Mamie Burch Varble, shared with permission from Ancestry tree. Original photo includes the Burch stepsisters.

Mamie Varble was an occupant of the historic home referred to as the Parsonage, on the grounds of the Willamette Heritage Center. She lived in the home from 1936-1939 when the home was located at 1325 Ferry St.  

Mary “Mamie” Elizabeth Burch was born 18 Feb 1878 in Kane, Greene, Illinois to Terry and Margaret [Falwell] Burch. She was the third child born to the couple, and the first daughter. Her father Terry was a farmer.  

In 1880, the family lived in Mill Creek, Bourbon, Kansas near Enoch and Elizabeth Burch, Mamie’s grandparents. In 1883, Mamie’s sister Mabel was born in Fort Scott, Kansas. She would be the final child born to the original family of Terry Burch and Margaret [Falwell] Burch. They are, in birth order: Henry Eldred [1873-1877] Charles Terry Edson “Eddie” [1874-1938], Mary Elizabeth “Mamie” [1878-1947] and Mabel Margaret “Maggie” [1883-1968].  

The family lived in Bourbon County, Kansas from 1870-1894. Two conflicting accounts exist as to whether Mamie attended school. The first, a 1930 census record states that she was able to read and write but did not attend school. The second, a 1940 census record states that the highest grade of school she completed was elementary school, 8th grade. 

An 1885 Kansas State census records the family residence as Pawnee township. Here, mother Margaret died on 5 Jan 1888 at the age of 34. She was buried in Pleasant View Cemetery in Drywood, Bourbon, Kansas. Son Henry E. preceded her in death at the age of four, in 1877. At the time of her death, surviving son Eddie was 12 and daughters Mamie and Mabel were age 9 and 4, respectively. 

Mamie’s father Terry remarried a year later on 2 Jan 1889 to Sarah Jane “Jennie” Emmitt. Jennie had previously been married to William H. Raymond and had a 3-year-old daughter named Bertha. Jennie would give birth to three additional children fathered by Terry Burch: Jenney Grace “Gracie” [1890-1971], Harvey Perry [1892-1952], and John Emmitt “Johnny” [1895-1968]. In 1893, father Terry Burch sold the family’s property in Bourbon County, Kansas and bought property in Cabool, Missouri. Mamie was 15 years old at the time.  

On 11 Apr 1898 stepmother Jennie died and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Dunn, Texas, Missouri. Father Terry married his third wife Ella Rachel Amos on 20 Oct 1899 in Crawford, Kansas. Ella had previously been married to Welley W. Oxley and had three children from that marriage: John Clinton [1889-1964], and twins Jacob Edward “Ed” [1891-1975] and Thomas Frederick “Fred” [1891-1983]. Ella would give birth to four additional children fathered by Terry Burch: Ella Mae [1900-1984], Vina Edith [1902-1995], Willard “Bill” Theodore [1903-1987], and Josie Velma [1910-1991].  

Mamie left home prior to her stepmother Jennie’s death and her father’s remarriage. She married Edward Oscar Varble on 29 May 1897 in Carrollton, Illinois. Edward was 27 years old and a farmer from Greene County, Illinois. On marriage records, Mamie’s age was listed as 20, though she would have technically been 19 at the time. It was the first marriage for both. Following their marriage, the couple remained in Greene County, Illinois where Edward had property that he farmed. 

In 1900, according to U.S. Census records the couple were lived in Kane, Greene, Illinois. Edward is 29 years old and continues to work as a farmer. Mamie is 22 years old and her sister Mable Burch, age 16, lives with the couple. They live near Edward’s widowed father John D. Varble. On 25 Sep 1901 Mamie gave birth to a stillborn daughter. She was buried in Mount Gilead Cemetery in Carrollton, Illinois.  

Headstone for Mamie Varble’s infant daughter, Mt. Gilead Cemetery,  Carrollton, IL. Image from Find-a-Grave memorial site.

In October 1907, Edward Varble traveled to Salem, Oregon for a visit. At the time of research it was unclear whether this was a scouting expedition for future opportunities or whether there were family or friend connections in the town. The newspaper that published his arrival at a local hotel also recorded the name of fellow traveler A.C. Simonds, also from Carrollton, Illinois. There may be a connection for further research. 

In 1910, the couple moved to the town proper of Carrollton, Greene, Illinois. They lived on South Main St. and became the proprietors of a restaurant. They had been married for 12 years by this point and had no living children.  

In 1911, Mamie’s father Terry Burch died at age 63 and was buried in Herndon Cemetery, Wasola, Missouri. In 1915, Edward’s father John D. Varble died at age 67 and was buried in Mount Gilead Cemetery, Carrollton, Illinois. Having buried both surviving parents, Edward and Mamie may possibly have been ready for a fresh start. They emigrated to Salem, Oregon. 

In 1920 the U.S. census recorded their residence as 265 Commercial St. in Salem. They rented rooms in the residence along with three other families. Edward was 49 years old and Mamie was 42. Edward worked as a pressman in a fruit factory. Historically speaking, this occupation is defined as a cannery line worker that fits metal lids onto canned goods and runs the machine to seal them. 

