Louis Wetzel Borton, son of Reuben Borton & Mattie Simmons, was born in Marion on May 31, 1883. His father was a Marion miller and manufacturer of essential oils in addition to serving as a county commissioner and city alderman. Since the 1890 census doesn’t exist there is a gap in his younger years but he is found for the first time in the 1900 federal census at age 19 living with his 65 year old grandmother, Mary Simmons, and 39 year old widowed mother Mattie in Carbondale, Illinois along with his younger brother William B. Barton attending school. The house was also host to five boarders. The temporary jump to live in Carbondale can be explained by the death of his father, Reuben, in September of 1889.
By 1907, Louis, his mother and brother were living back in Marion at 207 S. Market Street and Louis had become a traveling salesman for a Marion Mining Supply company.
In 1908, Louis married Winifred Purtill in Jackson County, likely someone he had met while living and going to school in Carbondale.
By the 1910 census, Louis and Winifred had purchased a home at 500 Thorne Place in Marion with a mortgage on it. Louis was 26, Winifred 25 and their only child Mary F. was aged 10 months. Also listed was a 19 year old female live-in housemaid Hattie Bearns. Winifred indicated that they had born 1 child and she was still living.
Also in 1910, Louis followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a city alderman for Marion under Mayor J.C. Mitchell and in 1911 again under J.H. Burnett. He also was listed in the 1913 publication published by the Marion Board of Trades called “Marion, Opportunity City.” In this publication, Louis was listed as a Director for the Board of Trade.
Louis died of tuberculosis on July 16, 1916 at a sanitarium in Asheville, NC where he had spent the last 3 months of his life. He is survived by his wife Winifred and his daughter Mary Borton 7 and son Baker 5. He was also survived by Mrs. O.W. Henderson of Springfield and Baker Borton, member of the American Baseball league. Louis was an active member of the Marion Elks Lodge and the Catholic Church. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery.
After Louis died, his wife Winifred moved to Chicago. She then moved in 1929 to Tulsa, Oklahoma to work for the county welfare department and was later employed as secretary to the County Commission. At the time of her death she was employed at the county engineer’s office. She was formerly a member of the Tulsa Business and Professional Woman’s Club. She was survived by a son William B. Borton and daughter Miss Mary Borton of Tulsa and Winifred’s sister, Mrs. Jennie Pendergast of Tulsa. Interment was in Calvary Cemetery in Tulsa.
Notes on Children:
Mary F. Borton, born 1910
William Baker Borton II, 19111-1981
(Sources: Federal census records, Marion street directories, FindaGrave.com, Marion, Opportunity City, Carbondale Free Press and Tulsa World newspapers, Illinois marriages, N. Carolina death records. Compiled by Sam Lattuca 3/15/2024)