| Life Story
|
Thomas C. Allport was the foreman of the card room, or boss carder at TKWM from 1898-1925.
Thomas Charles Allport was born 6 Apr 1851 in Ontario, Canada. He married Aurelia LaQue in 1874 in Eastern Canada. They immigrated to the United States in 1898, recruited by Thomas Kay from the mill in Waterloo near Montreal, Canada. The family moved to Salem for work in the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill. Thomas and Aurelia were the parents of eight children, six daughters and two sons. Their son Walter died from diphtheria as a child, prior to the family’s move from Canada.
In August 1903, the family built a cottage on the corner of 17th and Bellevue Streets in Salem for $900. In 1906 Thomas obtained citizenship. Throughout his time in Salem, he worked for the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill as foreman of the card room or the boss carder. All his children worked for TKWM at various times, son Norman followed in his footsteps as a carder, later boss.
Aurelia Allport died 5 Jan 1928 of a gastric ulcer, the condition of which had caused her to suffer for over a year. Thomas died three years later, while visiting daughter Maude in Grants Pass, Oregon. Both Aurelia and Thomas were buried in Belcrest Memorial Park in Salem, OR. |
| Salem City Directories |
1905 Allport Thomas, carder TKWM Co, res e s 16th 2 s Mill
1909 Allport Thomas, carder TKWM Co, res 434 S 16th
1911 Allport Thomas, frmn TKWM Co, res 433 S 17th
1913 Allport Thomas R, carder TKWM Co, res 433 S 17th
1915 Allport Thomas R (Aurelia), carder TKWM Co, res 433 S 17th
1917 Allport Thomas R (Aurelia), carder TKWM Co, res 433 S 17th
1921 Allport Thos (Aurelia), carder T K Woolen Mill Co, h 433 S 17th
1924 Allport Thos (Aurelia), carder T K Woolen Mill Co, h 433 S 17th
1926-27 Allport Thos (Aurelia) h 433 S 17th
1928-29 Allport Thos h 433 S 17th
1930-31 Allport Thomas R h 433 S 17th |
| Federal / County Census Records |
1881 Canada Census Thomas Allport. Age: 30. Birth Year: 1851 in Ontario, Canada. Residence Place: Oxford North District, Ontario. Religion: Methodist. Married, HOH. Occupation: Wool Carder. Additional household members: Willie [sic] Allport, age 25 (wife), Ida Allport, age 6 (daughter), Clara E. Allport, age 4 (daughter), Norman Allport, age 3 (son), Walter Allport, age 1 (son).
1891 Canada Census Thomas Allport. Age: 40. Birth Year: abt 1851 in Ontario, Canada. Residence Place: Galt, Waterloo South, Ontario, Canada. Religion: Methodist. Married, HOH. Occupation: Mill Carder.
Additional household members: Aurelia Allport, age 36 (wife), Ida Allport, age 16 (daughter), Clara Allport, age 14 (daughter), Norman Allport, age 12 (son), Maud Allport, age 9 (daughter), Pearl Allport, age 2 (daughter).
1900 Thomas Allport. Age: 49. Birth Date: Apr 1851 in Canada. Home in 1900: 460 State St. Salem Ward 3, Marion, OR. Immigration Year: 1898. Married, HOH. Years Married: 26. Occupation: Carder (Wool). Additional household members: Amelia Allport, age 45 (wife), Soman [Norman] Allport, age 21 (son), Maud Allport, age 18 (daughter), Pearl Allport, age 10 (daughter), Queen Allport, age 2 (daughter).
1905 Marion County Census
@ Thos Woolen Mills – Allport Thos, Allport N[orman]
Salem Page 13 Precinct 4 – Allport, Thomas. Age: 54. Occupation: Laborer. Birthplace: Canada. Allport, Aurelia. Age: 49. Birthplace: Canada. Allport, Pearl. Age: 16. Occupation: At School. Birthplace: Canada. Allport, Flora. Age: 15. Occupation: At School. Birthplace: Canada. Allport, Q. Age: 8: Occupation: At School. Birthplace: Canada.
1910 Thomas Allport. Age: 59. Birth Date: 1851 in Canada. Home in 1910: 434 S. 16th St. Salem Ward 4, Marion, Or. Immigration Year: 1904 [incorrect]. Married, HOH. Occupation: Carder, Woolen Mill. Additional household members: Aurelia Allport, age 55 (wife), Queen Allport, age 12 (daughter).
1920 Thomas Allport. Age: 68. Birth Year: abt 1852 in Canada. Home in 1920: 433 S. 17th St. Salem Ward 4, Marion, OR. Immigration Year: 1898. Married, HOH. Occupation: Carder, Woolen Mill. Additional household members: Amelia Allport, age 65 (wife), Florence A. Conger, age 28 (daughter), John T. Conger, age 5 (grandson).
1930 Thomas Allport. Age: 78. Birth Year: abt 1852 in Canada. Home in 1930: 433 S. 17th St. Salem, Marion, OR. Immigration Year: 1896. Widowed, father to HOH. No occupation listed. Additional household members: Flora Conger, age 38 (head, daughter to Thomas), John T. Conger, age 15 (grandson). |
