hegnauer.family
H0180 The study's number for this person. Cite it and it will always lead here, whatever the spelling.
· A life in the study

John Harris

Born at South Carolina in 1830.

born May 1830 at South Carolina, United States

John Harris was very probably the father of Lucy M. Harris, who married James Israel Wilson in McDonald County, Missouri, in 1903 and died at Aberdeen, Washington, in 1940. Her death certificate names her father as John Harris; the informant, Lucy's daughter, did not know her grandmother's maiden name.1 Lucy was born at Sulphur Springs, in Benton County, Arkansas, and it is there that John Harris and his family are found (see Research Notes).

When the census taker came to Sulphur Springs Township on 7 June 1900, John Harris was seventy. He had been born in May 1830 in South Carolina, to a South Carolina father and a North Carolina mother, and he was farming land of his own, free of mortgage, in the northwest corner of Arkansas, just below the Missouri line. His wife, Ann, fifty-five, had been born in Georgia; they had been married for thirty years, and she had borne eleven children, nine of whom were living. At home were six of them, all born in Arkansas: John W., twenty-seven; Jeff, twenty-two; Jery, twenty; Nancy, eighteen; Lucy, sixteen; and Joe, fourteen. There was also an eighteen-year-old whom the census calls John's stepson, surnamed Weeks.2

Three years later Lucy married across the state line at Elk River Township, in McDonald County, Missouri. What became of John after 1900, and when and where he died, has not been found.

What we know

Proven

  • Birth at South Carolina, 1830
  • Marriage to Ann, 1870
  • Occupation at Sulphur Springs Township, 1900
  • one home, from the census and other records

What's still open

  • Children. In 1900 his wife Ann had borne eleven children, nine living.
  • An earlier household (lead). In the 1880 census of Sulphur Springs, a John R.
  • Death. Not found. He was living in June 1900.
  • Sources. The 1900 census image was read in the survey of Lucy's records (26 Sep 2026); Lucy's death certificate was read at the Washington State Digital Archives.
  • Parents. Not yet identified.

Sources

Source 1

1 Washington State Department of Health, Certificate of Death, 1940

Washington State Department of Health, Certificate of Death, state file no. 120 (1940), registrar's no. 122, Lucy M. Wilson: died 3 May 1940 at 6.15 p.m. at her home, 418 North Division, Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County (16 years in the community); female; white; married; husband Jas. I. Wilson, living, aged 57; born November 25, 1883, Sulphur Springs, Arkansas; age 56 years, 5 months, 8 days; father John Harris, born Arkansas; mother's maiden name "No Record"; informant Mrs. Artlea Fulbright [her daughter], 418 No. Division St.; cause pulmonary tuberculosis; burial 7 May 1940, Fern Hill, Aberdeen; Elerding Mortuary; image, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, "Death Certificates, 1907–2001," document reference id 120 (digitalarchives.wa.gov/Record/View/7ED66F8EA761224C6D93A644DF8EE32A).

Source 2

2 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Sulphur Springs Township, 1884

1900 U.S. Federal Census, Sulphur Springs Township, Benton County, Arkansas, E.D. 20, sheet 7B, dwelling and family 140, lines 53–61, enumerated 7 June 1900: Lucy Harris (daughter, born May 1884, 16, single, born Arkansas, father born South Carolina, mother born Georgia; can read, cannot write) in the household of John Harris (head, born May 1830, 70, married 30 years, born South Carolina, parents born South Carolina and North Carolina; farmer; owns his farm, free of mortgage), with Ann (wife, born October 1844, 55, married 30 years, mother of eleven children, nine living, born Georgia, parents born Georgia; cannot read or write), John W. (son, born June 1872, 27), Jeff (son, born March 1877 [reading], 22), Jery (son, born March 1880, 20), Nancy (daughter, born April 1882, 18) and Joe (son, born May 1886, 14), all born Arkansas, and Weeks [given name not read], stepson, 18; NARA T623, roll 51; image 4120019_00130; database with images, Ancestry.com.

Life in time

May 1830

Birth , South Carolina, United States

proven Sources 1, 2

How we know

His parents were born in South Carolina (father) and North Carolina (mother). His probable daughter Lucy's death certificate gives Arkansas; the 1880 lead gives North Carolina and about 1840 (see Research Notes).

