| Life Story
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Hattie Barbara (Browning) Tuel was a weaver at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill from at least 1910 until around 1920 when her son Melvin was born. Records show Hattie as a weaver in 1910 and that usually is not a starting position, so she very likely started work there before 1910.
Hattie’s husband Myron Orval Tuel also worked at the TKWM Co for many years. Hattie’s sister Elizabeth (Browning) Charpilloz and her brothers, John, Ben, and Albert “Jack” Browning were also employed at the mill, along with some of her Browning cousins.
Hattie Browning was born to John Abraham Browning and Mathilda Joanne (Heardtle) Browning on 8 Jan 1890 in Scio, Oregon. Hattie was one of nine children born to this couple. Hattie moved to Salem with her parents and siblings in 1892 and lived the rest of her life in the area.
At the age of 17 Hattie married a young man named Myron Orval Tuel at the parsonage of the First M. E. church in Salem Oregon. Rev. W. H. Selleck officiated this marriage the evening of Saturday, 12 Oct 1907. The 1910 census shows both Hattie and Myron worked at the Woolen Mill; she was a weaver and he was a laborer. They were living at 360 N 20th in Salem. City Directories from 1911 & 1913 list Hattie as a weaver and Myron as a picker at the TK Woolen Mill.
Hattie and Myron brought their first child into the world on 31 Dec 1916. It was a boy, born alive but unfortunately did not survive. There is no information on him except his birth certificate. The City View Cemetery has a Baby Tuel listed in their records, this could be Hattie & Myron’s son. Records show this baby died in 1916.
Their 2nd son was born on 25 Dec 1920, his birth certificate lists him as the 2nd child born to this couple but the only one surviving. This son was named Melvin Albert Tuel. No other children were born to Hattie and Myron.
It appears after their son Melvin was born, Hattie stayed home to keep house and raise him. Myron continued to work at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill as a picker, then became a mechanic and a carder. He eventually became a foreman. Myron retired in 1938 after working 32 years at the woolen mill.
Hattie & Myron’s son Melvin joined the navy in 1942. He attended the naval air technical training center at navy pier in Chicago and graduated with the petty officer rating of aviation machinist’s mate, third class in 1943. He left the army in the fall of 1945 and returned to the Salem area.
At age 65, Hattie suffered a stroke at her home and died a short while later in the hospital. Her death occurred on 1 Feb 1955, she is buried at the City View Cemetery in Salem. Myron lived another 20 years. He died in Salem on 27 Jan 1975 and is buried alongside Hattie. Their son Melvin passed away 29 Jun 1995 and is buried by his wife and parents. |
| Census Records |
1900 – Hattie Brauning – Age: 10, Birth Date: Jan 1890, Birthplace: Oregon, Home in 1900: 20th, Prospect Precinct, Marion, Oregon, USA Race: White, Gender: Female, Relation to Head of House: Daughter, Marital Status: Single, Father’s Name: John Brauning, Father’s Birthplace: Illinois, USA, Mother’s Name: Matilda Brauning, Mother’s Birthplace: Texas, USA, Occupation: Student, Attended School: 9, Can Read: Y, Can Write: Y, Can Speak English. Household members: John Brauning (42), Matilda Brauning (40), Lena Brauning (20), Clara Brauning: 14, Abraham Brauning: 12, Hattie Brauning (10), Charlie Brauning (8), Lizzie Brauning (5), Ben Brauning (1)
1910 – Hattie B Tuel – Age in 1910: 19, Birth Date: 1891, Birthplace: Oregon, Home in 1910: 360 N 20th, Salem Ward 6, Marion, Oregon, USA. Race: White, Gender: Female, Relation to Head of House: Wife, Marital Status: Married, Father’s Birthplace: Illinois, Mother’s Birthplace: Texas, Native Tongue: English, Occupation: Weaver, Industry: Woolen Mill, Employer, Employee or Other: Wage Earner, Attended School: N, Able to read: Y, Able to Write: Y, Enumeration District Number: 0226, Years Married: 2, Number of Children Born: 0, Number of Children Living: 0, Out of Work: N, Number of Weeks Out of Work: 40, Enumerated Year: 1910. Household members: Orvel M Tuel (21 0, Hattie B Tuel (19)
1920 – not found
1930 – Hattie B Tuel – Birth Year: abt 1890, Gender: Female, Race: White, Age in 1930: 40, Birthplace: Oregon, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Wife, Homemaker? Yes, Home in 1930: 11 Spring Valley, Brush College, Polk, Oregon, USA, Age at First Marriage: 17, Attended School: No, Able to Read and Write: Yes, Father’s Birthplace: Texas, Mother’s Birthplace: Illinois, Able to Speak English: Yes. Household members: Myron O Tuel (41), Hattie B Tuel (40), Melvin A Tuel (9)
1940 – Hattie Tuel – Age: 50, Estimated Birth Year: abt 1890, Gender: Female, Race: White, Birthplace: Oregon, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Wife, Home in 1940: Wallace Road, Brush College, Polk, Oregon, Inferred Residence in 1935: Brush College, Polk, Oregon, Residence in 1935: Brush College, Resident on farm in 1935: Yes. Attended School or College: No, Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 6th grade, Weeks Worked in 1939: 0, Income: 0, Income Other Sources: No. Household members: Myron O Tuel (51), Hattie Tuel (50), Melorn [Melvin] A Tuel (19)
1950 – Hattie Tuel – Age: 60, Birth Date: abt 1890, Gender: Female, Race: White, Birth Place: Oregon, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Wife, Residence Date: 1950, Home in 1950: Wallace Road, Brush College, Polk, Oregon, USA, Farm: Yes, Acres: Yes, Worked Last Week: No, Seeking Work: No, Employment Status: No. Household members: Myron Tuel (61), Hattie Tuel (60), Melvin Tuel (29) |
| Find-a-Grave |
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
Myron Orval Tuel – Birth: 29 Apr 1888, Creswell, Lane County, Oregon, USA, Death: 29 Jan 1975 (aged 86), Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA, Burial: City View Cemetery, Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA, Plot: Section W/L, Memorial ID: 64202531
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 |
