Life of Isaiah Harris
ISAIAH MORRIS HARRIS was born April 2, 1819. Like the older children he was given as good an education as the times afforded. He early displayed a religious turn and took an active part in all church affairs. He also developed good business qualities and because of this was later made administrator his father’s estate, handling it to the satisfaction of all concerned. On Jan. 26, 1839, he was united in marriage to Sarah Ann, daughter of James Wilkerson’s first marriage, and the couple went to housekeeping in a log cabin on the 200 acre farm given the husband by his father in Springhill neighborhood.
To his first marriage were born: Mary Jane, Andrew, Sarah Emlen, Susan Mariah, and James. Isaiah’s first wife died June 4, 1850, and on April 28, 1852, he married Nancy Jane Murrell. To this second union were born: Margaret Ann, Martha Narzetta, Samuel Murrell, and John Francis.
In the fall of 1855, in company with a cousin, Matthias Wysong, Isaiah made a trip over the west with the intention of filing a claim and making his home in the new country. They first visited Iowa, then went to Kansas, walking from what is now Kansas City to Council City, now Burlingame, Kansas. Twelve miles from Burlingame he found just the land he wanted, filed claim to it, and after living on it the first term required by law, returned to Ohio to move his family there. They left in April, 1856, taking with them a farm wagon and some household goods. From Cincinnati they went by steam boat to St. Louis, then to Kansas City. There he bought a yoke of oxen and loading his household goods and family into the wagon, started on the last lap of the journey to the new home, over 100 miles distant. As there were ten persons in all some had to walk most of the way.
They reached the claim May 18th, only to find that the best part of it had been "jumped" by the other two men who had gone with him first. In Isaiah’s absence the government survey had been made, throwing Isaiah’s claim into the middle of the section and in two different quarters. The claim jumpers insisted he could not hold both. After three years of litigation the lower courts decided against Isaiah, but the final authority, the Secretary of the Interior, held his claim legal and in 1861 gave him a clear title to it. Later he bought the adjoining lands making a total of 620 acres on which he spent the remainder of his life.
Isaiah was an ardent "Free State" supporter but being so far west took little part in the bloody struggle, known as the "Border Warfare." In the Civil War he was called on to help repel the invasion of Missouri by the rebel General Price, and nearly died as the result of exposure.
The family’s first home was a log cabin, 16 x 14 feet, with the bare earth for a floor, and the first winter the snow drifted in through the clap board roof and the chinks in the walls. Their first crop was "sod corn." A square of the prairie sod was cut out, 3 or 4 inches deep and three or four grains of corn planted. No cultivation much was needed and sometimes a fair crop was thus obtained. There was almost no market and no railroads till 1869. For some years their nearest neighbors lived 3 or 4 miles away. The Indians came back to hunt along the streams in winter but never troubled them. The family had to endure all the privations of western frontier life. Many others came and staked out claims which were often abandoned soon. Many of those who remained long enough to "prove up" on their claims also abandoned them later to return east where drouth and grasshoppers were not so common. But the Harris family stayed on, and eventually developed a spacious, comfortable home, noted for its hospitality; and the wide spreading, fertile, well cultivated fields and well kept live stock gave convincing evidence of the owner’s thrift.
After the husband and father had established his family in a comfortable home he yielded to what he had long felt a divine call, and in 1868 took out license as a local minister in the M. E. Church. During the years that followed, as long as physically able, he carried the gospel throughout all that section. He fell quietly asleep, Sept. 22, 1890.
Children of First Marriage
Following are the descendants of the first marriage:
I Mary Jane, Jan. 14, 1841. She married Edward B. Murrell, a younger brother of her father’s second wife. To them were born:
1 Emma N., who married J. Edgar Allen. They had a son, Pearl. The mother died at its birth, the son at the age of 8 months.
2 Thomas E., died an infant.
3 Zora L. She married J. G. Ingram and had a son, Clyde Murrell, Feb. 27, 1889. He married Maude Way, June 16, 1917. They have no children and live at Long Beach, Calif. After the death of her first husband Zora married Mr. J. B. Tubbs. They lived at Pismo Beach, Calif., where they maintained a very pleasant hospitable home till the husband’s death in 1934. The widow lives at Santa Maria, Calif.
