930 he had become a foreman. He held that position until he left the woolen mill around 1942.
Myron’s wife Hattie (Browning) Tuel was a weaver at the woolen mill along with many members of her family. Their son Melvin also worked at the woolen mill for a brief time after he graduated from high school.
Myron Orval Tuel was born in Creswell, Lane County, Oregon on 29 July 1888. His parents were Charles Elmer and Leorn Beatrice (Trimble, Scott) Tuel. Myron was their first child. When he was a very young child his parents moved to Tacoma, Pierce, WA. A Washington state census record in 1892 shows Myron living with his parents, siblings, his grandparents and an uncle. The 1900 census has him attending school in Tacoma. This census lists his parents having 10 children by this time, they would go on to have 5 more children after 1900 for a total of 15.
Around 1905 the Tuel family moved back to Oregon and settled in Salem. When Myron was 17, he and another teenager left home on bicycles without their parents’ knowledge or consent. The newspaper said it was believed they were headed for California and at the time of the publishing had been gone from home a week. Myron had been working at the California bakery in Salem. No mention in the newspapers as to when the boys returned home but we know Myron began work at the TKWM around 1906 according to his obituary.
A newspaper article in 1907 gave Myron’s parents the distinction of being the largest family in Salem. Unfortunately, 15 children were more than their father could provide for and by 1907 the family was struggling. By 1909 the younger children became wards of the court and Myron’s mother divorced his father in 1910.
Myron met Miss Hattie Browning (Brauning) and they were married at the First M. E. church in Salem, OR on 12 Oct 1907. It’s possible they met at the woolen mill. The newlyweds continued to work at the mill, Hattie as a weaver and Myron as a picker.
In 1916 Hattie became pregnant with their first child. A son was born on 31 Dec 1916, the birth certificate lists him as being born alive, but no name was given. Unfortunately, this baby did not live long. No death certificate was found for the baby but records at the City View Cemetery list a Baby Tuel being buried there in 1916. This could be Myron & Hattie’s first-born son.
Myron’s WWI Draft Registration lists him as a laborer at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill. It describes him as being of medium build with brown hair and brown eyes.
By 1920 Myron had become a machinist at the TKWM Co and Hattie became pregnant again. This baby boy was born to the couple on 25 Dec 1920 and was named Melvin Albert Tuel. It appears Hattie stayed home after this baby’s birth and Myron continued to work at the woolen mill.
In 1926 Myron was a carder at TKWM and by 1930 he was a foreman at the mill. Mill payroll records show Myron & Hattie’s son Melvin was also working at the mill between 1938-1942.
A newspaper article published on 3 Jul 1940 says Myron was accused of assault and battery by Wilbur F Berry, a superintendent of the Thomas K. Woolen mill. Myron was an employee. This matter was taken to trial on 7 Aug 1940 but was continued indefinitely. The Grand Jury finally cleared Myron of these charges in Sept 1940.
It appears Myron left the woolen mill not long after that incident and went to work for Oregon Pulp and Paper Co. Myron’s WWII Draft Registration has him employed at the paper mill. By this time Myron & Hattie had moved to a rural area just west of Salem on Rt 1 in Polk Co. Their son Melvin had joined the Navy.
On 1 Feb 1955, Hattie suffered a stroke which proved fatal. She was transported to the hospital in Salem but died there. She is buried at City View Cemetery in Salem. Myron lived another 20 years but never remarried.
On 27 Jan 1975 Myron Orval Tuel passed away at the hospital in Salem. He was 86 years old. He is buried next to Hattie at the City View Cemetery in section W/L. Myron & Hattie’s son Melvin is also buried close by. Melvin passed away 29 Jun 1995. |
| Salem City Directories |
1909 Tuel Orville M, cook, res 360 N 20th
1911 Tuel M O, picker, TKWM Co
1913 Tuel M O, picker, TKWM Co
1915 Tuel M Orvel (Hattie), picker, TKWM Co, res 360 N 20th
1917 Tuel M Orvel (Hattie), picker, TKWM Co, res 360 N 20th
1921 Tuel M Orvel (Hattie), picker, TK Woolen Mill Co, h 360 N 20th
1924 Tuel M Orvel (Hattie), mech, TK Woolen Mill Co, h 360 N 20th
1926-27 Tuel Miron O (Hattie B) carder, TK Woolen Mill Co, h 360 N 20th
1930-31 Tuel Myron O (Hattie B) dept foreman, TK Woolen Mill Co, h RD1 box 117
1932 Tuel Myron O (Hattie B) dept foreman, TK Woolen Mill Co
1934 Tuel Myron O, foreman, TKWM Co
1935 Tuel Myron O, foreman, TKWM Co
