| Life Story |
Martha Herboldt worked at TKWM as a weaver for a good portion of her younger years. Many members of Martha’s family worked at the woolen mill including her brothers William and John Herboldt, husband Andrew Ettner and their two children, Bessie and William John Ettner.
Martha E Herboldt was born to Conrad Herboldt and Elisabetha Christina Matthis Herboldt on 21 Feb 1873 in Rustchuk, Bulgaria. She was the fourth of six children born to this couple. We have not found what happened to Martha’s biological father but he either died or disappeared before the family made the trip to America.
Martha’s mother Christina married the second time to Henry Semke, and it is believed they made the trip from Germany with her six children in 1885. Henry and Christina had one daughter together, Helena Semke born in Michigan in 1885. Henry Semke raised the other children as well.
Martha spent her early childhood with her family in Crystal Falls, Michigan. On 28 Sep 1891, at the age of 18, Martha married Andrew Ettner in Crystal Falls. The couple moved to Macon County, Missouri soon after their marriage. Some of Andrew’s family lived there as well.
Andrew and Margaret’s son William John Ettner was born in Macon City, Missouri on 4 Dec 1892 and their daughter Bessie Elizabeth Ettner was born there on 25 Jan 1895. The couple acquired a deed of trust in Macon County on 17 Mar 1896. This payment of their promissory note went unpaid, so the property was sold to the highest bidder on 24 Sep 1898. After losing their property the family continued to live in Hudson, Macon County, Missouri according to 1900 census records.
Martha’s mother and stepfather moved their family to Salem, OR by 1896. Andrew and Martha left Missouri to join them shortly after. 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 is listed in the 1905 city directory as being a weaver at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill. It also lists their daughter Bessie as a weaver, but she was only 10 years old at the time; it was probably an error and should have been Martha. Martha can be found in the city directory of 1907, with her occupation listed as weaver at the woolen mill. She was boarding at Anna Ettner’s home; husband Andrew is not listed in the directory for some reason.
The 1908 and 1909 directories listed both Martha and Andrew as employed at the woolen mill, Martha was a weaver and Andrew was a carder. Their son William was farming and lived at 462 S 16th. Martha continued to work at the mill, but in the 1910 census Andrew and William are listed as working at a sawmill. By 1915 Martha and daughter Bessie are both working at the woolen mill as weavers. The 1920 census listed Andrew and son William as weavers at the mill and Martha as not working. Daughter Bessie had married Lester Ryan by this time and moved to California.
Martha continued to work at the TKWM Co. In 1924 her husband Andrew turned over 219.05 acres of land to Martha and their son William for $1.00. William turned to farming. This gave way to troubled times for the family. Andrew was listed in the 1930 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.
Martha lived on the farm with William and his family for a while but by 1935 she was back in Salem and rented a home at 1020 N 19th. Martha’s daughter Bessie had divorced her husband on grounds of desertion and moved back to Salem with her little daughter Barbara Ryan. They lived with Martha while Bessie worked as a seamstress. By Dec 1940 Bessie had returned to TKWM Co and worked in the finishing room at TKWM as a burler.
Martha found love once again at the age of 72. She married Carl Brand who had been a friend of her late husband Andrew’s since they were young men in Crystal Falls, Michigan. Carl had farmed near Central Howells for nearly 50 years before retiring and had lost his wife in 1941. Carl and Martha’s marriage license was issued 21 Oct 1944 in Vancouver, WA. They would marry soon after. The couple would spend the rest of their married life at their home at 564 Hood St, Salem OR. Carl Brand passed away at their home on 11 Dec 1953 from heart problems. He is buried at City View Cemetery.