4 Charles A. He married Cora Hunsaker and they have two sons: a Ralph E., m Etta; they have two children, 1’ Darwin, 2’ Dorothy. b Kenneth G., Aug. 23, 1900. He married Georgie Smith; they have a son, 1’ Donald Keith, June, 1930.
5 Addie, 6 Harry, 7 Fred. Addie and Harry died as infants, Fred at the age of 16.
8 Frank D. He married Katherine Trimble. A son died at birth.
II Andrew Wilkerson, May 21, 1842. As the oldest son he was of great help to the family in the hardships of pioneer life. He enlisted early in the Civil War, serving in Co. E. 8th K. V. I., and was in many of the hardest battles. He was discharged Apr. 21, 1865 and died July 30, same year, of tuberculosis contracted in the service.
III Sarah Emlen, Mar. 31, 1845. In 1866 she married H. C. Thompson and after rearing a large family died of tuberculosis. Following are the descendants:
1 Willis Andrew, May 2, 1868. Accidentally shot, and died Nov., 1885.
2 Miles Walter, Dec. 2, 1869 married Sarah E. Buchanan, Oct., 1891. He and his three living sons are ranchers and live in Murrieta, Calif. His children are: a Neville Raymond, Jan. 6, 1893. d June, 1894. b Neville Walter, Oct. 24, 1894. m Blanche Catt, Apr., 1913. Children, 1’ Mary Alifare, 1915. 2’ Clarissa May, 1915. 3’ Nelda, 1921. 4’ Raymond I., 1923. 5’ Janice Elaine, 1928. c June, June 19, 1898. m Geo. J. Andrew, July, 1921. They had no children but adopted Earnest James, Aug., 1928. d Willis Andrew, Aug., 1899. m Nellie Thorne, July, 1919. Children: 1’ Willis Andrew, 1920, 2’ Miles William, 1922, 3’ Marriam, 1923. 4’ Curtis Thorne, 1924. e Fay, Nov. 17, 1902. m Orville S. Pearce, Oct., 1927. Children: 1’ Delftha Athene, 1928. 2’ Sylvia Jeane, 1930. 3’ Adrian Elizabeth, 1932. f Max David, Aug. 21, 1906. m Mattie Knight, May, 1929. They have a son, Raymond K.
3 Clifford James, Dec. 2, 1871. m Alice Jennie Buchanan, Feb., 1897. They have a son, Arden Clifford, 1913.
4 Joseph Vance, March 8, 1873. m Edith Hind, Sept., 1894. Family: a Hazel Frances, Sept., 1895. m Otis Ross Hail. Children: 1’ Dorothy Irene, 1919. 2’ Ellen Kathleen, 1923. 3’ Martha Jane, 1925, died an infant. 4’ Clarence Harold, 1929. b Paul Henry, April, 1897. m Mary Cunins. Children: 1’ Douglas Paul. 2’ Virginia Ruth, 1931. c Orrie Frederick, Nov. 23, 1899. m Elizabeth Ball, 1930. d Ethel Florence, Nov. 7, 1901. m Rev. Irvin A. Engle, Sept., 1925. One child, 1’ Lavelle Francis, 1929. e Clarence George, June 24, 1905. d Sept. 10, 1905. f Rachel Mildred, Dec. 2, 1908. m Robert A. Woods, Nov., 1927. They have one son, 1’ Robert A., July, 1930. g Merle Vance, July 2, 1912. h Ellen Lucille, Aug., 1918.
5 Edith Narzetta, Apr. 17, 1875. m Albert Kimball Small, July, 1894. Children: a Erma Mabel, Apr., 1895. m Edwin Compton, now dead. They had a son, Harry Milton, 1915. b Eugene Lee, Aug. 15, 1897. Enlisted in U. S. Navy. Injured in convoy service on
U. S. Frederick, Feb., 1918. c _______ [ ed: there was no child 'c' in original book; could be a missing child, or simply an enumeration error ] d Albert Henry, Sept. 7, 1905. m Alice Rosamond Wreight, 1929. One child, Shirley Jeane, 1930. e Edward Thompson, Aug. 8, 1915.
