Name/Title
AU Harris, Joseph Hastings - 1937-01-28 letter to Descendents of Watson and Nancy HarrisEntry/Object ID
1990.1.205Context
514 Woodbury Avenue
Columbus, Ohio
January 28, 1937
To the Families of the children
of Watson and Nancy Harris:
Dear Relatives:
By air mail I received on Saturday January 23 a letter from Mr J. P. Wood Barge St Yakima, Washington, a step son of uncle Charles W Harris. Not knowing that you would get the message from any other source I am sending this mimeographed sheet with an exact copy of Mr Wood's letter to one member each of the families of his brothers and sister. Please send extra copies to other members of your family. I am sending copy to each of my own brothers and sisters.
(Copy of letter)
Yakima, Washington, January 20, 1937
Mr J.H.Harris
514 Woodbury Avenue, Columbus, Ohio
Dear Mr Harris:
I believe that you are the only living relative of my step-father Charles Harris, at least the only one that I know of. It grieves me to advise you that he passed away last evening following a short stroke. He had been in very good health and got around very well for his age. He has complained for years about a pain in the back of his head which the doctors have told me was a weak blood vessel. This broke during a choking spell last night.
I will bury him here in Yakima beside my mother who passed away a year ago last August. If he does have any other relatives that you know of and any that could help in a financial way in the burial would you let me know. He did not leave a penny and I have been keeping him at my home since my mother died.
Yours very truly,
J.P.Wood, Care Northern Pacific Railway.
You will be interested to know how Mr Wood knew my address. I had written uncle Charles occasionally before I came to Columbus but received no reply. Last July I received through our Publishing House the following letter which I quote;
United Brethren Publishing Co
Dayton, Ohio
Brethren:
Mr. C.W.Harris of Barge St C/o J.P.Wood, Yakima, Washington desires to get in touch with his nephew, Joseph Hastings Harris, who is so he states a minister among the United Brethren folk. If so please have him get in touch with his uncle as he is getting old, has lost his wife and would appreciate a letter from him.
Fraternally yours
July 14, 1936 Max E. Wilson, R.R. 4 Ellensburg, Washington
The Publishing House forwarded the letter to me at once and on July 23rd I wrote uncle a long letter telling him as nearly as possible the location and occupation of our people. I also sent a Christmas greeting but heard nothing further from him. Perhaps it was difficult for him to write.
As I have the record uncle Charles was born February 29, 1856 and died January 19, 1937 at the afe [sic] of 80 years 10 months 20 days. He possessed excellent natural ability and his jolly disposition will be rembered [sic] by all who know him. Am I correct in saying that he was born in Chesterhill, Morgan County, Ohio? I shall appreciate learning the date of his marriage. I am sending this sheet only to the family of Watson and Nancy Harris. That generation is now gomne [sic] entirely and we witness a rapid breaking in the ranks of the generation to which we belong.
Sincerely, J.H.Harris.
