597 S. 16th St. 

175 S. 18th St.   

1740 Ferry St.    

Gilbert White was born 17 Oct 1882 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England to a family steeped in the woolen mill trade. His parents were Edwin White and Margaret Middlehook Turner. He began work at the Harrison Mill in Bradford at an early age and was apprenticed at 18, to a wool sorter for four years. In Fall 1904, the mill owners paid for his emigration to America under the condition he continued to work for them, at Greystone, their woolen mill in Providence, Rhode Island. 

Gilbert was a short, slender man with a ruddy complexion, gray eyes, and brown hair. His daughter also recalled that he spoke with a stammer and felt later on in his career that it kept him from applying for management positions. He married fellow millworker Myra Darby April 4, 1907, in Providence, Rhode Island. She was also an English lass from his hometown of Bradford. According to her naturalization paperwork, Myra was 5’6 inches tall, with a light complexion, gray eyes, and brown hair. While in Providence, their first daughter Muriel Joy was born to them in 1910. 

The family came to Salem in 1912 and lived in a series of rental houses near the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill, until building their own home at 1740 Ferry St. Second daughter Mary Margaret White was born to them in 1913 in Salem. Gilbert worked for the Kay Woolen Mill for 32 years off and on, first as a wool sorter and later as foreman in the wool room. His daughter also recalled that he left the Mill twice during his period of employment there, to take other wool grader jobs. He spent one year at the Oregon Wool Growers Association, and three years with Clifford Brown, a local wool grower/buyer. When he returned to the Kay Woolen Mill, he took the job of foreman of the wool room. Gilbert also operated a wool pullery as a side business, using property that he owned off McGilchrist Rd. towards what became the Salem Airport. He would purchase sheep hides from local farmers and slaughterhouses, and chemically harvest the wool in order to sell it to TKWM. After his retirement in 1947, Gilbert went to New Zealand for five months, to visit his daughter Muriel and family. Then he returned to Salem. 

Gilbert died April 24, 1955, in Salem Hospital after suffering a heart attack. He was buried at Belcrest Memorial Park in Salem. Myra lived until her 90th birthday and passed away at a local nursing home. She was buried beside Gilbert at Belcrest Memorial Park.  

1915  White Gilbert (Myra), sorter TKWM Co, res 597 S 16th 

1917  White Gilbert, sorter TKWM Co 

1924  White Gilbert C, sorter T K Woolen Mill Co, h 1750 Ferry 

1928  White Gilbert (Myra) wool grader, h 1740 Ferry 

1930  White Gilbert (Myra) wool grader h 1740 Ferry 

1932  White Gilbert (Myra) wool grader T K Woolen Mill Co h 1740 Ferry 

1934  White Gilbert (Myra) sorter TKWM Co h 1740 Ferry 

1938-39  White Gilbert (Myra) h 1740 Ferry 

1940-41  White Gilbert (Myra) whse mgr TKWM Co h 1740 Ferry 

1945  White Gilbert (Myra) emp TKWM Co h 1740 Ferry 

1949  White Gilbert (Myra) h 1740 Ferry 

1953-1954  White Gilbert (Myra) h 1740 Ferry 

1920  Gilbert White. Age: 38. Birth Year: abt 1883 in England. Home in 1920: 175 S. 18th St. in Salem, Ward 3, Marion, OR. Married, HOH. Immigration: 1904. Occupation: wool sorter in woolen mill. Additional household members: Myra White, age 35 (wife). Muriel White, age 9 (daughter). Mary M White, age 6 (daughter). 

1930  Gilbert White. Age: 47. Birth Year: abt 1883 in England. Home in 1930: 1740 Ferry St. in Salem, Ward 4, Marion, OR. Married, HOH. Immigration: 1904. Occupation: wool grader in wool warehouse. Additional household members: Myra White, age 46 (wife). Muriel White, age 20 (daughter). Mary M White, age 16 (daughter). 

1940  Gilbert White. Age: 57. Birth Year: abt 1883 in England. Home in 1940: 1740 Ferry St. In Salem, Marion, OR. Married, HOH. Occupation: warehouse manager. Additional household members: Myra White, age 56 (wife). Mary M White, age 26 (daughter). 

Myra White. Birth: Mar 1884 in England. Death: 28 Mar 1974 (aged 89-90) in Marion County, Oregon, USA. Burial: Belcrest Memorial Park in Salem, Marion County, OR. Plot: Block 32, Section 36, Lot 4. Memorial ID: 115323764. 

OR Statesman 25 Apr 1955 p. 6 – Gilbert White Death Notice 

OR Statesman 29 Mar 1974 p. 17 – Myra White Obituary 

M3 1978-004-0004    Photo 

M3 1992-008-0003    Photo 

M3 1992-101-0032    Photo 

M3 1994-100-0008    Poster