6 Mable Edna, May 22, 1877. (dead) m Frank F. Irey, Oct., 1902 Children: a Leslie, 1903. m Louise, 1929. b Leona May, 1904. c Cecil R., 1907. m about 1925.
7 Harry Morris, Nov. 11, 1881. d Dec., 1921.
IV Susan Mariah, Nov. 23, 1846. Married Dillison Southerland Avery, Dec. 25, 1866. The wife died Jan. 17, 1899, the husband Dec. 19, 1922. They had one daughter, 1 Jennie Ray, Oct. 13, 1867. On Feb. 16, 1889, she married Arthur Palmer. One child was born, a Helen Ray, Feb. 21, 1890. The mother died Sept. 19, 1910. No further data as to Helen.
V James, Nov. 13, 1848. Though but seven years old when his father moved to Kansas the boy walked alongside the ox team from Kansas City, over 100 miles, to the new home. Later he bravely endured the hardships and privations of early Kansas pioneer life, always helpful to his father in those trying times. The necessity for making a living precluded his taking advantage of the very meager opportunities for learning but in various ways he obtained a creditable education and later became one of the leading men in his community. He is still an active member of the Masonic Lodge at Topeka, Kansas.
On March 5, 1871, he married Sarah J. Williams and the couple lived a happy married life for over 56 years; the wife passed away May 17, 1927. Following are the descendants:
1 Russell Morris, Feb. 17, 1872. For over 22 years he was a postman in Topeka. In June, 1896, he married Erma D. Donehey. Children: a Glenden Russell, who since he was old enough, worked in the general offices of the A. T. & Santa Fe R. R., except for the time he was in the World War. b Richard Carlisle, who is with the Sen Capper Publications Company.
2 Walter Williams, Sept. 15, 1873. He has been with the Whitterer Bros., produce dealers in Topeka, 37 years. m Anna Whittekind. No children.
3 Charles Raymond, Sept. 26, 1875. He was a cabinet maker in the R. R. Shops at Topeka many years. m Fanna Ballow. Children: a Nina, who married Joe Kane, an auto salesman. They have a son, Robert. b Raymond, an auto salesman. He married. They have a son, Raymond, Jr.
4 Frank Presley, Feb. 17, 1878. Machinist and ranch owner. m Lizzie Fisher and had a daughter, a Florence Laverne. m John Eddy. They have a son, 1’ John, Jr.
5 Orval Blaine, Jan. 26, 1880. Was factory foreman at Wichita many years, now in Glendale, Ariz. m Ethel Wilder, June 1908. They have two sons: a Blaine V. and b Robert J.
6 James Oscar, 1882. d 1914. He married Minnie Butler, no children.
7 Myrtle Emlen, July 13, 1884. m Homer Repp, June, 1903. They live in Portland, Ore., and have two children: a Harold, m Myrtle E. Nanny. They have a daughter, 1’ Betty Jane. b Irene, m Ralph A. Lewis. One child, 1’ Beverly June.
8 Lola Florence, Mar. 17, 1886. Married a jeweler named Wilson. Later she separated from him and married Fred H. Murphy.
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Children Of Second Marriage
VI Margaret Ann, May 7, 1853. On Mar. 17, 1870, she married David F. Carter, from Clinton Co., Ohio. To this union were born:
1 Florence Josephine, Mar. 7, 1871, d Feb. 15, 1901. She married Samuel Rouse, Nov. 27, 1889. Children: a Mervin, May 7, 1891. Unmarried; conductor on the M & P. R. R., lives at Osawatamie, Kan. b Orland, Feb. 22, 1893. Unmarried, is a stockman, and lives at Topeka. c Myrtle, Sept. 24, 1895. d 1925. d Charles, Nov. 16, 1897. m Grace Wheat. Children: 1’ Lavone, 2’ Donald, 3’ Dixie Lee. e Lora, Mar. 17, 1899. m Richard Mayer; one child, Richard, Jr. Lora is now with her father. f Albert, Feb. 2, 1901. Stillborn.
