712 S 14th 

485 S 22nd   

James Ira Blackburn was born on 14 Jan 1880 in Jefferson County, Ohio, to James Blackburn and Susan Woods.  He was the middle child in a family that eventually included six siblings.  The last record of James living in Ohio is the 1900 census, when he still lived with his parents and, at age 20, worked as a day laborer.    

Records indicate that no member of James’s immediate family ever lived on the West Coast, let alone in Oregon.  He was the only Blackburn in the Salem city directories from 1905 to 1910, making it a mystery what brought him to Salem by 1900.   

James arrived in Salem in October of 1900 and found work at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill first as a carder, then spinner. He also played short stop for the mill’s baseball team during the 1906 season and was credited in the newspaper as one of the early organizers of the team.  

He married 19-year-old Minnie Pearl Ridgeway in the summer of 1907.   The couple boarded at 712 S. 14th St. and 485 S. 22nd St. in Salem before moving to 212 Ivanhoe in Portland by the end of 1909. At that time, James began working for the Portland Woolen Mills.  

In 1920, James temporarily left his work in the woolen mills and was employed as a mechanic in a furniture manufacturing company in Portland. However, by 1924, the couple had left Portland proper, and it is likely that James returned to woolen mill work. By 1930, they were living in Gladstone, where James was employed once again as a spinner. By 1940, the couple had relocated to Aloha, where James worked as a textile mill mechanic.    

James and Minnie never had children.  James passed away at age 66 on 11 Nov 1946 and was buried in the Rose City Cemetery in Portland.  Minnie lived to the age of 75 and passed away on 19 Aug 1963. She is buried next to James.   

1900  James Blackburn. Age: 20. Birth: abt 1880 in Ohio. Single son of HOH. Residence: 282 Water St, Center, Columbiana, Ohio. Father and Mother born in Ohio. Occupation: Day Laborer. Household members: Jas T. Blackburn, age 54, HOH; Susie Blackburn, age 45, wife; James Blackburn, age 20, son; May Blackburn, age 17, daughter; Wilber Blackburn, age 14, son; Whinnie Blackburn, age 12, daughter. 

1910  James Blackburn. Age: 30. Birth: abt 1880 in Ohio. Married HOH.  Residence: 3rd St, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon. Occupation: Spinner, Woolen Mill.  Mother and Father born in Ohio. Occupation: Spinner, Woolen Mill. Household members: James Blackburn, age 30, HOH; Minnie P. Blackburn, age 22, wife.  

1920  James Blackburn. Age: 39. Birth: abt 1881 in Ohio. Married HOH. Residence: Owns home at 839 Willamette Bl, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon. Father and Mother born in Illinois. Occupation: Machinist, Furniture Co. Household members:  James Blackburn, age 39, HOH; Minnie Blackburn, age 31, wife.     

1930  James Blackburn. Age: 50. Birth: abt 1880 in Ohio. Married HOH.  Residence: Owns home on Oregon St, Gladstone, Clackamas, Oregon.  Has radio. Age at first marriage, 27. Occupation: Spinner, woolen mill.  Household members: James Blackburn, age 50, HOH; Minnie Blackburn, age 42, wife.   

1940  James Blackburn. Age: 60. Birth: abt 1880 in Ohio. Married HOH. Residence: Owns home on Wheeler St, Aloha, Washington, Oregon. Occupation: Textile Mechanic. Highest education: 8th grade. Household members: James Blackburn, age 60, HOH; Minnie Blackburn, age 52, wife. 

1907  James Blackburn, carder, TKWM bds 712 S 14th 

1909-10  James Blackburn, spinner, TKWM bds 485 S 22nd 

Portland 

1909  James Blackburn, spinner, P Woolen Mills, res 212 Ivanhoe   

1916  James I Blackburn, (Minnie P) spinner, h 613 N Willamette Bl, St Johns 

1920  James Blackburn (Minnette) machinist, h 838 N Willamette Blvd, St Johns 

1923  James and Minnette Blackburn (no work noted) h 2149 Willamette Blvd 

Minnie Pearl Ridgeway Blackburn  Birth: 21 Jun 1888 in Kansas. Death: 19 Aug 1963 (aged 75) in Vancouver, Clark, Washington. Burial: Rose City Cemetery, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon. Plot: Section L. Memorial ID: 163070675.   

Capital Journal 25 Mar 1902 p.3 – James Blackburn has gone to Portland (from Salem) for a few days. 

Oregon Statesman 20 Feb 1906, p. 5 – Baseball club organized, James Blackburn listed as an officer. 

Oregon Statesman 28 Jun 1907 p. 5 – Marriage license issued to James Ira Blackburn 27 of Salem and Minnie Pearl Ridgeway 19 of Salem.  Troy Branson, witness.   

WW2 Draft Record.  James Ira Blackburn, 62 b 14 Jan 1880 in OH.  Res PO Box 637 Washougal, WA.  NOK Minnie Blackburn (wife). Works at Washougal Woolen Mill.  5’51/2” blue eyes, gray hair, light complexion.  

WA Death Record.  James Ira Blackburn 66 b abt 1880.  Married.  Died 11 Nov 1946 in Washougal, WA.  Father James Blackburn.  Mother Susan Woods.  Spouse Minnie Blackburn.   

Review of the public record for James Backburn’s parents and siblings shows that none of them ever lived on the west coast and most simply stayed in OH their whole lives.   

M3 1972-023-0005     Photo, TKWM Baseball Team