William Horace Smith

Job Title(s)

Dryer, Finisher

Dates of Employment

c. 1900-1909

Last Name Smith
First Name William
Middle Initial Horace
Born 6 Dec 1877 in Uniontown, Jackson, Oregon
Home Addresses (Salem) Rural Marion County (1895 with parents)

Waller sw cor 17th (mother’s residence)
Died 18 Sep 1959 in Eugene, Lane, Oregon
Place Buried Laurel Grove Cemetery in Springfield, Lane, Oregon
Spouse Pearl Vivian Cary (1891-1937)
Date of Marriage 24 Dec 1923 at the Church of God in Eugene, Lane, Oregon
Children Leonard George Cary (step son) (1915-1964)

Carroll Kent Smith (son)               (1927-1980)
Dates of Employment 1900-1909
Job(s) at TKWM Dryer, Finisher
Life Story

 

 William Horace “Willie” Smith worked for the TKWM for at least 9 years. He was a dryer in 1900 and a finisher in 1909. His sister Sarah “Sadie” (Smith) Howe and brother-in-law Claire Joel Howe also worked at the mill. By 1910 he moved with his mother and worked in the Eugene Woolen Mill as a finisher. His brother Claire was a foreman at the Eugene Woolen Mill by then. William would spend the rest of his working life at that mill.

William Horace Smith was born in Uniontown, Jackson County, Oregon on 6 Dec 1877 to parents Francis Marion and Mahala (McCallister) Smith. Both of his parents are listed as early Oregonians. The family was living in Table Rock, Jackson County, Oregon in the 1860 census and in Union Town, Jackson County, Oregon in the 1880 census.

William was the youngest of nine children, five boys and four girls, all born in Jackson County, Oregon. The family moved from there to Salem, Oregon before 1888. A notice in the Statesman Journal on 23 Mar 1888 gives judgement against Frank M Smith for debts owed and his property sold. On 27 Sep 1901, at the family’s home on Waller and 17th St in Salem, OR William’s father committed suicide. He was distraught over gambling debts. His wife Mahala would live another fourteen years. Both parents are buried at City View Cemetery in Salem, OR.

William H Smith married Pearl Vivian Cary on 24 Dec 1923 at the Church of God in Eugene, OR. Pearl Cary had a son before this marriage, his name was Leonard George Cary and was about 8 years old when William and Pearl married. Together they raised him and had another son, Carroll Kent Smith born 25 Jul 1927 in Eugene, OR.

Pearl Vivian (Cary) Smith passed away 22 Jul 1937 at their home in Eugene, OR. She was only 46 years old. William H. Smith passed away on 18 Sep 1959 in Eugene, OR from congestive heart failure. He was 81 years old. They are buried at the Laurel Grove Cemetery in Springfield, Lane County, Oregon.
References
Name Remarks
Salem City Directories 1905 Smith, Wm H, finisher TKWM Co, bds Waller s w cor 17th (mother’s residence)

1909 Smith Wm H, finisher TKWM Co, bds Waller sw cor 17th (mother’s residence)
Federal / County Census Records 1880 William H. Smith. Age 2. Birth Date: Abt 1878. Birthplace: Oregon. Home in 1880: Union Town, Jackson, Oregon. Race: White. Gender: Male. Relation to HOH: Son. Marital Status: Single. Father’s Name: Francis Smith. Father’s Birthplace: Illinois. Mother’s Name: Mahala Smith. Mother’s Birthplace: Virginia. Additional household members: Francis Smith (father, HOH) 47, Mahala Smith (mother) 46, Davis Smith (brother) 16, Martha M. Smith (sister) 15, Charles W. Smith (brother) 12, Sarah E. Smith (sister) 9, Hardin Smith (brother) 7, Ralph Smith (brother) 5.

1900 William H Smith. Age 22. Birth Date: Dec 1877. Birthplace: Oregon. Home in 1900: Salem, Marion, Oregon. Race: White. Gender: Male. Relation to HOH: Son. Marital Status: Single. Father’s Name: Francis M Smith. Father’s Birthplace: Illinois. Mother’s Name: Mahala Smith. Mother’s Birthplace: Illinois. Occupation: Woolen Mill-Dryer. Additional household members: Francis M Smith (father, HOH) 67, Mahala Smith (mother) 65.