2 Ada Almira, July 28, 1873. d July 26, 1902. Married John Rouse, Nov. 28, 1889. Children: a Arthur, Sept. 7, 1890. m Grace Granstaff, no children. Employee Ford Motor Co., K. City, Mo. b Frances C., May 19, 1892. Married Dick McCauley; no children. Husband is with Kansas City Term. R. R. Co. c Otho, Aug. 4, 1894, died at birth. d Blanche, Aug. 26, 1895. m Mable Rule. Children: 1’ Leland, 2’ Julia. Located at Laramie, Wyo. e Dale, Dec. 29, 1897. In Hutchinson, Kan. f Lawrence, Feb. 23, 1902. m Blanche Guthery. At Council Grove, Kan.
3 Elza Morris, Oct. 4, 1875. Graduated in Medicine from Topeka, Kan. Is now a successful physician and surgeon at Burdette, Kan. He married Jessie Barker. They have the following children: a Clarence Louis, Feb. 9, 1908. He is an electrical engineer at Pueblo, Col. b Ethel Marie, June 2, 1910. Is secretary in a business college at Tucson, Ariz. c Christina Belle, Dec. 12, 1914. d Marjorie Pauline, May 20, 1922. e Morris Bedford, July 26, 1928.
4 Emma Belle, Sept. 30, 1877. m William Thompson, mortician. They live at Marion, Kansas. Children: a Nina Viola, Jan. 16, 1899. Unmarried. b Mercil Ruth, Sept 11, 1900.
m Ollie Wright, Oct. 19, 1921. Children: 1’ Roland Wendel, 1, Nov. 4, 1922. 2’ Joan Aileen, May 23, 1925. c Eural Walter, Jan. 6, 1903, died, 1906. d Doris Jenelle, July 14, 1913.
5 Charles Arthur, May 6, 1881. Died 1896.
6 Jennie Alda, May 5, 1888. She married Charles Bassler, a veterinarian. Located at Ainsworth, Iowa; two children: a Douglas Monet, June 12, 1912. b Carl Bruce, Sept. 17, 1917.
7 Alva Harris, Sept. 24, 1890. m Bertha Vandebar in 1913. They have no children and live at 3905 Strong Ave., Kansas City, Kan.
VII Martha Narzetta, Nov. 21, 1854. She was the youngest daughter and made the strenuous journey to the new home when but 18 months old. On Feb. 24, 1874, she married Alpheus N. Glasscock, from Clarksville, O. Children:
1 Herbert Almond, Nov., 1874. d Sept., 1876.
2 Wilmer Newton, Jan. 1, 1878. Is with the Pioneer Title Insurance & Trust Co., San Bernardino, Calif. Married Ethel Musgrove. Children: a Richard James, July 19, 1905; with father in business. m Merne Rosalyn Wickam, Oct. 29, 1932 b Elizabeth, Mar. 5, 1907. m Lloyd Vincent Range, June 10, 1929. They have a son, 1’ Donald Wilmer, Nov. 22, 1934. Mr. Range operates an auto parts store in Oakland, Calif. c Lillian Lorraine, Sept. 25, 1908. m Alford W. Serpa, of the Serpa Finance Co., San Bernardino, Calif. They have a son, Thomas Roger, June 1, 1934. d Dorothy Ethel, July 6, 1915.
3 Gerald Alpheus, Sept. 14, 1879. Has charge of the foreign correspondence with the Chamber of Commerce, home in Beverly Hills, Calif. Married Anna May Tillison, Aug. 4, 1906. Children: a Elva Kathryn, Dec. 5, 1908. m Robert E. Harned, Jan. 29, 1931. One child, 1’ Joan Whittlesey, March 23, 1933. b Constance Jean, Nov. 18, 1915.
VIII Samuel Murrel, Aug. 11, 1858. Married Sarah E. Thackeray, June 14, 1881. Children:
1 Lola May, May 5, 1882. Graduated from Kansas State College 1905; married Harvey Allinson Burt, Nov., 1908. Children: a Harvey Harris, Sept. 2, 1909. Is a mining engineer at Denver, Col. b Robert Allinson, Sept. 12, 1914. c Lawrence Roland, May 5, 1918. Lola May’s husband is an electrical engineer, living in Denver, Col., where the wife passed away, Oct. 17, 1918.
2 Leola Maud, Aug. 24, 1883. Graduate Home Economics, K. S. College, 1908. Married Leroy Elbert Gaston, Nov. 4, 1908, a salesman for the American Monorail Co. He died Sept., 1931. The couple had one child, Ida Elizabeth, Aug. 26, 1909. The widow is now Home Demonstration Agent, Wyandot Co., office Kansas City, Kansas. (1934).
