Elmer Morgan Harris
Greenfield, Davidson, Bulmer ties
Jacob Pugh documentation/speculation
Elmer Morgan Harris was born on the 25th of September, 1868 "near Dresden Iowa", in Chickasaw county Iowa (southeast of Mason city) to Thomas Calvin Harris and Louisa M. (Bennett) Harris. He had a brother named George Orley Harris, born on the 5th of March, 1871, also in Dresden. For some time the existence and location of "Dresden" Iowa was in doubt. Looking through the 1870 Chickasaw county Iowa census, one does indeed find a small town called Dresden. Unfortunately, no Harris families are listed in Dresden in 1870, rather the family was listed in Deep River Township, as in the image below. It is interesting that in this letter regarding Harris's in 1870 Iowa our Thomas' family is not mentioned.
Louise Bennet was a sister to William Bennet of Cambridge Nebraska, from whom George Harris was to learn the Blacksmith trade. Part1 Part2
According to her
death certificate, Louisa was born on the 19th of April, 1850 in
"Medina, Ohio" to Moses Bennet (who, in turn was born early in the 19th century
in New York). She and Thomas Harris were married in the winter of 1867. Thomas
Harris also was born in Ohio, and the marriage took place there as suggested by
evidence and subsequently proved by the marriage certificate (below) shared by
cousin Brenda Hare.
Looking through the 1860 and 1870 Ohio census returns, there are several Thomas Harris' that cannot be conclusively ruled out as father of Elmer Morgan Harris either because of previous wives or being Mulatto. But only one has a brother named E Morgan Harris in the 1860 census. The date fits and the brother's name seems very powerful evidence. This man lived in and was presumably born in Licking County Ohio since his family has a long history there, as we will see.
The Licking County, Ohio Genealogical Society pre-1808 transcribed land record index, printed in 1988, has an entry for Hananiah Pugh purchasing a lot in Newark on 1 Jan 1807; Evan Pugh, lot in Newark 5 March, 1806; and Jesse Harris lot in Newark 11 March, 1806. There is a Jesse in the 1816 listings below.
--- 1810 & 1816 Newton Township, Licking County Tax lists. Note Pugh relative in 1810 tax list in Licking township (in addition to the Evan Pugh in the 1820 Newton township listing it adds to the Pugh/Harris connections), and Ephriam (Ephraim, most likely) AND William Harris in 1816 list. I wonder if at least some of the area which became Burlington township was Newton territory in these tax lists, a suggestion which seems stronger due to the presence of Exra (Ezra) Mead (in 1816's Granville listings) and Samuel and Robert Hunter, and Dunlap, Conard, Kirkland, Haines, Conner, Butcher, and Bear surnames not far from Ephraim's 1816 listing. In 1820, the other Harris' are still in Newton township. Obviously the townships morphed and not all of these families moved... Is this Ephraim William Harris's entry to Ohio? Is this his son Elsey's first land? Neither description fits the land maps above. Amplifying info mailed for on 25 Aug 07! Follow-up email to volunteer LCGS staff (staff sent additional pages, per long-delayed request, which were not scanned because they were from Bowling Green or Franklin townships and likely not "our" Harris family).
1816 Newton Township tax record - pg25
1826 Burlington township tax lists pg 124 pg 130
1834 Burlington township tax lists pg 184A pg 184B pg 194A pg 194B
text file of these tax returns for possible future use
I believe these to be the Burlington township, Licking County, Ohio federal census records of 1830 1840 1850 A B 1860 and 1870 of Thomas C Harris, his father Ebzeg/Ebza/Elsey Harris, and Thomas' grandfather William Harris - found at Ancestry.com. The name E Morgan Harris in the 1860 return, and Elsey Harris similarity to our Elmer's 1903 "Ebza" marriage record below (especially with the handwriting) seems quite compelling. No records, to date, match this pattern. Note Hannah Harris, William's wife, was born in 1776 (a probable source of pride based on accuracy of census ages) and lived to over 94 years old! FTM CD-Roms 175, 177, 400, 528, and 621consulted with no known references to this Harris family in Licking County Ohio 6 Feb '06. Ephraim Harris in 1820 Burlington township, Licking County, Ohio federal census may in fact be William Ephraim Harris (the William Harris of the next couple decades' census returns). The children seem to fit what little we know. Additionally, similarities of two Ezra Mead(e) families, George, Robert, and Samuel Hunter, Wait Wright, Stephen Clayton, John(nathan) Clayton, and Hopkins names in both the 1820 and 1830 Burlington township, Licking County, Ohio census returns, in close proximity to both the 1820 return of Ephraim Harris, and the 1830 return of William Harris make it very compelling that this was the same man, William Ephraim Harris. There is, however, an Ephraim Harris in Madison township in the 1830, & 1840 census (probably the same as the one in the Hanover township, 1850 census). I believe this Ephraim to the south is different than our William Ephraim Harris, and it would seem that the licking County history would seem to confirm this. The relevant portion is here under Pugh data
Elza B Harris in 1850 Burlington Township Licking County Ohio Agricultural census pt2
Elza Harris in 1860 Burlington Township Licking County Ohio Agricultural census pt2
Listing of Harris cemetery plots in Licking County Ohio
Are the Jesse and Margaret listed in the cemetery page our William Ephraim's parents?