1936-37 Tuel Myron O, foreman, TKWM Co, h RD1 box 217
1938 Tuel Myron O, foreman, TKWM Co, h RD1 box 217
1942 Tuel Myron O, millworker, OP&P Co, r RD1 box 217
1945 Tuel Myron O, millworker, OP&P Co, h RD1 box 217 |
| Census Records |
1892 – O M Tuel – Gender: Male, Race: White, Marital Status: Single, Residence Age: 3, Birth Date: abt 1889, Birth Place: Oregon, Residence Date: 1 Apr 1892, Residence Place: Pierce, Washington, Household members: C E Tuel (25), C B Tuel (21), O M Tuel (3), S S Tuel (2), E L Tuel (1), G W Tuel (40), D A Tuel (8), M S Tuel (5), J Tuel (65), M E Tuel (61), I C Tuel (19)
1900 – Myron O Tuel – Age: 11, Birth Date: Jul 1888, Birthplace: Oregon, Home in 1900: 5240 Pine Street, Tacoma Ward 6, Pierce, Washington, Race: White, Gender: Male: Relation to Head of House: Son, Marital Status: Single, Father’s Name: Charles E Tuel, Father’s Birthplace: Iowa, Mother’s Name: Leora B Tuel, Mother’s Birthplace: Oregon, Occupation: At School, Attended School: 3, Can Read: Yes, Can Write: Yes, Can Speak English: Yes, Household members: Charles E Tuel (34), Leora B Tuel (29), Myron O Tuel (11), Lena S Tuel (10), Eva L Tuel (9), Bertha H Tuel (8), Gladys O Tuel (6), George L Tuel (5), Ruby M Tuel (4), Bryan F Tuel (2), McKinley J Tuel (1), Daines E Tuel (4/12)
1910 – Orvel M Tuel – Age in 1910: 21, Birth Date: 1889, Birthplace: Oregon, Home in 1910: 360 20th St, Salem Ward 6, Marion, Oregon, Race: White, Gender: Male, Relation to Head of House: Head, Marital Status: Married, Father’s Birthplace: Iowa, Mother’s Birthplace: Oregon, Native Tongue: English, Occupation: Laborer, Industry: Woolen Mill, Employer, Employee or Other: Wage Earner, Home Owned or Rented: Own, Home Free or Mortgaged: Free, Farm or House: House, Attended School: N, Able to read: Y, Able to Write: Y, Years Married: 2, Out of Work: N, Number of Weeks Out of Work: 0, Household members: Orvel M Tuel (21), Hattie B Tuel (19)
1920 – no census record found
1930 – Myron O Tuel – Birth Year: abt 1889, Gender: Male, Race: White, Age in 1930: 41, Birthplace: Oregon, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Head, Home in 1930: 11 Spring Valley, Brush College, Polk, Oregon, Home Owned or Rented: Owned, Home Value: 3500, Radio Set: Yes, Lives on Farm: Yes, Age at First Marriage: 19, Attended School: No, Able to Read and Write: Yes, Father’s Birthplace: Oregon, Mother’s Birthplace: Oregon, Able to Speak English: Yes, Occupation: Foreman, Industry: Woolen mill, Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker, Employment: Yes, Household members: Myron O Tuel (41), Hattie B Tuel (40), Melvin A Tuel (9)
1940 – Myron O Tuel – Respondent: Yes, Age: 51, Estimated Birth Year: abt 1889, Gender: Male, Race: White, Birthplace: Oregon, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Head, Home in 1940: Wallace Road, Brush College, Polk, Oregon, Farm: Yes, Inferred Residence in 1935: Brush College, Polk, Oregon, Residence in 1935: Brush College, Resident on farm in 1935: Yes, Occupation: Foreman, Industry: Woolen Mill, House Owned or Rented: Owned, Value of Home: 1500, Attended School or College: No, Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 3rd grade, Hours Worked Week Prior to Census: 48, Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker in private work, Weeks Worked in 1939: 40, Income: 850, Income Other Sources: Yes, Household members: Myron O Tuel (51), Hattie Tuel (50), Melvin A Tuel (19)
1950 – Myron Tuel – Age: 61, Birth Date: abt 1889, Gender: Male, Race: White, Birth Place: Oregon, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Head, Residence Date: 1950, Home in 1950: Wallace Road, Brush College, Polk, Oregon, Farm: Yes, Acres: Yes, Occupation: Hop Harvester, Industry: Hopyards, Occupation Category: Wk, Hours Worked: 40, Worker Class: Private, Household members: Myron Tuel (61), Hattie Tuel (60), Melvin A Tuel (29) |
| Find-a-Grave |
Myron Orval Tuel – Birth: 29 Apr 1888, Creswell, Lane County, Oregon, USA, Death: 29 Jan 1975 (aged 86), Salem, Marion, Burial: City View Cemetery, Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA, Plot: Section W/L, Memorial ID: 64202531
Hattie Barbara Browning Tuel – Birth: 8 Jan 1890, Albany, Linn County, Oregon, USA, Death: 1 Feb 1955 (aged 65), Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA, Burial: City View Cemetery, Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA, Plot: Section W/L, Memorial ID: 64202528
Melvin Albert Tuel – Birth: 25 Dec 1920, Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA, Death: 29 Jun 1995 (aged 74), Marion County, Oregon, USA, Burial: City View Cemetery, Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA, Plot: Section W/L, Memorial ID: 64202530 |