The census of June 1900 (image read), which asked for the month and year of birth, gives May 1830 and South Carolina, with his age, 70. Lucy's death certificate, whose informant was his granddaughter, gives Arkansas, but it gives no date and the informant did not know his wife's maiden name. South Carolina is accepted.

  1. 1830 Birth May 1830 · South Carolina, United States · proven

    His parents were born in South Carolina (father) and North Carolina (mother). His probable daughter Lucy's death certificate gives Arkansas; the 1880 lead gives North Carolina and about 1840 (see Research Notes).

    The census of June 1900 (image read), which asked for the month and year of birth, gives May 1830 and South Carolina, with his age, 70. Lucy's death certificate, whose informant was his granddaughter, gives Arkansas, but it gives no date and the informant did not know his wife's maiden name. South Carolina is accepted.

    Sources 1, 2

  2. 1870 Marriage, with Ann about 1870 · proven

    Married thirty years at the census of June 1900. The place and the record have not been found.

    In June 1900 John Harris and his wife Ann each gave thirty years of marriage, which places it about 1870; their eldest son at home was born in 1872.

    Source 2

  3. 1883 Daughter born: Lucy M. Harris family event

    Their page →

  4. 1900 Residence Sulphur Springs Township, Benton · proven

    Dwelling and family 140 (E.D. 20, sheet 7B); enumerated 7 Jun 1900. Head, 70, married 30 years; with his wife Ann (55), their sons John W. (27), Jeff (22), Jery (20) and Joe (14), their daughters Nancy (18) and Lucy (16), all born in Arkansas, and an 18-year-old stepson surnamed Weeks [reading].

    His own line of the 1900 census, image read.

    Source 2

  5. 1900 Occupation Sulphur Springs Township, Benton · proven

    Farmer, owning his farm free of mortgage.

    His own line of the 1900 census, image read.

    Source 2

  • proven
  • family event

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Places in this life

2 places, in order
1 2
  1. 1 South Carolina, United States Birth May 1830
  2. 2 Sulphur Springs Township, Benton County Residence 1900 · Occupation 1900

Hollow markers are placed approximately, at the town, county or region.

Family

This page John Harris b. 1830
Wife · m. about 1870 Ann b. 1844
Daughter Lucy M. Harris 1883–1940
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The evidence 4 facts with their grades, 3 sources, and the research notes

Facts

Fact Date Place Grade Sources
Birth May 1830 South Carolina, United States proven 1 , 2
Marriage with Ann about 1870 proven 2
Residence 1900 Sulphur Springs Township, Benton, Arkansas, United States proven 2
Occupation 1900 Sulphur Springs Township, Benton, Arkansas, United States proven 2

Research notes

  • Parent of Lucy (probable, not proven): Lucy's death certificate names her father as John Harris, born in Arkansas.1 This household is taken to be hers because the daughter's name and age (Lucy, 16, born in Arkansas), the township, which is Lucy's birthplace on her certificate, and the head's given name all fit, and because Sulphur Springs is only a few miles from Noel, Missouri, where Lucy was living when she married in 1903. It rests on one census and a common name. Proof would come from a record of John's death, burial, will, probate or land that names Lucy Wilson, or from an obituary of one of her brothers or sisters naming Mrs. Lucy Wilson. See Lucy's profile.
  • Birth (conflict): May 1830 in South Carolina in the 1900 census (image read); Arkansas on Lucy's death certificate, from an informant who was his granddaughter.2, 1 South Carolina is accepted.
  • Children: In 1900 his wife Ann had borne eleven children, nine living. Six were at home: John W. (born June 1872), Jeff (March 1877 [reading]), Jery (March 1880), Nancy (April 1882), Lucy (May 1884) and Joe (May 1886).2 Only Lucy is in this study; the others, and the two who had died, are not yet traced.
  • The stepson: An eighteen-year-old surnamed Weeks is entered as John's stepson, which does not fit a thirty-year marriage unless he was Ann's son by an earlier husband or the relationship was misentered; that line of the image should be read again.2
  • An earlier household (lead): In the 1880 census of Sulphur Springs, a John R. D. Harris, 40, born in North Carolina, and his wife Rohema A., 32, born in Georgia, have children whose names may match those of 1900: "Ruther W.", 7 (John W.?), James D., 4 (Jeff?), and Jeremiah, 2 (Jery).3 His age and birthplace do not fit the John of 1900 (70, South Carolina), and the household has not been linked to this family. It is a lead only.
  • Death: Not found. He was living in June 1900. The next places to look are Find a Grave and the cemeteries of the Sulphur Springs area, Benton County probate records and the 1910 census for Ann Harris.
  • Sources: The 1900 census image was read in the survey of Lucy's records (26 Sep 2026); Lucy's death certificate was read at the Washington State Digital Archives. The 1880 entry is from Ancestry's index; its image has not been viewed. He has no Ancestry, FamilySearch or WikiTree ID recorded yet.

