FRIDAY FAMILY MYSTERY - Israel Harris

 The oldest family documents in my possession consist of the two Harris Family Bibles, five Pierce's Memorandum Account Books dated from 1884-1901, and an August 18, 1885 bill of sale for Henry Harris from Max Priebatsch's store in Brookhaven. These items are old, fragile and with every air exposure slowly disintegrating.  I keep them stored in a water and fire proof box and have decided not to bring them back out again.  The last time they were on display was at the Harris-Smith Reunion in Aurora, IL in 2012.  However, I have taken pictures and copied as much readable information as I could that would be vital to my continuing research.

FROM THE HARRIS FAMILY HISTORY ARCHIVES

My father, A. J. Harris revealed the existence of the centerpieces of the documents (The Harris Family Bibles) while I was conducting an interview with him in 1980.  This interview was a college assignment otherwise I'm not sure when we would have had the discussion. The oldest of these is pictured above, and is kept in an old gunny sack.  His father, Jacob must have passed it down to him and after A.J.'s death, it was given to me.  I will do the same to a willing and worthy relative, when the time is right.

Here are more views of the Harris Family Bible and some of the entries:

BIRTHS: Henry Harris (1810); Laura Matilda Harris (February 1843); Israel Harris (1863); William W. Harris (April 8, 1865); Nicey E. Harris (December 6, 1870); Henrietta Harris (Aug 8, 1877); Abbey Harris (March 13th 1879); Willey Graham (April 8, 1867); Stanhope Harris (Feb. 7, 1877); Jacob Harris (August 13th 1872); Ora Lee Harris (September 14, 1883); A.J. Harris (August 18, 1908); Abbey Harris (October 30, 1909)

DEATHS: Henry Harris (March 3, 1886); Laura M. Harris (March 18, 1911); Ora Lee Nelson (Sunday, May 13, 1918?); Henrietta Bates (January 20, 1926; Abbee Markham (August 13, 1926)

I have accounted for the relationships of all of these entries except two: William W. Harris and our mystery person for today, Israel Harris.  Daddy A.J. explained that his father rarely mentioned his own father, Henry and thought Israel may have been Henry’s brother but was unsure. No one else had even heard the name. If I was to find more about Israel, I had only a few clues to guide me. 

  I found Henry and Matilda on the 1870 Federal census for Lincoln County Mississippi.  The birth date given in the census and the one in the family bible matched.  That was good.  The census however, had Henry's last name as Harrison, not Harris. This is not unusual. So soon out of slavery, black people were eager for a new identity.  Many shed the last names of their slave holders and now that they had a choice would experiment.  At one point when researching Civil War information for Henry Harris, a record came back designating him as Henry Davis!

The census also told me that Henry was born in North Carolina as was both his parents.  Henry and possibly his brother was apparently sold or brought to Mississippi.  This was a new clue and so I searched the 1870 and 1880 Mississippi census records for every Israel Harris I could find, looking for a North Carolina connection.  Birth dates recorded anywhere except property records are unreliable so the family bible's information wasn't a lot of help. 

I found an Israel Harris in LeFlore, Mississippi born in 1868 but both parents were listed as being born in Mississippi, not North Carolina.  Several others were white.  I did find an Israel Harris in the 1880 North Carolina census.  He was 52 years old with a wife and family. This means he was born in 1828.  This made him 35 years younger than the bible date, so maybe Israel was not a brother to Henry but a son from a slave marriage.  Another Israel Harris in the 1900 census near Brookhaven, was born in 1850.  That's a little closer to the bible date but again he states his parents were born in Mississippi not North Carolina.  I did find interesting, that this Israel had one son listed and his name was Henry. 

All these variations, twists and turns are what makes family research both a joy and a pain.  The good thing is that every once in awhile you get a hit and there's nothing like it. Linda Rudd, our genealogist cousin in Jackson once told me that in researching family, those that want to be found will speak to you!  She wasn't being spooky, just explaining that if you do this long enough you begin to feel a supernatural connection with your ancestors and I have found that to be so.  I'm hoping one day while poring over some new or reviewing old information, Israel will reveal himself.  Until then, I'll keep both my eyes and ears open!