Burlington Township, Licking County Ohio map 1847 1854 1866 1875
August 1844 administration of William Harris estate tying Elza P Harris to William
Thomas C Harris & Louisa Bennett Marriage certificate
Thomas Harris 1870 Deep River Township, Poweshiek County Iowa Federal Census - page 258b, bottom of page, this image is combined with top portion of census and is misleading as to Tom's location on page.
Thomas Harris 1870 Deep River Township, Poweshiek County Iowa agricultural Census pt2 ("other" Thomas Harris in Deep River in 1870, not "ours")
Elfrida Margaret Greenfield was in upstate NY for Christmas of 1887 with relatives
List of one dozen Potential Thomas C Harris "suspects" in 1880 federal census relatively prioritized by likelihood - age + - 10 years born in Ohio
Joel Harris, possible relative to Thomas C Harris - from an 1880 history of Deep River township, Poweshiek County Iowa. Not a brother as previously thought.
Iowa counties map - to show possible travel patterns
Elmer Morgan Harris ("Martin" in census) with mother Eliza (Louisa Bennett) Harris and brother [George] Orley in 1880 Cerro Gordo County Iowa federal census pt1 pt2 heading It appears as if she is living with the family of her employer.
Sydney E Page (future father-in-law to Elmer Morgan Harris) in 1880 Cerro Gordo co Iowa federal census pt1 pt2 heading
Sydney E Page (father-in-law with Elmer Morgan Harris) in 1885 Cerro Gordo Co Iowa state federal census
Louisa (Bennett) Page with son George Orley Harris family in 1900 Vermillion city, Clay County, South Dakota federal census pt1 pt2
Where is Elmer in 1900?
Elmer married on the 25th of August 1903,
in Pueblo Colorado to Elfrida Margaret Greenfield, the day before her 28th
birthday. Perhaps planned as a birthday
present? According to surviving oral history of Elfrida, she was very
strong-willed and protective of her family. In later years she was very
selective in what she would tell of the family history as she knew it. She was
born on the 26th of August, 1875 in
Whitby, Yorkshire, England (a little over 80 miles to the northwest of
London). Her parents were Thomas
Greenfield (born in June of 1832), and
Margaret Anna Davidson (probably circa 1860 picture) (born Feb 16th, 1834).
She had 3 brothers, Walter (born 1867), James and Morris. Walter was to have 4
daughters (Margaret, Elfrida, Dorothy, and Florence, and one boy, Charles) with
his wife Myrtle. Our Elfrida must have thought that she had every right to be
haughty. Her step-grandfather, Joseph Bulmer, her grandmother's second husband,
who actually raised her mother, was descended from the Bulmer clan which had
been prominent in England since early in the twelfth century. On her father's
side, her ancestors probably witnessed the battle between John Paul Jones in his
French constructed Bonhomme Richard vs the British constructed Serapis
from the 23rd to the 25th of September 1779. It is highly possible that she had
ancestors on one of the 41 merchant ships or one of the several warships in the
area north of Spurn Head/Grimsby on the east coast of England who witnessed
Jones' victory. Most assuredly, her ancestors in the small fishing town of
Grimsby would have been among the victims of Jones had the wind been kind enough
to let him enter the estuary and harass the port. He had done it before in other
places along the British coast.
1900 census returns of the Humbert or Herbert Cook who performed the marriage
Elmer and his wife had their
first of three children on Tuesday, the 6th of June, 1905. According to the
birth certificate (strangely filed the 29th of August, 1939, when
"Morgan" was over 34 years old, and one wonders if this had anything to do with
preparations or repercussions of World War II, which was declared in Europe 2
days later), Herbert Morgan Harris was born to the couple in the town of
Montrose, in the county of Montrose, Colorado. The place of residence of the
parents is listed as Montrose. Elmer at that time was owner and proprietor of a
"notion store" (according to the dictionary, a notion store sold small items for
household and clothing use such as buttons, needles, thread, and ribbons), a
task he had been doing since sometime in 1902. Elizabeth Louise Harris was born
on the 14th of December, 1907 in Seattle, King county Washington. Three years
later, on the 4th of September in 1910,
Linden Lester Harris was born. A search of the 1910 King county census
records has proved so far useless in the locating of this family. UPDATE! March
2003 FTM search located
the 1910 census returns! And Margaret Greenfield is with them as a widow,
which means Thomas Greenfield died between 1900 and 1910.
