1212 State St, Salem, OR 

476 Ferry St, Salem, OR 

500 N Capitol, Salem, OR 

282 East 72nd St, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon 

708 D St, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA 

2706 Washington St, Compton, Los Angeles, California 

Mill Cabin, Apt Ha, West Fork Liui Creek, Trail, Jackson, Oregon, USA 

314 N. Garfield St, Newberg, OR 

Amelia was born to Gustave and Mathilda Margreta “Thilda” (Kling) Peterson in Hastings, Minnesota. She was the fourth of eight children born to this couple, six daughters and two sons. Her parents had come from Sweden but met and married in Minnesota. 

The family lived in Corinna, Wright County, Minnesota. The census in 1900 listed Gustave as a farmer in Corinna along with his wife and at the time seven children. Many of the Kling family including Mathilda’s parents lived in the same area. 

Somewhere between 1900 and 1901 Gustave and Mathilda packed up their large family and headed to Oregon. They settled in Polk County, just east of Dallas. Mathilda was pregnant with their eighth child, the baby was born 20 April 1901. 

A newspaper printed on April 26th stated “Mrs. Peterson is very low but hopes are entertained for her recovery”. The recovery did not happen and Mathilda passed away at the end of April. A mention was again made in the newspaper on May 3rd saying “The wife of Gust Peterson died near Dallas last week. The family came from the east only a few months ago.” Gust was left to care for their large, young family until another tragic loss occurred a few months later. Gustave died on 15 Oct 1901. Gust and Mathilda were laid to rest in the IOOF Cemetery in Dallas, OR. The deaths left their eight children, the youngest just six months old, orphaned. These children were cared for by neighbors until the court awarded guardianship to Harry S. Butts until the children were of legal age. Most of the children appeared in the 1910 census. 

In 1910, Amelia is listed as a weaver at the woolen mill, boarding with Mrs. Caroline Donaldson and Donaldson’s three grown children who also worked at the mill. It is also probably that Mrs. Donaldson took Amelia in after her parent’s death in 1901. A newspaper article “Dallas Girl Injured” reported that Amelia, former Dallas resident was, “painfully hurt while working in the Salem woolen mill. One of her hands was caught in a machine and was so badly mashed that amputation of two fingers was found necessary.” 

Amelia worked as a weaver for the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill for a number of years. Her sister Eva also worked at the mill until her untimely death from typhoid fever in 1909. Besides the 1910 census record, Amelia is listed in city directories as a weaver in 1911, 1913, 1915, and 1917. In 1916, Amelia was among the weavers sent by Thomas Kay Woolen Mills to protest before Governor Withycombe against the welfare commission’s efforts to reduce women’s working hours. 

It’s very possible that Amelia worked at the woolen mill until her marriage to Otis Sylvester Jones on 25 Dec 1919 in Portland, OR. However, her marriage record listed her as a bus girl who lived at 197 Knott St. in Portland, OR, indicating she moved to Portland shortly before her marriage. Her husband was born and raised in the Portland area. 

Not long after their marriage the young couple moved to California. By 1923, they lived in Long Beach, CA where Otis worked as a steelworker. They remained in the Long Beach and Compton areas until 1942, when Otis retired from the steel industry. The couple had no children. 

In January of 1942, Otis and Amelia purchased 160 acres on Trail Creek near Medford, OR. They lived there for several years and became active members of the Jackson County Pomona Grange. They still lived there when the 1950 census was taken. 

Around 1960, Otis and Amelia moved to Newberg, OR, where they became involved with the local grange. Otis Jones passed away in a Portland hospital on 18 Mar 1971, and was buried at Valley View Memorial Park in Newberg. 

Amelia continued to live in their home in Newberg until her death there on 5 Aug 1988, at the age of 96. Her obituary mentioned her work as a teenager, for the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill in Salem. Amelia was buried next to her husband Otis at Valley View Memorial Park in Newberg, OR. 