TODAY'S FAMILY BLOG QUESTION: In what year were slaves first recorded by name on the U.S. Federal Census? In previous accountings where were they most likely found?

Love to All,

Your Family Griot - Carolyn Harris Betts

THROWBACK THURSDAY - One Ringy Dingy, Two Ringy Dingy...

While most of the tech world is getting excited about the availability of 5G connections, I'd like to pay homage to a classic from my past--the humble rotary telephone.  Having one in your home was a big deal when I was growing up. It wasn't so much the luxury of it that got Mama Josie to get one,  it was because my older siblings living out of town insisted upon it.

Of course we didn't have a private line at first.  As I recall, we had a party line and later upgraded.  For you young folks, that's when you shared a line with another person.  I think we shared one with Miss Nettie Parker, the blind lady down the street. If it was in use, you could actually pick up the phone and hear other people talking.  So you politely hung up and waited until they hung up to place your call. Unless, of course you were nosey!

Our telephone on Brooklyn Street was on a table by the front door.  It was unusual for the time because it was a two-toned color (black and red).  I can't remember seeing another one like it.  I often wondered if Mama chose that combo because she liked the color or because it was cheaper and less popular than the others.  In some homes, telephones sat on a special table with a seat attached to it like the picture below.  The space beneath was for the telephone books (another blast from the past).

 Neighbors were kind enough to let you use their phone if you didn't have one, as long as it wasn't long-distance. You would get charged extra on your bill.  Most of the time, they were considerate enough to keep it local and for emergencies only.  I do remember one exception. A mentally unstable neighbor of ours, we called him Radio, asked to use our phone one day. All was fine until he told the operator to put him through to the President in Washington, D.C.  Mama quickly showed him to the door! 

That's another thing.  For long distance or collect calls (calls that were paid for on the receiving end) you had to go through an operator.  Back then you could actually dial "0" and talk to a real person not a recording to get help with emergencies, directory assistance, or placing collect calls. Our telephone service was provided by Southwestern Bell Company. I think A.T. &T, acquired it many years back.

CHEATING MA BELL!

As teens, we did not have the convenience of a cell phone to make calls if you were away from home.  If you needed to place a call you went to the nearest neighbor's house, a store with a pay phone, or popped into a telephone booth to drop in your coins.  Look at this picture. When was the last time you used one of these bad boys?  

Teens, telephones, and taking short cuts!  Not a lot has changed. Hubby Gary  and I often laugh about how he would walk me home from a Currin's cafe date (a local teen hangout) and then check back in to say a final good night. 

There was a pay phone booth like this one on a corner near his house and before he headed in, he would put in a quarter, let it ring three times and then hang up and get his money back.  That was my signal to call him back at the telephone booth's number which I had conveniently memorized.  We could then talk free and privately a few minutes longer. 

But don't throw shade on teenagers!  This next one adults used quite often.  Say you returned home from an out of town visit with relatives.  You couldn't text and let them know you made it home safely.  But you could make a collect call and ask for "yourself."  Whoever answered would decline the call but would stay on the line. The relative would then hear the operator say something like, "sorry the person you called is not there." You would say "thank you" and hang up. If your relative knew your voice then it was evident that all was well and you made it home safely!

"HARRIS GROCERY, MAY I HELP YOU?"

Harris Grocery, our family store has had a telephone for as long as I can remember. The older siblings could probably tell you what the number was at the time.  There was a desk phone in the back of the store where Daddy's office was but if customers needed to use one, a wall pay telephone was available.  At the Locust street address, it  hung on the wall beside the coke machine and big picture window at the entrance of the store. We didn't have an extension close to the cash register so anybody working the front of the store would have to answer this one if it rang.  Like today, folks would call to see if a certain item was in stock or if a friend or relative was there. And if business was slow, you could even talk to Daddy for a few minutes and say hello. 

We've been blessed with the wonders and convenience of modern technology.  Things we do with a smart phone today seemed like something from the Jetsons cartoon when I was growing up.  Who would believe that one day you would be able to actually see the person you're talking to.  Take pictures and send them to another. Buy almost anything--even a car. Find a date and even go to church....all by telephone. 