Martha moved one last time, to 2210 Lansing Ave NE in Salem, OR. She was an active member of Pratum Emanuel Mennonite Church and a member of Royal Neighbors in America Lodge. Martha passed away at the age of 90 at the Salem Hospital on 3 Dec 1963. She was survived by her grown children, four grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Martha is buried next to both of her husbands at City View Cemetery. |
| Salem City Directories |
1907 – Ettner Martha, weaver TKWM Co, bds 475 S 18th (Mrs. Anna Ettner’s res)
1908 – Ettner Andrew, carder TKWM Co — Ettner Martha, weaver TKWM Co — Ettner Wm, farmer, res 462 S 16th —
1909 – Ettner Andrew, carder TKWM Co — Ettner Martha, weaver TKWM Co — Ettner Wm, farmer, res 462 S 16th —
1910 – Ettner Martha, weaver TKWM Co, bds 475 S 18th (Mrs. Anna Ettner’s res)
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 — |
| Census Records |
1900 – Martha Ettner – Age: 27, Birth Date: Feb 1873, Birthplace: Bulgaria, Home in 1900: Hudson, Macon, Missouri, Race: White, Gender: Female, Immigration Year: 1888, Relation to HOH: Wife, Marital Status: Married, Spouse’s Name: Andrew Ettner, Marriage Year: 1892, Years Married: 8, Father’s Birthplace: Russia, Mother’s Birthplace: Russia, Mother: number of living children: 2, Mother: How many children: 2, Years in US: 12, Can Read: Y, Can Write: Y, Can Speak English: Y, Household members: Andrew Ettner (33), Martha Ettner (27), Herbert Herboldt (15) brother-in-law, William Ettner (7) son, Bessie Ettner (5) daughter
1910 – Martha Ettner – Age in 1910: 39, Birth Date: 1871, Birthplace: Germany, Home in 1910: D 18th St, Salem, Marion, Oregon, USA, Race: White, Gender: Female, Immigration Year: 1881, Relation to HOH: Wife,
Marital Status: Married, Father’s Birthplace: Germany, Mother’s Birthplace: Germany, Native Tongue: English, Occupation: Weaver, Industry: Woolen Mill, Wage Earner, Able to read: Y, Able to Write: Y, Years Married: 18, Number of Children Born: 2, Number of Children Living: 2, Out of Work: N, Number of Weeks Out of Work: 0, Household members: Andrew Ettner (47), Martha Ettner (39), William Ettner (17), Bessie Ettner (15)
1920 – Martha Ettner – Age: 46, Birth Year: abt 1874, Birthplace: Bulgaria, Home in 1920: South 18th Street, Salem, Marion, Oregon, Residence Date: 1920, Race: White, Gender: Female, Immigration Year: 1900, Relation to HOH: Wife, Marital Status: Married, Spouse’s Name: Andrew Ettner, Father’s Birthplace: Russia, Mother’s Birthplace: Russia, Native Tongue: German, Able to Speak English: Yes, Naturalization Status: Naturalized, Able to read: Yes, Able to Write: Yes, Household members: Andrew Ettner (55), Martha Ettner (46), William J Ettner (27)
1930 – Martha Ettner – Birth Year: abt 1872, Gender: Female, Race: White, Age in 1930: 58, Birthplace: Bulgaria, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Head, Homemaker? Yes, Home in 1930: Jefferson, Marion, Oregon, Home Owned or Rented: Rented, Radio Set: No, Lives on Farm: Yes, Age at First Marriage: 20, Attended School : No, Able to Read and Write: Yes, Father’s Birthplace: Bulgaria, Mother’s Birthplace: Bulgaria, Language Spoken: Bulgarian, Immigration Year: 1882, Naturalization: Naturalized, Able to Speak English: Yes, Household members: Martha Ettner (58)
1940 – Martha Ettner – Respondent: Yes, Age: 67, Estimated Birth Year: abt 1873, Gender: Female, Race: White, Birthplace: Bulgaria, Marital Status: Widowed, Relation to Head of House: Head, Home in 1940: 1020 North 19 Street, Salem, Marion, Oregon, Farm: No, Inferred Residence in 1935: Salem, Marion, Oregon, Citizenship: Naturalized, House Owned or Rented: Rented, 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: Martha Ettner (67), Bessie Ryan (45) daughter, Barbara Ryan (12) grand daughter
1950 – Martha Brand – Age: 77, Birth Date: abt 1873, Gender: Female, Race: White, Birth Place: Bulgaria, Marital Status: Married, Relation to Head of House: Wife, Residence Date: 1950, Home in 1950: 564 Hood, Salem, Marion, Oregon, Farm: No, Acres: No, Citizenship: Yes, Occupation Category: Keeping House, Worked Last Week: No, Seeking Work: No, Employment Status: No, Household members: Carl Brand (82), Martha Brand (77) |