Sometime in 1912, according to
Elmer's death certificate (link to info on it)
(he was to die on the 14th of April, 1939), Elmer brought his family to
California. In Malibu township, Los Angeles California, on the 6th day of
January 1920, we find Elmer and his family living on Sawtelle Blvd. Margaret
Greenfield is living with them. Margaret was to live with Elmer's family until
her death on March 14th, 1924 of apoplexy and hypertension.
The 1920 census reveals that she had come over with her family from
England in 1878, and had been naturalized in 1880. Likely, Elfrida did not even
remember England, she was only 3 years old when they left. Margaret's death
certificate reveals that she too had arrived in California in 1912, and one
wonders whether she came to California with Elmer's family or whether her
husband Thomas was still alive and made the journey with her.
According to the oral history furnished by a niece or nephew of "aunt Elfrida Harris" (a child of George Orley Harris?) but originally from Elfrida, Louisa (Bennet) Harris married a second time after Thomas' death to become Mrs. Paige. She and her new husband had a child, Myrl Paige, who had died by the time of the research (probably middle 1960's). Louisa then married a third time to George Chambers. Mr. Chambers died sometime between 1920 and 1925, and she lived with Elmer's family from her 3rd husband's death until hers on the 12th of May, 1925 of pulmonary tuberculosis. She'd had problems with her heart since 1918, according to her death certificate filed with the state of California by Elmer Harris. He lived at 2624 108th street when this certificate was filed.
Westwood cemetery pictures - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 - no Chambers or Harris stones located Jan 2010 in section D lot 175 grave 8 (from this deed and this contract 2 purchased by E. M. Harris after his mother's death in 1925 - bolded represent where graves should have been according to this map 2 - From follow-up Email trail to Kathleen
Elmer and Elfrida Harris in the California Voter Registrations, 1900-1968 for Los Angeles County 1916 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 - Note Will and Ella Harris staying with Elmer and Elfrida in 1936 (about the same age since Will is also retired), in a different location in 1940. How are they related?
About this time, Elfrida did
something that she will forever be remembered for. Her son
Herbert Morgan Harris (Morgan for the rest of his life) Had married his
nurse/helper
Dorothy (Daisy) Marian Smith on the 29th of August, 1924. Morgan had been
afflicted with polio at an early age and Daisy had been hired to help him push
his wheelchair and otherwise to help care for him. Dorothy was a short dark
haired lady born on the 26th of September, 1906 in Spokane, (Spokane county
Washington). The details of what happened next are obviously painful for all who
know them and so are sketchy. Apparently Daisy was 1 1/2 months pregnant with
her son Hubert Kirmet Harris (who would go through life as Jack Kenneth
Leighton) when Daisy and Morgan were
married. Jack was
born on the 14th of April, 1925.
When Elfrida found out what had
happened to her son, she was furious. According to the oral history that does
leak out, she demanded that Morgan get an annulment. On the morning of Friday,
the 4th of September Daisy, holding her 5 month old child, stood next to her
husband and her mother-in-law Elfrida in the elevator of the district court to
apply for an annulment of the marriage. Elfrida did not even deign to look at
the young boy. She did not care a wit about what she was helping to bring about.
On the 28th of April, 1926, two weeks after Jack's first birthday,
Annulment #D 39500 was finalized. Morgan's lawyer was Wm. G. Bryce, Esq.
of Sawtelle Ca. Daisy's was E.E. Cuff, Esq of Los Angeles.
In Elfrida's defence, it was not all her fault. Morgan could very well have withstood the pressure of his overbearing mother and stayed with his new pretty young wife. Why then, did he leave? As Jean Leighton was doing her research in the late 50's and early 1960's, she obviously posed this question to Morgan and Dorothy. As she got both sides of the story, one thing became obvious. The two stories did not match. Morgan felt that Daisy had forced him to marry her, under threat of arrest, after planting him being the father of her child. He says that they did not live or cohabitate together after the marriage. He says that the marriage occurred on Sept 29th (The records of the county recorder show that Dorothy's recollection of August 29th are correct for the date of Marriage). Daisy told Jean that her and Morgan had lived together as man and wife for approximately 3 weeks, and that she had not forced Morgan to marry her.
