| Life Story |
Andrew Ettner worked at TKWM as a weaver (sometimes carder) from 1905-1924. His wife Martha and both of their children also worked for the mill.
Andrew was born to Frank and Theresia (Fischer) Ettner on 14 Dec 1865 in Austria. When Andrew was about 2 ½ years old he made the journey to America with his parents and older brother Wensel. They arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in July of 1868.
The family soon made their way to Center, Binghamton, Wisconsin to farm. Andrew’s maternal grandfather, Martin Fischer farmed next to them. The family grew; three more of Andrew’s siblings were born in Wisconsin, Maggie, Martin and Elizabeth. Wensel was listed on the 1870 census, age 9, no sign of him after that. He apparently passed away.
By 1876 Frank and Theresia had moved to Morrow, Macon, Missouri where their last child, Donnie was born. Father Frank farmed their land with a partner, Wencel Fisher. The 1880 census recorded Andrew’s age as 14 and that he worked with his father. Frank died between 1880-1883 and Theresia married Wencel Fisher.
By 1891 Andrew lived in Crystal Falls, Michigan and worked as a laborer. Here he married Martha Herboldt. The young couple did not stay in Crystal Falls for long. By 1892 Andrew and Martha had moved to Hudson, Macon, Missouri, where Andrew was from. Their first child was born there on 4 Dec 1892, a son, William John Ettner. Daughter Bessie Elizabeth Ettner was born in Macon City on 25 Jan 1895.
Andrew acquired a promissory note for property in 1896. This note went unpaid so on 24 Sep 1898 the property was sold to the highest bidder. The family remained in Missouri for a few more years. The 1900 census listed Andrew as a farmer, owning his own land in Hudson. Listed on the census along with the couple’s two children, William and Bessie, was Martha’s 15-year-old brother who was also lived with the family.
Martha’s mother and stepfather moved to Salem, OR around 1896. Andrew and Martha decided to make that same move by 1905. Andrew and daughter Bessie would arrive in Salem first. Martha and son William would join them in March of 1906. Martha’s stepfather, Henry Semke was a weaver at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill Co. He probably had a hand in getting Andrew and Martha hired at the mill.
Andrew was listed in the 1905 city directory as a weaver at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill. Also listed, their daughter Bessie who was only 10 years old at the time; she probably worked as one of the bobbin “boys” or spoolers whose quick and nimble fingers switched out bobbins and retied threads when they broke. The 1908 and 1909 directories listed both Martha and Andrew as employees at the woolen mill, Martha was a weaver and Andrew was a carder. Their son William farmed and lived at 462 S 16th St.
In 1910, Martha continued to work for the woolen mill, but according to census records, Andrew and son William worked at a sawmill. Andrew was back however, by 1911 alongside his daughter Bessie. Both parents and daughter Bessie worked in the weaving department by 1915. Then by the 1920 census, only Andrew and William worked at the mill. It is unclear why Martha is not employed at the mill, but by this point daughter Bessie had married Lester Ryan and moved to California.
Andrew continued to work as a weaver at TKWM as late as 1924. The same year, Andrew turned over 219.05 acres of land to Martha and their son William for $1.00. William returned to farming near Jefferson, OR. Looking at newspapers available online from this time period, Andrew’s name vanished, and Martha appeared to be on her own. In 1930, Andrew was recorded by the census as a patient in the Oregon State Insane Hospital in Salem. A year later he died on 29 Apr 1931, at William’s home in Parrish Gap near Jefferson. He was buried at City View Cemetery in Salem, OR.
In 1944 Martha married Carl Brand who had been a friend of her late husband Andrew’s since they were young men in Crystal Falls, Michigan. Martha passed away on 3 Dec 1963. She was buried between her husbands Andrew and Carl at City View Cemetery. Daughter Bessie was also buried there. Son William was buried at Belcrest in Salem, OR alongside his wife and in-laws. |
| Salem City Directories |
1905 – Ettner Andrew, weaver TKWM Co, res 475 S 18th – Ettner Bessie, weaver TKWM Co, bds 475 S 18th
1909 – Ettner Andrew, carder TKWM Co — Ettner Martha, weaver TKWM Co — Ettner Wm, farmer, res 462 S 16th
1913 – Ettner Andrew (Martha), weaver, res 475 S 18th — Ettner Bessie, bds 475 S 18th — Ettner Mrs Martha, weaver TKWM Co, res 475 S 18th — Ettner Wm J, driver CE Lebold Co, bds 475 S 18th