Working notes

  • PROBABLE father of H0057: her death cert. (WA 1940-120) names father John Harris ('b. Arkansas'); 1900 census Sulphur Springs Twp., Benton Co., Ark. (7602/2239996; Lucy's line 2240002): head, 70, b. May 1830 S.C. (parents S.C., N.C.), farmer, owned farm free of mortgage, married 30 yrs; wife Ann; children John W. (1872), Jeff (1877), Jery (1880), Nancy (1882), Lucy (May 1884), Joe (1886); stepson 'Weeks', 18; NOT PROVEN (one census + a common name); lead: 1880 'John R. D. Harris', 40, b. N.C., wife 'Rohema A.', same twp. (6742, 6053436); death not searched
  • Old tree 165462681 @I252151077963@ "Unknown Harris"

Sources

  1. 1

    Washington State Department of Health, Certificate of Death, state file no. 120 (1940), registrar's no. 122, Lucy M. Wilson: died 3 May 1940 at 6.15 p.m. at her home, 418 North Division, Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County (16 years in the community); female; white; married; husband Jas. I. Wilson, living, aged 57; born November 25, 1883, Sulphur Springs, Arkansas; age 56 years, 5 months, 8 days; father John Harris, born Arkansas; mother's maiden name "No Record"; informant Mrs. Artlea Fulbright [her daughter], 418 No. Division St.; cause pulmonary tuberculosis; burial 7 May 1940, Fern Hill, Aberdeen; Elerding Mortuary; image, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, "Death Certificates, 1907–2001," document reference id 120 (digitalarchives.wa.gov/Record/View/7ED66F8EA761224C6D93A644DF8EE32A).

  2. 2

    1900 U.S. Federal Census, Sulphur Springs Township, Benton County, Arkansas, E.D. 20, sheet 7B, dwelling and family 140, lines 53–61, enumerated 7 June 1900: Lucy Harris (daughter, born May 1884, 16, single, born Arkansas, father born South Carolina, mother born Georgia; can read, cannot write) in the household of John Harris (head, born May 1830, 70, married 30 years, born South Carolina, parents born South Carolina and North Carolina; farmer; owns his farm, free of mortgage), with Ann (wife, born October 1844, 55, married 30 years, mother of eleven children, nine living, born Georgia, parents born Georgia; cannot read or write), John W. (son, born June 1872, 27), Jeff (son, born March 1877 [reading], 22), Jery (son, born March 1880, 20), Nancy (daughter, born April 1882, 18) and Joe (son, born May 1886, 14), all born Arkansas, and Weeks [given name not read], stepson, 18; NARA T623, roll 51; image 4120019_00130; database with images, Ancestry.com.

    Ancestry

  3. 3

    1880 U.S. Federal Census, Sulphur Springs, Benton County, Arkansas, E.D. 7, p. 284B, dwelling 247: John R. D. Harris (head, 40, born North Carolina; farmer), Rohema A. Harris (wife, 32, born Georgia; keeping house) and their children Luiza E. (13), Ruther [Luther?] W. (7), James D. (4), Richard T. J. (3), Jeremiah (2), Mary C. (1) and William J. (3 months); NARA T9, roll 38; image 4239799-00576 (not viewed); database with images, Ancestry.com (index read; a lead only, not linked to this family).

    Ancestry