From 1921-1929 the couple moved frequently between rented accommodations. Ed worked briefly for the fruit factory and then at the Charles K. Spaulding lumber yard before starting his own truck transport business in 1922. He later sold the business in 1928, to E.G. McElroy. At the time the local newspaper erroneously reported that the Varbles would move to Missouri, but that did not occur. Instead, Ed became a wood dealer, harvesting, hauling, and selling firewood. 

By 1930, the couple had moved to 1820 Ferry St. where they rented the home with another couple for $10 a month. They would live in this location for four years. Edward was 59 years old and Mamie 51 when the census was taken. Ed worked as a wood dealer. Another detail captured by the census taker that particular year was that their household did not own a radio. 

Headline from account of Edward Varble’s death. Printed in the Oregon Statesman newspaper on 5 July 1931, p. 1. Image from Newspapers.com

On 4 July 1931, Mamie’s husband Edward died. He was 68 years old. The newspaper reported that, 

His body was found lying beside his truck on River Rd. 18 miles north of Salem by his wife and a neighbor who had gone looking for him when he did not return home at noon. The coroner who investigated believed Varble had been overcome by heat while lifting a spare tire onto the top of his truckload.  

His death certificate listed the cause of death as cardiac thrombosis, sudden death. He was buried in City View Cemetery in Salem.  

Following his death, Mamie found work as a seamstress in Salem’s WPA sewing room. The WPA or Works Progress Administration sewing room project employed skilled women with sewing experience to create clothing and textiles for public institutions during the Great Depression. Salem’s sewing room was located in the old high school building on Marion St.

The Oregon Statesman newspaper reported the following:

Seventy women run 65 electric sewing machines and do other work of a regular garment factory. The women work in units of four, headed by a captain. The groups are paced, with all workers in a group of equal speed. There are twenty-five heavy power machines on which are sewed pants, jackets and shirts. Lighter work is done on the other sewing machine. 

 

Bundles come to the workroom from Portland, where the garments have been cut by electric knives, 240 at a time. When a dozen garments are completed, with each woman doing her certain part of the sewing, they are inspected, folded and sent to storeroom. From there they go in large sacks to the state welfare warehouse and are distributed to persons on direct relief. (Oregon Statesman, 19 May 1940, p. 13)

In 1935 she moved briefly to 180 S. 12th St. Apt 15 and then in 1936 to 1325 ½ Ferry St. the former Methodist Parsonage that had been converted to apartments. In 1940 the U.S. Federal census reported her age as 62 and her marital status as widowed. She rented the apartment in which she lived for $9 a month. Her work as a seamstress for the WPA was listed in the occupation category. She had worked 48 weeks in 1939 and her income was $600. Mamie returned to the 12th St. apartment from 1940-1941 and received a spotlight in the newspaper for growing a 5-tulip stem. Then from 1942-1945 her residence was 1309 N. Commercial St.

On 8 July 1947, sixteen years after her husband Ed’s tragic death, Mamie Varble died at her residence 1349 Mission St. in Salem. She was 68 years old. Cause of death was listed as cardiac failure due to heart disease. Mamie was buried 10 July 1947 at City View Cemetery in Salem, OR next to her husband. 

Death notice for Mamie Varble, Capital Journal, 9 July 1947 p. 13. Image from Newspapers.com

References: 

Census Records 

  • Kansas. Bourbon County. 1880-1885 state census, population schedule. Ancestry.com 
  • Illinois. Greene County. 1900-1910 federal census, population schedule. Ancestry.com 
  • Oregon. Marion County. 1920-1940 federal census, population schedule. Ancestry.com 

 City Directories 

  • R.L. Polk & Company, compiler. Polk’s Salem City and Marion County (Oregon) Directory. 1921-1945. Ancestry.com 

 Motor Vehicle Records 

  • Oregon State Library. State of Oregon: Automobile, Motorcycle, Dealer and Chauffeur Registrations. 1922-1932. Ancestry.com 

 Vital Records 

 Genealogical Online Database 

 Newspapers 

  • “Hotel Arrivals,” Oregon Statesman, Salem, OR, 25 Oct 1907, p. 5 
  • Traffic accident, Ed Varble, Capital Journal, Salem, OR, 29 Jan 1923, p. 5 
  • Ad, hauling and transfer, Ed Varble, Capital Journal, Salem, OR, 8 Mar 1923, p. 10 
  • Traffic accident, Ed Varble, Capital Journal, Salem, OR, 27 Jan 1925, p. 5 
  • Dinner guests, Varble, Capital Journal, Salem, OR, 14 Dec 1925, p. 2 
  • Ad, wood, Ed Varble, Capital Journal, Salem, OR, 19 Nov 1928, p. 9 
  • Sale of truck and transfer business, Ed Varble, Capital Journal, 5 May 1928, p. 9 
  • “Wood Hauler Found Beside Truck, Dead,” Oregon Statesman, Salem, OR, 5 July 1931, p. 1 
  • “Salem Man Found Dead on Highway,” Eugene Guard, Eugene, OR, 5 July 1931, p. 1 
  • Death notice, Ed Varble, Capital Journal, Salem, OR, 6 July 1931, p. 9 
  • “Five-Tulip Stem is Offered Here,” Oregon Statesman, Salem, OR, 28 Apr 1940, p. 5 
  • Death notice, Mamie Varble, Capital Journal, Salem, OR, 9 July 1947, p. 13