 I'll let you reflect on the little bit I've shared in this post and then let you decide.  Were we better off then or now?  One more thing:  I just had to show you what that telephone on Brooklyn Street looked like.  Wasn't it neat! George, Alfred and I had some fond memories of that phone.  It brought good news, sad news, and even bad news.  But it did let us know that somewhere somebody was thinking about us!

TODAY'S FAMILY BLOG QUESTIONS:  

What was the nickname for the one-piece telephone and telephone book chair shown in the picture above? What was the telephone number for Mama Josie's Brooklyn Street home in Charleston, Mo?  

HINT:

It started with MU 3-

Love to All,

Your Family Griot - Carolyn Harris Betts

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - Well Maybe Just A Few!

 

This picture popped up on the A.J. Harris Family Facebook Page awhile back and no one was able to identify this jazzy relative.  The image is poor because it was reproduced from a tin type, an early photographic process created on metal and coated with a dark lacquer.

I came across it in Daddy A.J.'s photo album after convincing him to allow me to label some unfamiliar faces in it.  This was the first time I had seen a picture of  great aunt Luella Markham Harris.  It was probably taken in the early to mid-1900s dressed since she is quite fashionable for the time with a cinched waist blouse, flowing skirt, and ostentatious hat.  Luella was the wife of great uncle, Stanhope Harris.

 (Stanhope, isn't that an interesting name?  Historically it means a light open horse-drawn carriage for one person, with two or four wheels. This sidebar will become more interesting in light of other information about Uncle Stanhope.) 

Uncle Stanhope was the older brother of grandfather, Jacob Charles Harris.  He was born in 1877 in Mississippi and was one of three sons of great grandfather, Henry Harris and great grandmother, Laura Matilda Hilson.  Uncle Stanhope was nine years older than Aunt Luella born in 1886.  They married in Mississippi in 1901 and was found living in Jackson, MS according to his WWI draft registration card.  They had two daughters, Josie May and Estella.

Unfortunately, we do not have a picture of Uncle Stanhope but I have learned a bit about him and his family from the Federal Census, other records, and collaboration with a distant cousin, Linda Rudd, a genealogist and related to Luella.  Linda and census records confirm that the Harris and Markham family had been connected previously through another marriage.  Stanhope's older sister, Abbey Harris, a couple of years earlier had married Luella's brother, John Markham.  Talking about All in the Family!

Nevertheless, by the 1920s Uncle Stanhope and Luella moved to Chicago and as far as I know both died there. Following the census records and filling in a few gaps, I believe that in the beginning Josie May and Estella did not accompany them north but stayed in Jackson with Luella's mom, Sally Markham.  I found them on the 1920 census living with grandmother Markham.  Stanhope and Luella were found as roomers on the Southside of Chicago. They no doubt needed time to establish work and a home before bringing their children up north.

Later, the entire family would be together: Stanhope, Luella, Josie May, Estella and Grandma Sally.  I know this because Sally died in Chicago in 1929 and Uncle Stanhope provided the information for her death certificate.  The family was cared for by Uncle Stanhope and Aunt Luella.  Luella probably did domestic work from time to time but on the 1930 census, Stanhope's occupation was listed as servant in a private household. Their address was 109 St. Lawrence, near E. 50th Street.

Now Stanhope's occupation could mean a couple of things in thriving Chicago.  He might have served in a butler like position or as a personal chauffeur.  (Remember, Sidney Poitier's role in the movie, Raisin in the Sun also set in Chicago?) I'm leaning toward driver or chauffeur.  After all he was named after a vehicle. 

In tracing Uncle Stanhope's work history I found that although he helped his mother do farm work when young; he preferred other jobs.  In fact, his first appearance on the federal census was in 1880 and he was not with his farming parents, Henry and Matilda.  Stanhope was four years old and designated as the son of H. Harris living in the household of local white Justice of Peace, Benjamin F. Youngblood. 

Benjamin Youngblood had a wife and six children.  Why Stanhope was there I do not know.  Was he a playmate for one of the children or a tiny servant?  The Youngbloods were a family of ministers but they did come from a slaveholding family.  Some paternalistic affection for blacks might have still lingered.   My point is that Stanhope was very familiar with serving white people and probably so from a young age. 

I haven't documented Luella's date of death.  I know she was alive in Chicago during the 1940s from references to her in a letter from Aunt Abbey Harris Smith.  However, on the 1940 census she stated she was divorced.  When  Papa Jake Harris died in 1948, his obituary said that Stanhope was still in Chicago. I confirmed recently that he died January 16, 1953. 

