Name/Title
AU Harris, Joseph Hastings - 1932-11-10 letter to George C. LayEntry/Object ID
1990.1.193Context
November 10, 1932.
Hon. George C. Lay,
1415 Chelmsford St.,
St. Paul, Minn.
My dear Mr. Lay:
An explanation is due you for the tardiness in response to your request for material relative to the ancestors of Arthur Harris. From July 20th to October 8th I was on the go almost constantly, attending our conferences and trying to conduct a financial campaign for our Seminary. I was in Waterloo, Iowa the latter part of September and hoped to see you at that time, but had to rush back to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, hence missed seeing you.
I have dictated brief sketches of the early life of Jordan and Arthur for the purpose of giving just a little idea of the type of life that was lived in those days. I know it is a very poor effort, as it was done hurriedly and briefly. You may have better information from one of the family and if so, please discard my material.
I notice in my files a letter from Arthur written from Nephi, Utah, July 31, 1928. This was written to be read at the annual home-coming at the Mount Hermon Church where Arthur's parents and all the Lambert family were members. My secretary copied it and I am sending it to you, thinking that Emma and the boys will appreciate it. I enclose carbon copy also.
Enclosed find a brief outline of the direct line of Arthur's ancestors. I hope it will help a little. I shall be glad to furnish t you or Emma's family any further information possible. I find it difficult to secure accurate information. It would require visiting court houses in many parts of the country to be accurate. I have tried, however, to go back only so far as we are quite certain of the facts.
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G.C.L.@2. 11/10/32.
Tradition has it and some would try to make it fact, that the Lamberts are descended from the General John Lambert of Cromwell's army. I have not made sufficient investigation to pass judgment in the matter, neither have I had time to trace some other families, although I am hoping I may yet find time to do so. Of course you can carry the chart a generation further and add the Lay and Briggs families, etc., for Arthur's children.
In Arthur's letter he calls attention to a number of incidents that would be interesting to the boys if I could relate them to them. He refers to the nine grandparents. I have indicated these grandparents on the chart by a red mark.
The Lambert and Embree families were people of strong native ability in intellect, morals and spiritual ideals as usually obtain with the Friends (Quakers). You note that Jordan's ancestors were Quakers also. All of my great-grandfather's children held a birthright in the Quaker church, but all lost that birthright by marrying outside the church except one.
Mrs. Ida Harris should write an account of her father and mother; grandparents, etc. for Arthur's boys. If she does not do this I think my my wife, Bertha Lambert, will be willing to do so. Her father, Rev. Daniel Webster Lambert, was a man of strong native ability, a clear thinker and a devout and earnest preacher, who sacrificed secondary things to give his children an opportunity for an education. Nine of the ten children became teachers, one dying at sixteen years of age. Five of the Children graduated from Otterbein College, two others attended college and the other two attended an academy. It should be noted that at this time sixteen of Daniel Lambert's grandchildren have graduated from college and two more will graduate within two years. You will know whether any of Arthur's or Nellie's children have graduated as great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Deborah Lambert also possessed excellent native talents. Although she had very little schooling some of her writings indicate marked ability and a nobler soul scarcely ever lived.
I regret that I have not been more
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3.
helpful to you. I have the original copy of the autobiography of Watson Harris, also typed copy of it. No effort has been made to have it published.
Note the enclosed sketches written by Arthur's grandmother Deborah Lambert. No one knew she had these sketches until after her death. Note also brief sketches of the lives of Richard and Beulah Thomas Harris, and Watson and Nancy Harris which I happen to have at hand. I expect to write them in better form. I have the story of the life of Jordan's father, but it is not in proper form yet.
My grandmother Nancy Harris used to refer frequently to the fact that some of her people were soldiers under General Washington, but I was too young to appreciate the value of such information and made no further inquiry. Arthur's boys may be interested to know that Leander and George Harris, brothers of John Work Harris, were soldiers in the Union army. Jordan's mother (Martha Jane) had a brother, Amos Dille, who served as a soldier throughout the war, receiving a wound which finally caused his death. We had two uncles, brothers of Lewis Dille, in the war. Both were prisoners, one dying in Florence prison and the other barely escaping with his life.
If I can be of any further service, be free to command me. I feel the importance of getting together in available form the little knowledge we have of our ancestors and of course Arthur's children have had very little contact with Arthur's side of the family beyond Arthur's father and mother.
We often think of you and the beautiful lives of both you and Mrs. Lay. Please remember me to the entire family. May choice blessings rest upon you.
Very sincerely,
President.
JHH:DK
