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Oral Varley
Oral Varley
1912- 1990
1912- 1990
Oral Weston Varley was the quintessential Northwest logger at a time when harvesting local virgin forests still provided employment to many hardworking men. Even during the Depression years when he served in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), his work was in the forest.
Oral Weston Varley was the quintessential Northwest logger at a time when harvesting local virgin forests still provided employment to many hardworking men. Even during the Depression years when he served in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), his work was in the forest.
Oral was born July 30, 1912 in Glenwood, Oregon At age seven, he was living on the Varley family farm in Timber, Oregon. His father, George and mother Edith worked the land they owned providing for Oral and his three siblings.
Oral was born July 30, 1912 in Glenwood, Oregon At age seven, he was living on the Varley family farm in Timber, Oregon. His father, George and mother Edith worked the land they owned providing for Oral and his three siblings.
Life changed quickly after the death of his father. In 1929, a 16 year-old Oral purchased a 1925 Ford Coupe from Gilby Motors in St. Helens, and was living on Rose Avenue in Vernonia, Oregon with his brother Elza, his sister Vera and his widowed mother, Edith who was working as a servant in a private home. Oral was working in the lumber mill to help support the family.
Life changed quickly after the death of his father. In 1929, a 16 year-old Oral purchased a 1925 Ford Coupe from Gilby Motors in St. Helens, and was living on Rose Avenue in Vernonia, Oregon with his brother Elza, his sister Vera and his widowed mother, Edith who was working as a servant in a private home. Oral was working in the lumber mill to help support the family.
During the Depression, like many young men of his era, Oral enlisted in the CCC and lived in camps in the area. He was one of thousands of men who learned vocational skills and worked on various projects in the region including the fire tower on Saddle Mountain that soared above the surrounding forest. Each worker received $30 in payment per month for his services in addition to room and board at a work camp. The men were required to send $22 to $25 of their monthly earnings home to support their families.
During the Depression, like many young men of his era, Oral enlisted in the CCC and lived in camps in the area. He was one of thousands of men who learned vocational skills and worked on various projects in the region including the fire tower on Saddle Mountain that soared above the surrounding forest. Each worker received $30 in payment per month for his services in addition to room and board at a work camp. The men were required to send $22 to $25 of their monthly earnings home to support their families.
Oral was especially good at topping spar trees, boasting that he got paid a few pennies more than most other timber workers, even more than the company cook.
Oral was especially good at topping spar trees, boasting that he got paid a few pennies more than most other timber workers, even more than the company cook.
The work was physically demanding and dangerous. At age 28, Oral was seriously hurt in a logging accident and was listed with a crushed arm and shoulder and injured back on his draft registration card in 1940. Son-in-law Steve Gift recalls Oral telling him that when he was injured, there were other injured men in worse condition. Oral volunteered to wait on the loading dock as the more seriously injured were transported first. A tough and kind man.
The work was physically demanding and dangerous. At age 28, Oral was seriously hurt in a logging accident and was listed with a crushed arm and shoulder and injured back on his draft registration card in 1940. Son-in-law Steve Gift recalls Oral telling him that when he was injured, there were other injured men in worse condition. Oral volunteered to wait on the loading dock as the more seriously injured were transported first. A tough and kind man.
High Climber Oral Varley topping a spar tree
High Climber Oral Varley topping a spar tree
Cover from the "Buzz Saw" Nov. 1937 Camp Nehalem C.C.C. Foss, Oregon
Cover from the "Buzz Saw" Nov. 1937 Camp Nehalem C.C.C. Foss, Oregon
courtesy Les Watters
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