The title of this post is called Wordless Wednesday, the phrase signifies that some pictures can tell an awesome story with little or no words.  This picture of great aunt, Luella Markham certainly did! And probably even more to tell! Let me know if you'd like to help me find out the rest of the story!

TODAY'S FAMILY BLOG QUESTION: Luella and Stanhope were part of the Great Migration of Negroes (1915-1940) moving north from the south. What year did little brother Jacob C. Harris migrate to Charleston (Mississippi County) Mo? 

LAST BLOG FAMILY QUESTION: How many times was maternal grandfather, Harry Kees married?  Name a wife.

ANSWER: As far as can be documented, Harry Kees was  married three times, but there is a possibility of four.  One I recently discovered was Eliza Houston who would have been his first wife. He married her in September of 1907. He married Amanda Ferdinand (my maternal grandmother, August 1911; and Audrey Kelly (Aunt Carrie's mother) around 1920 or 1921. Minerva Roundtree was rumored to be the third and of the fourth I have no proof.

Love to All,

Your Family Griot - Carolyn Harris Betts

TICKLE ME TUESDAY: "Who the Heck is Bob?!!"

 

The infamous Uncle Bob Harris was an ageless prankster of ambiguous gender.  He is generally referred to in the masculine gender, though in fact, he was neither male nor female.  He was born on an undisclosed date in an undetermined century.  Neither of his parents came from the near-by groves, thus, he was said to be "treeless" - without clear genealogical roots.

Presumably, Bob had a garden variety germination period in some humdrum southern town.  He attended the School of Hard Knots where he was a lack luster "player" known only by the nickname that followed him throughout his life, "Bob."  Bob matriculated from SOHK (pronounced "suck'e) at a time that has not yet been determined.

Shortly after graduating, he married his SOHK (School of Hard Knots) sweetheart.  Though she was the senior prom queen for three years running, she had no name and, therefore, cannot be further identified.  Because she loved Bob so, and because she didn't care whether Bob was a male or female, and because she had no name of her own, she took the name "boB."  Together, they had countless little "bobs." (This account is subject to verification when the time capsule is recovered.)

Their many children, the eldest of whom was BOB, all married and begat many little grandbobs of their own.  That tradition of siring large families repeated itself down through the generations, thus explaining the propensity for large families among the Harrises.  All the descendants of Bob and bOB are well known because they are the ones who, otherwise would have no place on the family tree. (To date, it is not clear exactly how Bob and his offspring got into our family tree, but is well known that they first revealed themselves to Duncan Smith.)

Through the years, Bob and bOB lived with zest (excluding a few years with Dial and Ivory).  Together they shared many exciting adventures: "Mo Mischief" was their motto.  They were well known throughout the region for their antics and were legendary to peace officers and lawyers from the Mississippi Delta to the Bootheel of Missouri.  So well known were they for their pranks that still, they are frequently credited (meaning accused) with otherwise unsolvable violations of law and etiquette - hence the expression "Bob did it!"  Bob enjoyed his notoriety so much, that he is said to be the single biggest contributor to mischief and confusion, even to this day.  One of his favorite pranks was to misappropriate someone else's fishing tackle and manufacture evidence implicating Alfred Harris, Sr.  In the future, therefore when it comes to missing fishing gear, you can be fairly certain that, "Bob did it!

NOTE:  It is with sincere gratitude that we acknowledge the contribution of Duncan T. Smith, Esq. in projecting Bob and boB into our current memory and our exclusive family tree.  

Duncan is the son of the late Mildred P. Harris Smith and the late Woodrow Smith, Sr.   Sadly, Duncan passed away October 1, 2015, living eternally in heaven and in the antics of Bob Harris!

This account of the life and times of Uncle Bob Harris is an unauthorized biography by Alfred Harris, Sr. drafted in 2001 (approximately) and amended in 2011.  Now WHO do YOU think is the REAL Bob Harris?

TODAY'S FAMILY BLOG QUESTION: How many times was material grandfather, Harry Kees married?  Name a wife!