1910 William H Smith. Age 32. Birth Date: 1878. Birthplace: Oregon. Home in 1910: West Forseth Street, Eugene, Lane, Oregon. Race: White. Gender: Male. Relation to HOH: Son. Marital Status: Single. Father’s Birthplace: Virginia. Mother’s Name: Mahala Smith. Mother’s Birthplace: Illinois. Occupation: Finisher. Industry: Woolen Mill. Additional household members: Mahala Smith (mother, HOH) 75.

1920 William H Smith. Age 42. Birth Year: 1878. Birthplace: Oregon. Home in 1920: 4th Ave West, Eugene, Lane, Oregon. Race: White. Gender: Male. Relation to HOH: Boarder. Marital Status: Single. Father’s Birthplace: Kentucky. Mother’s Birthplace: Illinois. Occupation: Fuller. Industry: Woolen Mill. Additional household members: George F Lord (HOH) 33, Joy D Lord (wife of HOH) 29, Lawrence F Lord (son on HOH) 3.

1930 William H Smith. Birth Year: 1878. Gender: Male. Race: White. Age 52. Birthplace: Oregon. Marital Status: Married. Relation to HOH: Head. Home in 1930: 809 West 3rd, Eugene, Lane, Oregon. Age at First Marriage: 46. Father’s Birthplace: Kentucky. Mother’s Birthplace: Illinois. Occupation: Fuller. Industry: Textile Plant. Additional household members:  Pearl D Smith (wife) 39, Leonard G Cox (stepson) 14, Carroll K Smith (son) 2.

1940 William H Smith. Age 62. Estimated Birth Year: 1878. Gender: Male. Race: White. Birthplace: Oregon. Marital Status: Widowed. Relation to HOH: Head. Home in 1940: 432 East 3rd, Eugene, Lane, Oregon. Inferred Residence in 1935: Eugene, Lane, Oregon. Occupation: Fuller. Industry: Woolen Mill. Additional household members: Harden Smith (brother) 67, Albert M McCleod (caretaker) 62, Carroll K Smith (son) 12.

1950 William H Smith. Age 72. Birth Date: 1878. Gender: Male. Race: White. Birth Place: Oregon. Marital Status: Widowed. Relation to HOH: Head. Home in 1950: 2970 Washington, College Crest, Lane, Oregon. Occupation: Unable to Work. Additional household members: Glenn R Stults (lodger) 29, Ruth U Stults (lodger) 28.
WW1 Draft Registration

WWII Draft Registration

 William Horace Smith. Race: White. Birth Date: 6 Dec 1877. Residence Date 1917-1918: Address: 855 West 4, Lane County, Oregon. Physical Build: Medium. Height: Medium. Hair Color: Black. Eye Color: Gray. Sibling: C J Howe

William Horace Smith. Gender: Male. Race: White. Registration Age: 64. Birth Date: 6 Dec 1877. Birth Place: Jackson County, Oregon. Residence: Eugene, Oregon. Registration Date: 1941. Military Draft Date: 1942
County Marriage Record William H Smith. Gender: Male. Race: White. Age 46. Birth Date: 1877. Birth Place: Jackson County, Oregon. Marriage Date: 24 Dec 1923. Marriage Place: Lane, Oregon. File Number: 1482873. Spouse: Pearl Cary
Oregon Death Index William H Smith. Death Date: 18 Sep 1959. Death Place: Lane. Spouse: Pearl. Certificate: 11590
Find-a-Grave William H. Smith. Birth Date: 6 Dec 1877. Birth Place: Jackson County, Oregon. Death Date: 22 Sep 1959. Death Place: Lane County, Oregon. Cemetery: Laurel Grove Cemetery, Springfield, Lane County, Oregon. Spouse: Pearl Vivian Smith. Memorial ID: 69650959

Pearl Vivian Smith. Birth Date: 8 Feb 1891. Death Date: 26 Jul 1937. Death Place: Lane County, Oregon. Cemetery: Laurel Grove Cemetery, Springfield, Lane County, Oregon. Father: William J Cary. Mother: Harriett E Cary. Spouse: William H. Smith. Memorial ID: 69650193
Digital Newspapers Weekly Oregon Statesman 23 Mar 1888, p. 2. Sheriff’s sale judgement against Francis M Smith for debts owed.

Statesman Journal 28 Sep 1901, p. 2. Suicide of a Pioneer (William’s father)

Morning Register 26 Dec 1923, p. 5. Married : Smith-Cary

The Eugene Guard – 23 Jul 1937, p. 3. Obituary – Pearl Vivian Cary Smith

The Eugene Guard 21 Sep 1959, p. 17. Obituary – William H. Smith
WHC Materials M3 1966-001     Mill Records