1270 Saginaw 

1150 McGilchrist 

895 Charles St 

840 Judson SE 

3389 Crestview 

835 Kumler St 

John Mercer Reid was born 20 Apr 1915 in Hanover, Illinois. He was the third child born to the couple and had four siblings. His father was a traveling salesman for the dye industry and worked as the boss dyer for the Hanover Woolen Mill. It is of interest to note that father Walter was a redhead as well as his three sons Edward, John, and William.  

The family moved to Salem, OR in 1927 where Walter had accepted a job at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill as boss dyer. He held this position until his retirement in 1954. While at the mill, he trained his three boys in textile work, particularly the science of dyeing wool. John’s parents Walter and Willie divorced in 1928, then reconciled and remarried in 1929 following the tragic death of their 16-year-old daughter Margaret from acute encephalitis. The family lived in the Pringle area of South Salem. John attended school through high school. Following graduation, his father found a place for him in the dye house for 5 hours a week while he studied for his textile certificate through the International Correspondence School.  

John married Eythel J. Ray on 24 Apr 1937 in Vancouver, WA. He was 22 years old and Eythel was 18. Both lived in Salem, OR. By 1940, John had a full-time job at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill in the dye house. He and Eythel lived at the Reid home in Pringle and had added a daughter named Margaret, after John’s sister, to the family. The census recorded that John’s income in 1940 was $942 and that he had worked 40 hours the week before the census had been taken.  

In 1945 John was promoted to assistant superintendent at the mill. His WWII draft registration card captured a physical description. He was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighed 170 pounds. His complexion was light, his hair red and eyes blue. By the 1950 census, John and Eythel had two children, a girl and a boy and Eythel’s father Charles lived with them. The family lived in the Salem Heights area of Salem and John worked 40 hours a week. In 1953, the final Kay family member to manage the mill, Thomas B. Kay III promoted John to superintendent. He held this position until the mill’s shutdown in 1968.  

In 1970, John took an inspector position with the State Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures. After retirement, John and Eythel bought a boat for cruising up and down the Willamette River to water ski, fish, and picnic on the beaches. They also enjoyed trips to Reno, NV every year. John died 16 May 1994 in Marion County, OR. His wife Eythel died in 2019. At the time of research, their burial place had not been located. 

1936-37 Reid John, helper, TKWM Co, RD5 Box 4 

1938-39 Reid John (Eythel B), textile worker, TKWM Co, RD5 Box 4 

1940-41 Reid John M, helper, TKWM Co, RD4 Box 375 

1942 Reid John M, laborer TKWM Co, RD4 Box 8 

1945 Reid John M (Eythel J), assistant superintendent, TKWM Co, 392 S High Apt 1 

1947 Reid John (Eythel J) assistant superintendent, TKWM Co, 1270 Saginaw 

1949 Reid John M, assistant superintendent, TKWM Co, 1150 McGilchrist 

1951 Reid John M (Ethel J) assistant superintendent, TKWM Co, 1270 Saginaw 

1953 Reid John M (Eythel J), superintendent Thos. Kay Woolen Mills, 1270 Saginaw 

1955 Reid John M (Eythel J) superintendent, Kay’s Woolen Mill, 1270 Saginaw 

1957 Reid John M (Eythel J) superintendent, Kay’s Woolen Mill, 1270 Saginaw 

1958 Reid John M (Eythel J) superintendent, Kay’s Woolen Mill, 895 Charles St. 

1960 Reid John M (Eythel J) superintendent, Kay’s Woolen Mill, 840 Judson SE 

1961 Reid John M (Eythel J) superintendent, Kay’s Woolen Mill, 840 Judson SE 

1962 Reid John M (Eythel J) superintendent, Kay’s Woolen Mill, 840 Judson SE 

1963 Reid John M (Eythel J) superintendent, Kay’s Woolen Mill, 3389 Crestview 

1964 Reid John M (Eythel J) superintendent, Kay’s Woolen Mill, 835 Kumler St SE 

1966 Reid John M (Eythel J) superintendent, Kay’s Woolen Mill, 835 Kumler St SE 

1968 Reid John M (Eythel J) superintendent, Kay’s Woolen Mill, 835 Kumler St SE 

1970 Reid John M (Eythel J) employee, State Weights and Measures, 835 Kumler St. SE 

1971 Reid John M (Eythel J), inspector, State Dept of Agriculture, h 835 Kumler St. SE 

1974  Reid John M (Eythel J), inspector, State Dept of Agriculture, h 835 Kumler St. SE 

1975  Reid John M (Eythel J), inspector, State Dept of Agriculture, h 835 Kumler St. SE 

1930  John M. Reid. Age: 14. Birth Year: abt 1916 in Illinois. Home in 1930: Valley St. Pringle, Marion, OR. Single, son to HOH. Additional household members: Walter M. Reid, age 51 (father), Willie J. Reed, age 43 (mother), Edward A. Reid, age 25 (brother), Francis J. Reid, age 9 (daughter), William B. Reid, age 6 (brother). 

1940  John M. Reid. Age: 24. Birth Year: abt 1916 in Illinois. Home in 1940: Pringle, Marion, OR. Married, HOH. Occupation: Dyer in the Wool Industry. Additional household members: Eythel Reid, age 20 (wife), Margaret Reid, age 2 (daughter).  

1950  John M. Reid. Age: 34. Birth Date: abt 1916 in Illinois. Home in 1950: Salem Heights, Marion, OR. Married, HOH. Occupation: Assistant Superintendent, Wool Mill. Additional household members: Eythel J. Reid, age 30 (wife), Margaret L. Reid, age 12 (daughter), John M. Reid, age 4 (son), Charles C. Ray, age 62 (father-in-law). 

Statesman Journal 18 May 1994, p. 18 – Obituary, John 

Statesman Journal 12 Nov 2019 – Obituary, Eythel 

M3 1994-016-0010     Oral History (John M. Reid) 

M3 1992-117-0003      Photo, Dye House Men 

M3 1995-010-0001     Blanket