Name/Title
AU Harris, Joseph Hastings - 1927-XX-XX - 'Richard Harris-Beulah (Thomas) Harris'Entry/Object ID
1990.1.176Context
RICHARD HARRIS
Richard Harris was born probably in Maine June 6, 1777. We do not know anything of his parents. When a child he was bound out to (do not know whom), married Beulah Thomas October 23, 1804. They came to Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson County, Ohio, (do not know date) where they lived many years. The eleven children, Rebecca, Sarah, Mary, Anna, Watson, Jonathan, Sydney, Juliann, Jordan, Eli, and Thomas were born there. They moved to a farm north of the main road leading from Pennsville, Morgan County, Ohio to Windsor (now Stockport), Ohio. He was a member of the Friends' Church at Pennsville, very devout in his life and strict with his children. He did not allow the boys to whistle nor whittle on Sunday. He was a great Bible reader and could be heard all over the room in his private devotions. He was very industrious in his habits and wanted his boys bound out that they might learn to work. He owned a good farm and was a good hearted liberal man. Everybody spoke well of him. His opportunities for education were limited, but he could read, write, and cipher. As age drew on he became quite deaf. His grandson, John Work Harris, relates how in introducing his cousin, Frank Work, to him Richard insisted that the name was "Bijah." He died August 25 1853, aged 76 years, 2 months, 19 days, at the home of his daughter, Sarah Harris (Alliway) (DeWeese) on the road between Amesville and Canaanville, Athens County, Ohio. Robert Smith bought the farm of Thomas DeWeese. Richard was buried in the cemetery at Bethel United Brethren Church in Ames Township, Athens County, Ohio. The grave is unmarked.
N. B. The above information as to dates was taken from records in the old family Bible.
BEULAH (THOMAS) HARRIS
Beulah Thomas was born in Maine, August 31, 1784 and was married to Richard Harris October 23, 1804. She used to tell of riding in a sleigh over the top of fences because the snow was so deep. Early in their married life they moved to Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson County, Ohio, where their eleven children were born. They then moved to Pennsville, Morgan County, Ohio. She was a member of the Friends' Church and all the children possessed a birthright in the church, but on account of marrying outside of the church, all the children who grew to maturity were dispossessed of their birthright, unless it were Jonathan who married in the church. She was industrious and of economic turn of mind. In stature, she was short and fleshy. She received a common education and was a strict disciplinarian. They called her "mammy". She was afflicted with rheumatism and during the last four years of her life was almost helpless. She could not dress or undress alone nor get into or out of bed without help. Priscilla Palmer, a granddaughter waited on her. She could sit and knit and use a quill to hold the knitting needle. She died November 26, 1849, aged 65 years, 2 months and 25 days at he home of her daughter, Mrs. Sydney Harris Balderson, on Bald Eagle Creek, 2 miles northwest of Windsor (Stockport) Ohio and was buried in the Friends Cemetery at Pennsville, Morgan County, Ohio. The grave is numbered.
N. B. Beulah Thomas Harris had a sister Rebecca who married a Lewis. Her two brothers were Jonathan and Watson but we know nothing of them.
(The above information as to dates was taken from records in the old family Bible.)