1913 – Peterson Amelia, weaver TKWM Co, rms 476 Ferry 

1915 – Peterson Amelia, weaver TKWM Co, rms 500 N Capitol 

1917 – Peterson Amelia, weaver TKWM Co, rms 500 N Capitol 

1910 – Amelia Peterson – Age: 18, Birth Date: 1892, Birthplace: Minnesota, Home in 1910: S 14th St., Salem, Marion, Oregon, USA, Race: White, Gender: Female, Relation to Head of House: Boarder, Marital Status: Single, Father’s Birthplace: Sweden, Mother’s Birthplace: Sweden, Native Tongue: English, Occupation: Weaver, Industry: Woolen Mill, Employer, Employee or Other: Wage Earner, Attended School: No. Able to read: Y, Able to Write: Y, Out of Work: N, Number of Weeks Out of Work: 0, Enumerated Year: 1910. Household members: Caroline Donaldson (61), George E Donaldson (34), Emil Donaldson (30), Hilge Donaldson (22), Amelia Peterson (18). 

1920 – Amelia Jones – Age: 26, Birth Year: abt 1894, Birthplace: Minnesota, Home in 1920: 282 East 72nd St, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, Race: White, Gender: Female, Relation to Head of House: Wife, Marital Status: Married, Spouse’s Name: Otis Jones, Father’s Birthplace: Sweden, Mother’s Birthplace: Sweden, Able to Speak English: Yes, Occupation: None, Able to read: Yes, Able to Write: Yes. Household members: Otis Jones (25), Amelia Jones (26). 

1930 – Amelia Jones – Birth Year: abt 1895, Gender: Female, Race: White, Age in 1930: 35, Birthplace: Minnesota, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Wife, Homemaker?: Yes, Home in 1930: 708 D St, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA, Age at First Marriage: 25, Attended School: No, Able to Read and Write: Yes, Father’s Birthplace: Minnesota, Mother’s Birthplace: Minnesota, Able to Speak English: Yes. Household members: Otis Jones (36), Amelia Jones (35). 

1940 – Amelia Jones – Respondent: Yes, Age: 46, Estimated Birth Year: abt 1894, Gender: Female, Race: White, Birthplace: Minnesota, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Wife, Home in 1940: 2706 Washington St, Compton, Los Angeles, California, Inferred Residence in 1935: Compton, Los Angeles, California, Attended School or College: No, Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 8th grade, Weeks Worked in 1939: 0, Income: 0, Income Other Sources: No. Household members: Otis Jones (46), Amelia Jones (46). 

1950 – Amelia Jones – Age: 58, Birth Date: abt 1892, Gender: Female, Race: White, Birth Place: Minnesota, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Wife, Home in 1950: Mill Cabin, Apt Ha, West Fork Liui Creek, Trail, Jackson, Oregon, USA, Farm: No, Acres: No, Occupation Category: Keeping House, Worked Last Week: No, Seeking Work: No, Employment Status: No. Household members: Ottis S Jones (56), Amelia Jones (58). 

Polk County Observer (Monmouth, OR) 20 May 1910, pg. 3 – “Miss Amelia Peterson, of Salem, has been visiting relatives and friends in Dallas for the last few days.” 

Polk County Observer (Monmouth, OR) 24 Jan 1911 – PROBATE: Guardian released as to Emma Peterson and Amelia Peterson 

Polk County Observer (Monmouth, OR), 2 Jun 1914, pg. 5 – “Miss Amelia Peterson of Salem spent last Saturday with friends in Dallas.” 

The Capital Journal, 6 Mar 1916, pg. 7 – Women at Woolen Mill Object to Efforts of Welfare Commission 

Medford Mail Tribune 18 Jan 1942, pg. 10 – “Sale of 160 acres on Trail Creek to Mr. and Mrs. Otis S. Jones…” 

Medford Mail Tribune (Medford, OR) 3 Jun 1956, pg. 13 – Jackson County Pomona Grange 

The Capital Journal 19 Mar 1971, pg. 7 – Otis S. Jones Obituary 

Statesman Journal 6 Aug 1988, pg. 12 – Amelia Jones Obituary