William H. Clowes was born on 10 July 1887 in Manchester, England to George and Hannah [Vickus] Clowes. He was the oldest of three children born to the couple. And the only son. His father was a blacksmith by trade. At the age of 13, William delivered newspapers to supplement the family’s income. And by the 1911 English census, at age 23, he still resided with his family, and worked as a plumber.  

In 1917, prior to World War I, William joined the British Army. He was 29 years old. He served in the Corps of Royal Engineers commonly known as Sappers. The corps provided military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces. He served three years and traveled New Zealand, Germany, and France. He was discharged in 1920 and awarded the Victory Medal.  

He left England in Sep 1922 and went to Kingston, Jamaica for work. Then by April 1924, he worked for the United Fruit Company, Maya Farm, Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, Central America. While in Guatemala he met his wife Dolly Moore, a maid and nanny for the Holland Family, U.S. Consul. 

It is believed that William and Dolly married in 1928 in Guatemala City, Guatemala based on information William provided on entry into the United States. William would have been 41 years old, and Dolly, 39. They did not have any children. After three years of marriage, the couple immigrated to the United States. 

William described himself in immigration paperwork as an Englishman, veteran of the British Army, Royal Corp of Engineers, who worked in cement. He was 5 feet 5 inches tall with a fair complexion, blonde hair, and blue eyes. The couple arrived by ship in San Francisco, CA on 23 Feb 1931. Their destination was Portland, Oregon. 

It was the Depression, and jobs were difficult to find even for a man with William’s skills in cement work, brick laying, and carpentry. The couple came to Salem in 1932 in search of work and rented a home at 1365 Mill St. next to the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill where William and later Dolly, were able to find work. The house was basically an empty shell, and William used his skills to fix it up. They purchased the home in 1939. 

Dolly found work at the woolen mill as a seamstress in the finishing department. William tried his hand as a bricklayer, but then joined her at the mill. He was employed as a picker. This was the era in the mill’s history that shoddy came to be used. Old woolen clothes were brought into the rag house, they were put through a grinder, washed, and re-spun to make shoddy, or recycled wool. This was not William’s trade, nor did he enjoy being shut up inside the dark, close picker house. Once World War II began, he left the mill for the Portland shipyards where his carpentry skills could be of use. Dolly remained behind in their Salem home. 

Following the war, William returned to Salem. In 1948, the local newspaper featured William and his hobby of making cement fences like logs and tree stumps. The photo caption refers to his history of 40 years in cement work in England, Central America, and Salem. William died of lung cancer 28 Aug 1952 at home in Salem. He was 65 years old. He was buried in Belcrest Memorial Cemetery in Salem. Wife Dolly died 22 Sep 1987 in Salem and was buried by his side. 

1934  Clowes, Wm H (Dolly) millworker, TKWM Co h 1365 Mill 

1935  Clowes, Wm H (Dolly) picker, TKWM Co h 1365 Mill 

1940  Clowes, Wm H (Dolly) fuel handler, TKWM Co h 1365 Mill 

1942  Clowes, Wm H (Dolly) carpenter h 1365 Mill 

1945  Clowes, Dolly, textile worker TKWM Co  

1947  Clowes, Wm H (Dolly) carpenter h 1365 Mill 

1947  Clowes, Dolly Mrs seamstress TKWM Co r1365 Mill 

1952  Clowes, W H (Dolly) h 1365 Mill 

1950  William H. Clowes. Age: 62. Birth Date: abt 1888 in England. Married, HOH. Home in 1950: 1365 Mill St. Salem, Marion, OR. Occupation: unable to work. Additional household members: Dolly Clowes, age 62 (wife). 

Dolly Moore Clowes  Birth: 17 Dec 1888. Death: 22 Sep 1987 (aged 98) Marion County, OR. Burial: Belcrest Memorial Park, Salem, Marion County, OR. Plot: Block 18 Section 64 Lot 6. Memorial ID: 82762386 

OR Statesman 17 Apr 1940, p. 5 – concrete lawn roller stolen 

OR Statesman 27 Nov 1945, p. 12 – Toys, well-made rock horses 

OR Statesman 26 Dec 1946, p. 5 – photo of W.H. Clowes with concrete fences that resemble wood 

OR Statesman 30 Aug 1952, p. 5 – Obituary (William) 

Statesman Journal 24 Sep 1987, p. 12 – Obituary (Dolly) 

M3 1994-016-0024     Oral History (Dolly Clowes)