Dorothy Holland in 1928 California voting records with "Nana" Frances Markey living on Miramonte street in Los Angeles
Dorothy Holland in 1930 California voting records with "Nana" Frances Markey living on Miramonte street in Los Angeles
Dorothy remarried several times. Jack (who was born Hubert Kirmet Harris) is found in the 1930 census with his mother and a lady who took them in when Dorothy's marriage to Bill Holland had ended. He is known at this time by the name Jack K Harris. Once Dorothy married Roland Leighton, this would change to Jack K Leighton. Jack has always maintained that he knew from day one that he was Morgan's child. No evidence at all has been found to discredit this fact. - Amplification on who the head of the house was
Jack certainly stands out physically among his half-brothers - Left to right Don, Dick, John, Jack, Jerry
Elmer Morgan Harris family in 1930 federal census
Map of 1930 home location
Morgan didn't remember the date of his marriage. In later years, Morgan's diary reveals that he felt guilty for his actions (yet not quite guilty enough to do much to change the situation). Daisy, in later years, is characterized by Jack Leighton as "tired, and beaten". Daisy had had rough "luck" with men for the rest of her life. Morgan, too, was troubled in his relationships for his whole life. It's possible that Elfrida Harris had much to do with pressuring her son to have the marriage annulled and that Daisy was the one wronged. It is unknown what Elmer's reaction to all of this was.
Dorothy (Smith) Harris - Holland - Leighton - Robbins tombstone and obituary
He died on the 14th of April,
1939 at 11am of Carcinoma of the prostrate. He had suffered this since 1937 and
started treatment on the 6th of December of that year. On the 24th of February,
1939, he had had an operation for cystostomy. He had a hemorrhage on the 12th of
April that probably led to his death. He died in the Mary Martin hospital in
West Los Angeles. He had been a building contractor since 1919, according to his
son Linden who filled out the death certificate. Elmer was cremated and buried
in Westwood crematory. He was 70 years old.
Elfrida was to live her life in
Los Angeles until she died on the 11th of August, 1969. Her
social security number was 546 32 4499.
Have seen a reference that her death cert ("Elfreda
G Harris" available online via $30.00 Ancestry/Rootsweb purchase)
(registrar # 33641 and state file # 101880) is on file in the state of
California, but haven't found it yet. A Search through the Los Angeles Times
newspaper
obituary section for 13 Aug, 1969, (part 2, page 4) reveals Elfrida's death
and interment at Westwood Village Mortuary (Kathleen
states she has found no record of Elfrida here, however). Nothing else
to humanize this lady was found, beyond the below on her education and career.
1624 Colby Avenue, where first Diary entry recorded in 1931
How to Make News and Influence People - by Morgan Harris and Patti Karp
Another incident (this one in 1950) of Morgan's influence on a fellow "seeker"
Record of Morgan's 1973 divorce
13 Aug 1982 Interview with Herbert Morgan Harris – from his personal papers. Interesting to compare the anecdote of his mother receiving an award for improvement in handwriting (because she was "such a poor writer at the beginning") with the fact that Elfrida was a school teacher in the 1900 census.
"Paper" discovered online probably written by Morgan - Originally at http://www.cooperativeindividualism.org/harris-morgan_on-henry-george-movement.html - but webpage no longer extant in March 2019.
Herbert Morgan Harris' death certificate
Herbert Morgan Harris' career highlights
Herbert Harris supported Anson Ford's political career and is listed on third image: 1 2 3
Herbert Morgan Harris' social security number application
Elfrida Margaret Greenfield's social security number application (filed as Elfrida Greenfield Harris)
Morgan's second wife Clare (Brown) Harris wrote chapter 4 in this book about her life with Morgan.