 

LAST BLOG FAMILY QUESTION: Who named George W.C. Harris after the famous scientist, George Washington Carver? What was his association to our family? 

ANSWER: Dr. Wallace Fingal, of Guyana, South America  thought George Carver was one the greatest black men of his time. Dr. Fingal was the Harris family physician and delivered Jeanette, George, and Alfred. He was poached from larger cities in Missouri to open a practice in small town Charleston by Papa, Jacob Harris.  Papa Jake provided lodging and office space for him in one of his buildings.

Love to All, 

Your Family Griot - Carolyn Harris Betts

Don't forget to invite other family and interested friends to subscribe.  Scroll down past comments and click home page. To the right you will see: Follow by email.  Plug in your email and you'll get a confirmation. Be sure to check your spam/junk mail if you don't see it right away!

REMEMBERING MONDAY - Pearl Harbor Day -Anchors Away! ⚓

 THIS DAY IN BLACK HISTORY

Doris "Dorie" Miller was an American Sailor in the United States Navy.  He manned anti-aircraft guns during the attack on Pearl Harbor (Hawaii) on December 7, 1941, for which he had no training, and tended to the wounded. His rank at time of service was Cook, first class.  He was recognized by the Navy for his actions and awarded the Navy Cross.  The first black American to be awarded such.  The Knox-class frigate USS Miller, in service from 1973-1991 was named after Doris Miller.  On January 19, 2020, the Navy announced that the CVN-81 would be named after him, A Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier scheduled to be laid down in 2023 and launched in 2028. (Source: Wikipedia)

 THIS DAY IN FAMILY HISTORY

George Washington Carver Harris was an American Sailor in the United States Navy also.  After his 1964 Lincoln High School graduation, He and two other Charleston young men joined the Naval Reserves making trips to Cape Girardeau, Mo (35 miles away) for studies and then boot camp training most likely in Great Lakes, Illinois.  After graduation and two years active duty he was honorably discharged and moved to Chicago. Family, sorry I don't know his rank or his career path while in the Navy.  If any of you do, please share.  

There are two other Navy servicemen and one service woman in the family.  Nancy Crider (still serving and stationed on an airfare carrier as we speak) is the daughter of Larry and Clareon Crider; first cousin Ernest H. Bowles, Sr. frail but still living near Memphis in Millington and Uncle Rayford Hudson (?-1987), husband of Ellen Harris Hudson.

Okay, time to spill the tea about Ernest!  Most of us thought that paternal grandfather, Jake Harris only had two children: A.J. and Abbey.  Apparently he also had another daughter, Estelle Harris Smith (1903-1995) with Susan Webb in McComb, MS.  Ernest is her son.  Here's a picture of Ernest with Jeanette circa 1960s.  I remember him slightly from early years but Alfred still has contact with his family.

A favorite brother-in-law/uncle Rayford Hudson, served during the time of Dorie's heroic feat. His son,  Arthur is searching albums for an iconic picture of Ray in his Buster Brown uniform (Arthur's words not mine) but I don't have it for this post.  I'll share when it surfaces.  Arthur did say, that like Dorie, Ray was staff cook and had some contact with the Japanese.  "When the United States entered World War II in December 1941, the Navy's African -American sailors had been limited to serving as Mess Attendants for nearly two decades.  However, the pressures of wartime on manpower resources, the good examples of heroes like Doris Miller, the willingness of thousands of patriotic men to participate in the war effort plus well-focused political activities gradually forced changes."  Click and read more about their experiences below:

WW2 Black Navy History

There is a philosophy recognized as small world phenomenon that became popular in the early 21st century.  It was called Six Degrees of Separation.  The idea was that all people on average are six or fewer social connections away from each other.  In other words, you can connect any two people in a maximum of six steps.  If this is true then the career path narratives of Dorie and Ray as WWII veterans; George as a Vietnam War navy veteran and Nancy's current career could still cross through research by subsequent generations. 

Today, is remembered as Pearl Harbor Day or National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day! I'm sure you'll come across a celebration or two in the media.  But while you're watching and Old Glory makes its appearance think of your family members who have served, and are serving currently to defend our nation's democracy!  Also, if you haven't seen the movie, Men of Honor, starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. in awhile, check it out. It too will give you a deeper look into our family's naval history. 

