On the 1900
census, Amanda stated that she had nine children, but that only six were still
alive. The children that have been identified were:
William E.
Harris born about 1879 in
Tennessee (1880 census)
Jessie Ann
Harris born 31 July 1883
in Greeneville, Greene County,
Tennessee
Eula / Wyless
Harris born 27 November 1885
in
Greeneville,
Tennessee
Charles Henry
Harris born 8 or 29 August 1888
in Greeneville, Greene Co., Tennessee
Mary F.
Harris born November 1890 in
Texas
Pearl
Harris born August 1894 in
Texas
Cecil
Harris born February 1899 in
Texas
Since the last
six children on the list appeared on the 1900 census, William E. Harris was one
of the children who died. The names of the other two children who died before
1900 are not known. However, an “infant of Green Harris” was buried in
West
Hill
Cemetery,
Sherman,
Grayson County,
Texas, on
2 January 1901. That infant had to have been Cecil Harris.
Green Harris died
in early May, 1907, and was buried 6 May
1907 in West
Hill
Cemetery.
On the 1910
census, Amanda Wilson Harris, J. Green Harris’s widow, was working as a
laundress and was living at 422 N. Montgomery in Sherman
with her daughter Pearl Harris; her son Charles H. Harris, who was working as a
waiter; her daughter Eula Roberson, and Eula’s husband, Jay Roberson. Eula’s
age is given as 24, making her year of birth about 1886, so she must be the same
person as the “Wyless” listed on the 1900 census. Jay was described as black,
born about 1872 in
Texas to a mother who was born in
Virginia. He was working as a
porter on a passenger train. Jay and Eula were married about 1909 and had no
children in 1910.
In 1920, Amanda
was still working as a laundress. Her address was given as 604 N. Montgomery,
Sherman. Living with Amanda were
her daughter Eula Thomas, working as a laundress and Eula’s husband Allen
Thomas, who was a laborer at an oil mill. Allen Thomas was described as black
and born about 1883 in
Texas to a father who was born in
Missouri and a mother who was born
in Texas. No children were listed
in the household. Eula Thomas died
23 July 1943 in
San Bernardino,
California. Her death certificate said she
had been living in California
since 1929. At the time of her death, she was a widow, and living at Cooper and
Curtis Streets in
Fontana, San
Bernardino, California. She was
buried in the
City
Cemetery, although it is not clear
which “city” (possibly San Bernardino).
Nothing else is known about her husband or possible family.
Charles Henry
Harris was also living with his mother Amanda Harris on the 1920 census, and was
working as a waiter. Further information about Charles Henry Harris was found
on his World War I Draft Registration card from 1917. Charles gave his birthday
as
29 August 1888. his address
as 604 N. Montgomery, Sherman,
Texas. He said he was a table waiter at
Kidd
Key
College in
Sherman, was single, and was helping
to support his mother.
A few years
later, Charles developed a brain tumor and was treated from
1 October 1921 to 18
November 1921 when he died. He had undergone surgery for the tumor;
his death certificate stated he had been given a “cerebella operation for same
(brain tumor).” Charles’ birth date on his death certificate was given as 8
August 8 1858, three weeks earlier than the August 29 he
stated on his WWI Draft Registration card. He was buried on
20 November 1921 in
West
Hill
Cemetery in
Sherman.
The autumn of
1921 must have been a difficult one for the family. Charles Harris began
treatment for his brain tumor on October 1st. Carry Nelson, Amanda
Harris’s grandchild, died and was buried October 9th, and Amanda
Harris passed away just two days later on October 11th. Charles
Harris lived just five weeks after. All were buried in
West
Hill
Cemetery in
Sherman,
Grayson County,
Texas. The Harris / Nelson family plot at
West
Hill
Cemetery was purchased by Amanda
Harris on 8 May 1907. Its
location is given as C 1/3 of Border fronting Lot 99, First Addition, and can be
found in the
West
Hill
Cemetery records in Volume A, page
240.
