Roy Ohmart, WHC Collections 0079.001.0003

Roy Virgil Ohmart

Job Title(s)

Cashier, Bookkeeper

Dates of Employment

c. 1928-1949

Last Name  Ohmart 
First Name  Roy 
Middle Initial  Virgil 
Born  19 Apr 1878 in Salem, OR 
Home Addresses  

(1929-1934) 

 244 S 14th in 1930 

196 E Rural in 1935  
Died  29 Mar 1969 in Salem, OR 
Place Buried  Salem Pioneer Cemetery  
Wife  1st – Alma Gracia Lee 

2nd – Kathryn Best 
Date of Marriage  1st – 21 Oct 1906 in Weston, OR 

2nd – 10 Nov 1939 in Salem, OR 
Children  Lee Virgil, Velleda Ohmart  
Dates of Employment  1928-1949 
Job(s)  Cashier, Bookkeeper 
Story  Roy Ohmart worked at TKWM from 1928 to 1949 as a cashier / bookkeeper. 

Roy Virgil Ohmart was a lifelong resident of Salem having been born there on 19 Apr 1878 to Adam and Velleda Smith. His parents owned a house at 12th and Mission Street and farmed the property from Mission street south to Hoyt street, and from the Bush property east to the railroad.  

He attended Salem schools, graduated from Willamette University’s preparatory department before attending Capital Business College. Then he farmed the “home place” before moving south to the Red Hills area south of Salem. There he grew prunes and loganberries. He also owned and operated the general store at Liberty.  

He married Alma Gracia Lee in 1906 and they were the parents of two children, Velleda and Lee Virgil.  Alma was Roy’s bookkeeper when they managed the Liberty Store in South Salem.  They left the store in 1929 when Roy began working at TKWM. After his first career as a farmer and store owner, he became the cashier (office manager) for TKWM for 20 years.  He retired in fall of 1949. 

The family bought a home at 195 E Rural in Salem shortly before Alma’s death in the spring of 1935.  After her death, he met and married widow Kathryn Best. Roy retired from TKWM in 1949 at age 61 having worked in the mill office for this entire career.  He and Kathryn continued to live on Rural Avenue for many years. In his retirement years he sold life insurance with Paul Acton of Salem. His wife Kathryn passed away in 1967. Roy followed 29 Mar 1969 and was buried next to first wife Alma, in Salem’s Pioneer Cemetery.    
   
References 
Name  Remarks 
Census  1910 Roy V. Ohmart, Liberty Rd, Father born in Indiana, Mother in Oregon.  Storekeeper, General Store.  Roy V. 32, Gracia L 25, Velleda 2. 

1920 Roy V. Ohmart, Liberty Rd (Farm), Farmer, Fruit Farm, Rent.  Roy V. 41, Gracia 34, Veleda W 12, Lee V 5. 

1930 Roy V. Ohmart, 24 S. 14th St, Salem.  Not on farm.  Bookkeeper, woolen mill.  Roy V. 51, Gracia L. 45, Veleda W 22 (Bookkeeper publishing house), Lee V. 16 (no occupation) 

1940 Roy V. Ohmart, 196 E Rural, owned.  Bookkeeper, 2nd year college.  Roy V. 62, Kathryne B 57. 
WW1 Draft Registration  Roy Virgil Ohmart, 40. B. 19 Apr 1878. Box 118 RFD#4 Salem. Wife Gracia Lee Ohmart. Farmer. REgistration date 12 Sep 1918 
WW2 Draft Registration  Roy Virgil Ohmart, 64.  B. 19 Apr 1878.  196 E Rural, Salem.  Wife Kathryn B Ohmart.  Works at TKWM.  Registration date 27 Apr 1942. 
Oregon Marriage Index  Roy Ohmart Married Kathryn Bernice Best, 10 Nov 1939 
City Directories  1915 Roy V, Fruit grower 

1930 Roy V, Cashier, TKWM.  244 S 14th 

1932 Roy V, Cashier, TKWM.  285 S. 16th 

1934 Roy V, Gracia L.  285 S. 16th.  Cashier TKWM 

1935 Roy V, Gracia L.  196 E Rural.  Bookeeper TKWM 
Find a Grave  Roy Virgil Ohmart. Birth: 19 Apr 1878 in Salem, Marion County, OR.  Death: 28 Mar 1969 in Salem, Marion County, OR.  Burial: Salem Pioneer Cemetery in Salem, Marion County, OR. Memorial ID: 24628573 

Alma Gracia Ohmart. Birth: 18 Feb 1885 in Goldendale, Klickitat County, WA.  Death:  10 Mar 1935 (aged 50) in Salem Pioneer Cemetery, Salem, Marion County, OR. Memorial ID: 24628570 

Kathryn Bernice Best Ohmart. Birth: 1881. Death: 1967 (aged 85-86). Burial: City View Cemetery in Salem, Marion County, OR. Memorial ID: 52467059 
Newspapers.com  Oregon Statesman 28 Oct 1906 p. 2 Ohmart-Lee Wedding  

Oregon Statesman 11 Nov 1939 p. 5 Marriage License 

Oregon Statesman 7 Oct 1949 p. 24 Retirement from TKWM 

Oregon Statesman 31 Mar 1968 p. 5 Liberty Store managed by Roy Ohmart 

Oregon Statesman 29 Mar 1969 p. 15 Roy V. Ohmart Obituary 
WHC Materials  M3 1966-001              Mill Records 

0079.001.0003            Photo 

0079.007.0002            Photo 

M3 1992-117-0010     Photo 

M3 1992-117-0012     Photo 

X2012.033.0267          Photo 

X2012.016.1293          Photo 

X2012.016.1294          Photo 

2013.069.0001            Photo 

X2016.010.0001          Photo 

1999.013.0545            Photo 

M3 1992-008-0001     Photo 

M3 1975-017-0001     Mill Records 

0081.002.0014.006    MCHS Radio Program Interview