It is interesting to compare Morgan's early diary entries regarding his house, life, friends, and environment. These pictures of his house demonstrate that he created much of what he set out to accomplish with all of the above. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Newspaper submissions (Letters to the Editor, etc) from the Los Angeles Times Proquest Collection, everything from the Atlantic Union to Republican politics to Space spending and local water policies: 1948 * 1949 * 1951 * 1951 * 1959 * 1960 * 1969 * 1972 * 1977
George O Harris 1910 - 1930:
George Orley Harris family in 1920 Vermillion City, Clay County South Dakota federal census (near Chandler Boarding House which is listed in the heading) pt1 pt2 heading
George Orley Harris family in 1930 Vermillion City, Clay County South Dakota federal census
Jacob Pugh family documentation/speculation:
Excellent article giving more info on Hannah, wife of William Ephraim Harris! - The article states William Harris and his wife Hannah originally settled south of Burlington township somewhere on the river. Back to Licking County Harris data It seems noteworthy that the article does not mention Jacob Pugh's death during the war. Can download book from Google Here
--- Last lines of this marriage record give June 1803 date for Hardy County Virginia marriage of Hannah Pugh and William Harris. Note probable brother's marriage in April 1804! - LDS has 10 Jun 1804 marriage date for William and Hannah based on microfilmed marriage records from hardy County Clerk. It is difficult to know the reliability of the first source
--- Hardy County Tax list 1800 - are Jacob, Robert and Evan brothers? Are the latter two the same Robert and Evan who appear in the 1820 Burlington and Newton township, Licking County Ohio census returns, respectively? I believe the answer is yes, but this has not been proven.
--- This document has an 1801 case in which Jacob Pugh testifies to events 50 years previous, surely a sign of his age (search for Pugh).
--- LDS database has Jacob Pugh death date of 27 Sept 1777 in Foreman's defeat, but I believe the 1781(?) 1782 and 1784 Hampshire county Virginia returns are this man, they are indicative of large families, not quickly generated. I believe this November 6th, 1778 petition to award compensation for loss during the defeat does not prove that our Jacob Pugh died in this battle. Since I think the 1759 rent lists show him and his brother Jesse (who, thus, must have been of age), I believe he died after the 1786 list (by Fothergill), but that the 1800 list above might be his son Jacob. If this is so, he never saw his son or daughter's marriage. Jacob appears in 1782 listing of Levi Ashbrook (with whom Jacob witnessed both a 1765 and a 1779[A] action -- below); in 1784, he was in the listing of Stephen Ruddle. Possible evidence to support my theory from 1999 Posting on Genforum - Another posting - third posting - fourth posting
Land records showing that in 1788 there were two Jacob Pughs! Most likely a father (ours) and his son (a brother of our Hannah who married William Harris). 1788 - 2 Jacobs#1 1788 - 2 Jacobs#2 While a timeline could be created that would explain these two Jacobs to be unrelated to the Jacob who allegedly died in 1777, I believe this to be a useless exercise. I believe the preponderance of the evidence shows that our Jacob did not die in 1777, but perhaps as late as after the 1801 deposition. Map of Trout Run (Southwest of Wardensville, due West of Frederick co/Hardy County/Shenandoah County merger) Zoomed area where I believe Jacob had his land south of the Cacapon River Page of pictures of area
Two newsgroup postings on Early Pugh family - This extract of Evan Pugh diary entries and this searching for proof of Evan's ancestry
Is the Robert Ap Hugh in this Gwynedd map our Robert Pugh? Evans line - unknown accuracy
1751 Jacob Pugh * 1752 Evan Pugh Sr * 1752 Evan Pugh Jr. * 1788A 1788A-pt2 * 1789 reference to Jacob and son Jesse * 1796 A B - reference matches census neighbors
Not sure if "our Jacob": 1775 + 1782 + 1788a + 1788b 1799 reference to Sandy Ridge in the vicinity
Capon Valley. Its Pioneers and Their Descendants, 1698 to 1940. by Maud Pugh (from FTM CD-Rom # 520):
Cover - This source has some errors, but essentially supports the LDS lineage with the exception of the 1759 Jesse as a brother of Jacob, son of Evan and Mary Pugh. It does state Jacob's death at the ambush (although incorrectly identified as Grove Creek instead of Grave Creek), but does not give the evidence to support this; indeed, the number of men reported killed in the ambush is not consistent with other reports elsewhere, being inflated by 9 or 10 (depending upon sources). Image 48 from Capon source mentions a representative of Jacob Pugh. Perhaps he was simply unable to make the journey? More work remains to be done on this issue.
An interesting question is what is the relationship of our family to this Jacob Pugh who apparently signed this 5 January, 1778 Tory petition in notoriously anti -Tory Hampshire County Virginia?
Carl Harris ltr 1 Carl Harris ltr 2 Carl Harris ltr 3 Carl Harris ltr 4 Pictures of Carl and Kathleen Harris - taken 11/29/61 in Vermillion South Dakota.
Sources:
1) Nearly all data from this biography comes from the above mentioned death certificates, the 1920 census, notes taken by Jean Leighton (and passed down) of her research in these subjects, memories of Jack and Jean Leighton of these persons and Morgan Harris' diary, passed down within the family - if not specifically culled from some identified source above.
Thanks to Terry for the Marriage license for Morgan and Elfrida!!
