| Story |
Janet Burton worked at TKWM from about 1919 until about 1953 in various positions within the Finishing Department. Daughter Beatrice and son Robert also worked at the mill.
Janet M. E. LeRoy was born 28 July 1876 in Clarksburg, Ontario, Canada, to Robert and Margaret [Fraser] LeRoy. She was one of seven children. The family immigrated to North Dakota in the United States when she was six years old. Her father was a farmer.
On 14 August 1894, Janet married Perry H. Burton in Bismarck, North Dakota. She was 18 years old, and Perry, an Army veteran and rancher, was 30. By 1895, the couple had moved to Fargo, North Dakota, where Perry worked as a carpenter.
The family emigrated to Salem, Oregon, by 1905. The couple had four children and rented a home. Perry worked as a carpenter, while Janet kept house, raised the children, and offered her skills as a seamstress to the local community. One additional child was born in 1912, bringing the total to five: Pearl, Lillian, Beatrice, Hackley, Lucille, and Robert.
Shortly after the birth of their last son, Perry moved to John Day, Oregon, with son Hackley in search of work. He never returned, and Janet divorced him in 1919. She was given custody of the three youngest children, Lucille, Robert and Hackley. Janet found work in the finishing department at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill.
In 1926, Perry went to Honolulu, Hawaii, to supervise building construction for the U.S. government. He returned after five years, spent the winter in Los Angeles for health reasons, then died of a heart ailment in April 1931. His body was brought back to Salem and buried in Belcrest Memorial Park.
Janet continued to work at the woolen mill for more than twenty years, starting with operating the blanket binding machine and eventually becoming the foreman of the finishing department. She retired when the mill closed in 1953 and later moved to Forest Grove, Oregon.
She passed away on 25 September 1968, at age 92 in Forest Grove, and was buried at Belcrest Memorial Park in Salem. |
| Salem City Directories |
1905 Burton Mrs Janet M E, seamstress, res 775 N 21st
1911 Burton Mrs Janet M E, seamstress, res 775 N 21st
1913 Burton Perry H (Janet M), carpenter, res Jefferson av ne cor N Capitol
1915 Burton Perry H (Janet), carpenter, res 1395 N Summer
1917 Burton Perry H (Janet M E), carpenter, res 1395 N Summer
1919 Burton Janet M E Mrs, h 257 S 16th
1921 Burton Janet M E, h 257 S 16th
1924 Burton Mrs Janet M Burton, employee T K Woolen Mill Co, h 1883 Center
1926-27 Burton Jennie M Mrs, finisher, T K Woolen Mill Co, h 575 N 20th
1928-29 Burton Jennie M Mrs, h 575 N 20th
1930 Burton, Janet M, blanket binder, T K Woolen Mill Co, h 575 N 20th
1932 Burton Janet M (wid P H), machine operator, T K Woolen Mills Co, h 575 N 20th
1934 Burton Janet M (wid Perry), binder, TKWM Co, h 575 N 20th
1935 Burton Janet M (wid Perry H), finisher, TKWM Co., h 575 N 20th
1938-39 Burton Janet M (wid Perry H), textile worker, TKWM Co, h 575 N 20th
1940 Burton Janet M Mrs, helper, TKWM Co, h 575 N 20th
1942 Burton Janet Mrs, laborer, TKWM Co, h 575 N 20th
1945 Burton Mrs Janet, foreman, Kay Woolen Mill, h 585 N 20th
1949 Burton Janet (wid Perry), RD6 Box 868
1956 Burton Mrs Janet, 590 Union St NE apt 5 |
| Census Records |
1881 Canadian Census
Jeanette Leroy. Age: 5. Birth Date: 1876 in Ontario. Residence Place: Collingwood, Grey East, Ontario, Canada. Single, daughter to HOH. Religion: Church of England. Additional household members: Robert Leroy, age 31 (father), Margaret Leroy, age 33 (mother), Walter Leroy, age 9 (brother), Charles P. Leroy, age 1 (brother).
1900 Jennie Burton. Age: 23. Birth Date: July 1876 in Canada. Home in 1900: Bismarck, Burleigh, North Dakota. Married, wife to HOH. Marriage Year: 1894. Immigration Year: 1875. Father’s birthplace: Canada English. Mother’s birthplace: Scotland. Years in U.S.: 20. Additional household members: Phillip Burton, age 35 (husband), Pearl Burton, age 3 (daughter), Lillian Burton, age 1 (daughter).
1910 Janet M. E. Burton. Age: 33. Birth Date: 1877 in Canada. Home in 1910: Salem Ward 6, Marion, Oregon. Married, wife to HOH. Immigration Year: 1882. Years Married: 15. Number of children Born: 6. Number of children living: 4. Additional household members: Perry H. Burton, age 45 (husband), Pearl L. Burton, age 13 (daughter), Beatrice B. Burton, age 9 (daughter), Hackley L. Burton, age 7 (son), Lucille D. Burton, age 3 (daughter).
1920 Janet M. Burton. Age: 43. Birth Year: abt 1877 in Canada. Home in 1920: 257 South 16th St. Salem Ward 4, Marion, Oregon. Divorced, HOH. Occupation: Burler in Woolen Mill. Additional household members: Lucille D. Burton, age 12 (daughter), Robert R. Burton, age 8 (son).
1930 Janet M. Burton. Age: 53. Birth Year: abt 1877 in Canada. Home in 1930: 575 N 20th, Salem, Marion, Oregon. Divorced, HOH. Occupation: Seamstress in Woolen Mill. Additional household member: Robert R. Burton, age 19 (son).
1940 Janet M. Burton. Age: 63. Birth Year: abt 1877 in Canada. Home in 1940: 575 N 20th, Salem, Marion, Oregon. Widowed, HOH. Occupation: Machine Operator in Woolen Mill. Additional household members: Robert R. Burton, age 29 (son), Helen T. Burton, age 25 (daughter-in-law), Ronald B. Burton, age 1 (grandson).
1950 Janet M. Burton. Age: 73. Birth Date: abt 1877 in Canada. Home in 1950: 3rd house on south side of Ward Dr. Hayesville, Marion, Oregon. Widowed, mother to HOH. Occupation: Keeping House. Robert R. Burton, age 39 (son), Helen Frances Burton, age 35 (daughter-in-law), Ronald B. Burton, age 11 (grandson), Roberta S. Burton, age 9 (granddaughter), Patricia A. Burton, age 2 (granddaughter). |
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