3 Frank Clyde, Mar. 4, 1885. Graduate K. S. C., 1908, M. S. in Architecture, 1917. Served as City Engineer before graduating; was Surveyor of Riley County, Kan., Ass’t
Prof. Architecture K. S. C., and volunteered as Civil Engineer in World War, laying out Camp Funston, and serving at nitrate plants. After the War he was chief engineer with the Loudon Machinery Co., Iowa. Later he was one of the organizers of the American Monorail Company of Cleveland, Ohio; he is now serving as its treasurer as well as having charge of the development and engineering of its products. In 1912 he married Clare Winger. Children: a Clyde Winger, June 26, 1915. b Donald Stover, Nov. 25, 1916. c Lynn Thackrey, Oct. 13, 1918.
4 Arthur Lynn, Nov. 5, 1886. Married Margaretta Hazel Greeley, June, 1913. One child, a Marilynn, Feb. 28, 1929. Arthur did not complete a college course but achieved great success without it. He served three years as surveyor with the U. S. Army in the Philippines; since then he has been Instructor on engines at K. S. C., Superintendent of Water and Light Plants at McPherson, Caldwell, and Manhattan, Kansas. He is now Gas, Light, and Electrical Engineer at Wichita, Kansas.
5 Carrie Olive, Dec. 20, 1888. Graduate K. S. C., Class of 1910. m Harry E. Totten, June, 1911. They are farmers near Clifton, Kan., and have as children: a Harold Allison, b Richard, c Beatta Elizabeth, d David.[ ed: Carrie and Harry married 9 April 1912, not June 1911; their eldest son was Harold Arthur, not Harold Allison.]
6 Richard Isaiah, Sept. 7, 1890. Graduate in Civil Engineering, Class of 1912, K. S. C. Served with the A. T. & S. Fe and also the M. K. & T. R. R., and with a Texas Oil Co. Is now with the American Monorail Co., in which he has an interest. m Nellie Davis, Nov. 24, 1930. One son, a Richard Davis.
7 Vida Agnes, Mar. 20, 1893. Graduate K. S. C., 1914. M. A., University of Chicago, 1927. Toured France, Spain, and Mediterranean lands in 1930. With the exception of two years leave of absence has been Ass’t Prof. in Art at K. S. C. Unmarried.
8 Verda Alice, Apr. 20, 1895. Home Ec. degree, K. S. C., Class 1916. m Raymond Whitehead, Aug. 23, 1917. [ ed: Verda's husband was Raymond Whitenack, not Whitehead.] He was a graduate K. S. C. in Dairy Husbandry, 1916. For some years the couple have been located at Yardley, Pa., where the husband is superintendent of a large dairy farm. They have the following children: a Ray Murrell, June 25, 1918. b Mary Jean, Aug. 11, 1920. c William Harris, Jan. 24, 1927. d Richard Allen, Sept. 5, 1928, e Grace E., Jan. 1, 1931.
9 Zora Frances, Sept. 23, 1897. Graduate K. S. C., Class 1917. m Melvin E. Hartzler, Civil Engineer, K. S. C., 1914. They live at Downers Grove, Ill., and have as family, a Eleanor Ann, b James Edward, c Melvin E., d Zora, e Thomas, f Harris.
10 Cora Florence, Dec. 17, 1902. Graduate K. S. C., 1925, with M. A. in 1927. Specialized as manager of cafeterias and served as such at Baltimore, (Y. M. C. A.) Philadelphia, New York City, and Tulsa, Okla. m Jesse L. Walker, Dec. 29, 1930. They live at Seligan, where the husband teaches Industrial Art.
Samuel lost his first wife, Dec. 23, 1916. On June 11, 1919, he married her younger sister, Cora Gertrude, born Feb. 12, 1876. They live at Manhattan, Kansas, where he owns and operates the Hillside Apartments, leading a busy, useful, happy life, happy in service to the world. He has not only been useful himself but has lived to see each of his ten children, with but one exception, graduate from college; and the one exception has accomplished far more than most who hold college degrees.