TODAY'S FAMILY BLOG QUOTE AND QUESTION?

Who named George W.C. Harris after the famous scientist, George Washington Carver? What was his association to our family?

LAST BLOG FAMILY QUESTION: 

What is the background of this 1950's quote: "The Cat Came back and So will You?"

ANSWER: This quote was printed on a promotional item for a 1950s Harris Grocery and Market calendar.  It was distributed to faithful customers to advertise the family store and remind them to shop again. We don't know how long it was used. 

 Love to All, 

Your Family Griot - Carolyn Harris Betts

**I will be posting every day this week to get you up to speed and remind you to invite other family members to subscribe.  Afterwards, I will only be posting once a month!  Remember to use the comments section to give feedback!  I need all the encouragement I can get!!! 

WELCOME TO THE HARRIS, RICHARDSON, AND ALLIED FAMILIES HISTORY BLOG!

It All Began With This Book! 

Remember the Harris Family Reunion, November 28, 1980 in Chicago? Friday night's gathering was at big sister, Mildred's house and Saturday at Mary's.  Basement parties were the bomb back in the day and we wore both of them out that weekend!

After all the great food, fun, and catching up with kinfolk, a copy of my research was given to each of my siblings: Sam, Mildred, Mary, Jacob, Ellen, Jeanette, George, and Alfred.  I called it Black Seeds because it was my first attempt to write a family historical and I was hoping to discover more.  And Boy did I!!

It's 40 years later and I'm still untangling roots and making discoveries, not only about our family but Black American History (things you won't learn from school textbooks).  And guess what?  We've got a family story to correspond at every juncture!

Along the way, I became a little more adept in my research. I joined IAAGG, a local genealogy  support group and began to attend workshops and conferences to hone my meager skills.  I plugged into Family Search, MyHeritage and subscribed to Ancestry.com.  Alfred and I even took a DNA test.  

 I'm still looking for someone to catch the fever (I know you're out there!) to help pass down our history  to future generations. Hopefully, this blog will whet your appetite!  Maybe another family reunion will do it!!  The one in 2012 gave me a bit of a push after a hiatus of a few years!   

A HARDBACK COPY- NEW AND IMPROVED!

July 2011,  Mary transitioned earth and left me matriarch of the Harris, Kees, Smith family.  Last year,  Jacob passed the title of patriarch to Alfred and now we are the surviving children of Alfred Jacob Harris and Josie Mae Kees Harris, your fore parents.

At the 2012 Harris-Smith Family Reunion in Aurora, IL,  the eldest child of each of our remaining siblings were given an updated copy of the family history.  Co-written with me and taken from a quote by Alfred, it was entitled:  A History to Write...A Future to Live.  Hastily compiled with less than perfect editing we made the deadline for the reunion, but even before the ink dried, more discoveries were being made.  Eight years later, it is in real need of a revision.  

From our Thanksgiving family Zoom Call, I see there's still a bit of interest.  I have no more copies of the book and I don't plan to do another.  But I'm passionate that you  know your family history.   This blog is my  humble offering.  I will post interesting highlights from what has already been recorded and keep you updated on new discoveries.  

You can subscribe to this blog and receive it free by email whenever I post.  But you need to plug in your email address in the space to the right of this post: Follow by email. You will get an invitation to join from Feedburner - check your junk mail if you don't see it to complete your subscription.  It will ask you to confirm you want to subscribe and verify you're not a robot (I know for some this may be a bit of a problem! 😆) 

I've got a lot to share from our Mississippi, Missouri, and Military history: two civil war veterans, three slave owner families, a family member cited in various historical  including a museum regarding KKK violence, and just quirky, family stuff!  This is your history - read it!  If you have some you'd like to pass on - share it!  Pictures, can be posted here or on our Family Facebook Page.  

Contact me with questions and if any of my Sister Nieces are interested in a blog I post regarding spiritual matters, subscribe to my other post entitled: Seriously, Can we Talk?  (You can read a sampling: alittlewiser63@blogspot.com  or just google)  Would love to read your comments on either of these postings!!!

A HARRIS FAMILY QUOTE and QUESTION:

What is the background of this 1950's quote:  "The Cat Came back and So will You?"

Love to All, 

Your Family Griot - Carolyn Harris Betts