1915 – Ettner Andrew (Martha), weaver TKWM Co, res 475 S 18th — Ettner Bessie, weaver TKWM Co, rms 475 S 18th — Ettner Wm J, rms 475 S 18th
1924 – Ettner Andrew (Martha), weaver TKWM Co, h 475 S 18th — Ettner Wm J, carpenter, r 475 S 18th
1930 – Ettner Andrew (Martha), Box 11 — Ettner Wm (Lena) Box 11 |
| Census Records |
1870 Andrew Etner [Ettner] – Age in 1870: 4, Birth Date: abt 1866, Birthplace: Austria, Home in 1870: Town of Center, Outagamie, Wisconsin, Race: White, Gender: Male, Post Office: Binghamton, Father of Foreign Birth: Yes, Mother of Foreign Birth: Yes, Inferred Father: Frank Etner, Inferred Mother: Theresa Etner. Household members: Frank Etner (29), Theresa Etner (27), Wensel Etner (9), Andrew Etner (4), Maggie Etner (2)
1900 Andrew Ettner – Age: 33, Birth Date: Dec 1866, Birthplace: Austria, Home in 1900: Hudson, Macon, Missouri, Race: White, Gender: Male, Immigration Year: 1869, Relation to Head of House: Head, Marital Status: Married, Spouse’s Name: Martha Ettner, Marriage Year: 1892, Years Married: 8, Father’s Birthplace: Austria, Mother’s Birthplace: Austria, Years in US: 31, Occupation: Farmer, Months Not Employed: 0, Can Read: Y, Can Write: Y, Can Speak English: Y, House Owned or Rented: Own, Home Free or Mortgaged: Mortgaged, Farm or House: F. Household members: Andrew Ettner (33), Martha Ettner (27), Herbert Herboldt (15) (brother-in-law), William Ettner (7) (son), Bessie Ettner (5) (daughter)
1910 Andrew Ettner – Age in 1910: 47, Birth Date: 1863, Birthplace: Germany, Home in 1910: 475 S 18th St, Salem Ward 4, Marion, Oregon, Race: White, Gender: Male, Immigration Year: 1865, Relation to Head of House: Head, Marital Status: Married, Father’s Birthplace: Germany, Mother’s Birthplace: Germany, Native Tongue: English, Occupation: Sawyer, Industry: Sawmill, Employer, Employee or Other: Wage Earner, Home Owned or Rented: Own, Home Free or Mortgaged: Free, Farm or House: House, Able to read: Y, Able to Write: Y, Years Married: 18, Out of Work: N, Number of Weeks Out of Work: 0, Enumerated Year: 1910. Household members: Andrew Ettner (47), Martha Ettner (39), William Ettner (17), Bessie Ettner (15)
1920 Andrew Ettner – Age: 55, Birth Year: abt 1865, Birthplace: Wisconsin, Home in 1920: 475 South 18th Street, Salem Ward 4, Marion, Oregon, Residence Date: 1920, Race: White, Gender: Male, Relation to Head of House: Head, Marital Status: Married, Spouse’s Name: Martha Ettner, Father’s Birthplace: Bohemia, Mother’s Birthplace: Bohemia, Able to Speak English: Yes, Occupation: Weaver, Industry: Woolen Mill, Home Owned or Rented: Owned, Home Free or Mortgaged: Free, Able to read: Yes, Able to Write: Yes. Household members: Andrew Ettner (55), Martha Ettner (46), William J Ettner (27)
1930 Andrew Ettner – Birth Year: abt 1864, Gender: Male, Race: White, Age in 1930: 66, Birthplace: Wisconsin, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Patient, Home in 1930: Salem, Marion, Oregon, Street Address: Oregon State Insane Hospital the Patients, Ward of City 6, Institution: Oregon State Insane Hospital Patients, Attended School: No, Able to Read and Write: Yes, Father’s Birthplace: Austria, Mother’s Birthplace: Austria, Able to Speak English: Yes. |
| Digital Newspapers |
The Macon Republican (Macon, Missouri) 9 Sep 1898, pg. 5 – Trustee’s Sale
The Macon Republican (Macon, Missouri) 3 Mar 1906, pg. 7 – Mrs Andrew Ettner leaves Missouri to join husband
The Macon Republican (Macon, Missouri) 10 Mar 1906, pg. 8 – Mrs Andrew Ettner and son, Willie left for Salem, OR
The Oregon Daily Journal (Portland, OR) 8 Aug 1907, pg. 12 – Real Estate Transfers, Vernon Addition
Oregon Statesman 12 May 1908, pg. 4 – Real Estate, Capital Park
The Oregon Daily Journal (Portland, OR) 22 May 1910, pg. 10 – Real Estate Sold, Vernon Addition
Oregon Statesman 22 May 1910, pg. 10 – Real Estate Transfer, University Addition
Oregon Statesman 10 Oct 1912, pg. 5 – City View Cemetery Plot Purchased
Oregon Statesman 26 Aug 1917, pg. 5 – Andrew Ettner visits old home in Macon, Missouri
Oregon Statesman 16 Mar 1924, pg. 13 – Real Estate Transaction
Albany Democrat-Herald (Albany, OR) 30 Apr 1931, pg. 1 – Andrew Ettner, 66, Linn Farmer, Dies at Home Near Jefferson
The Capital Journal 1 May 1931, pg. 11 – Andrew Ettner Obituary
Oregon Statesman 2 May 1931, pg. 3 – Ettner Rites Today
Greater Oregon (Albany, OR) 8 May 1931, pg. 6 – Funeral Services
Macon Chronicle (Macon, Missouri) 13 May 1931, pg. 6 – “John” Ettner Dies (this is Andrew, maybe John was his middle name or it’s just a mistake) |
