Tag Archives: Philip Harless

Harless’s Store

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The Tennessee Valley Authority, Family Removal and Population Readjustment Case Files, 1934-1953 on Ancestry.com make for emotional reading – all of those people, families, houses, farms, and communities relocated. So many people had lived in the same place for their whole life, relocation was going to be hard.

I’m sure the workers meant well, but it is heartbreaking to read the descriptions – were the people educated? Were they proud housekeepers? Were they healthy? The most important questions were also asked – how do you feel about relocation and where will you go?

If there were any wealthy people relocated I haven’t found them yet.

I’m still searching and putting the pieces together, but I had to share the one item I found that made my day – a photograph of Harless’s Store!

Harless’s Store in the Friendship Community of Sullivan County, Tennessee was owned by Martin Alexander Harless and it was in the way of the reservoir.

Martin Alexander Harless was the great-grandson of Abraham Harless who in turn is the 4th great-grandfather of my husband and the reason I began this whole project in the first place.

I do not know if Martin moved the store “to land just outside the reservoir” as he planned, but in 1950 he had reportedly “removed his house intact to land which he owned and which TVA did not acquire, located above pool level on Sharp’s Creek, in the Friendship community.” Hopefully, he was also able to remove the store.

Martin Alexander Harless

Born: 10 January 1891.
Died: 4 May 1965.
Parents: James Andrew Harless and Mary Hester E. Keaton.
Spouse: Sadie E. Gross.
Known Children: Edward A. Harless, Ethel Victoria Harless, Wayne D. Harless.
Relationship to Johan Philip Harless: 4th great-grandson.

  1. Johan Philip Harless.
  2. Philip Harless.
  3. Daniel Harless.
  4. Abraham Harless.
  5. Philip Harless.
  6. James Andrew Harless.
  7. Martin Alexander Harless.

Lloyd Charles Harless 1921-1944

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I look through a lot of records, some are quite boring if I’m perfectly honest, but most are interesting or informative and once in a while one makes me smile. Today I smiled. It wasn’t a happy subject. I was searching through military headstone applications on Ancestry.com, which right away tells you the subject matter is pretty gloomy.

The record that brought a smile to my face was that for Lloyd Charles Harless. On 29 December 1939, just 8 days after his 18th birthday, Lloyd enlisted in the United States Army.

World War 2 had begun, but the United States was not militarily involved and the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 was not yet instituted. This meant that Lloyd had not been required to register for the draft and so by all accounts his enlistment in the army was a voluntary one.

As the oldest son, perhaps he felt it was his duty, or perhaps he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. Lloyd’s father, Lissus H. Harless, had served in World War 1 when he too was just a teenager.

I don’t know much about Lloyd’s military service. I do know that in 1940 he was stationed at Fort Preble in Maine and that he served in the 439th Anti-Aircaft Artillery Battalion.

On 31 July 1944 Lloyd Charles Harless was killed in action. He was 22 years old.

I have not searched the Graves Registration Records as yet, but from his unit information it appears he was killed in Italy fighting in the Rome-Arno Campaign when the 439th was temporarily converted to infantry duty in Task Force 45.

From the headstone application made by his father and shown here, we know that his body was returned to his family for burial in the US.

Lloyd Charles Harless

I know you are wondering how any of this could have made me smile.

I smiled because I checked the reverse of the card. How many times do we forget to do that? We’ve seen the front, we have the information we were looking for, on the back we expect to see nothing more than an address or a few date stamps, but when I checked the back of Lissus H. Harless’s application for a military headstone for his hero son, I saw his pride.

I saw his pride and that made me smile.

Lloyd Charles Harless, reverse

“We don’t need this permit. Beech Grove is the Harless Cemetery for 5 generations given by Lloyds grand parents for that purpose.” Lissus Harless ‘Father’

I hope it made you smile too.

Here is where I found the record, there are several more Harless soldiers in the collection.
U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963

Lloyd Charles Harless

Born: 21 December 1921.
Died: 31 July 1944.
Parents: Lissus H. Harless and June Augusta Hager.
Spouse: Zellie Brown.
Known Children: none known.
Relationship to Johan Philip Harless: wife of 5th great-grandson.

  1. Johan Philip Harless.
  2. Martin Harless.
  3. Philip Harless.
  4. William A. Harless.
  5. James Harrison Harless.
  6. Charles Anderson Harless.
  7. Lissus H. Harless.
  8. Lloyd Charles Harless.

Military Monday – Killed at Camp Perry

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Charles Horneff [sic], Jr., of Wadsworth, a private in Company G, Eight Regiment, Ohio National Guard, was struck in the abdomen by a bullet from a rifle accidentally fired by an unknown member of Company F, Eighth Regiment, of Akron, at Camp Perry last Friday evening and almost instantly killed.

Later it was learned that the shot was from a rifle in the hands of Okey Harless who had borrowed the gun and thought it to be unloaded. The bullet went through five haversacks, a tent pole and heavy supply chest before striking the victim, 30 feet distant. Harless was exonerated by verdicts of the coroner and a military court of inquiry. This was the first fatal accident at Camp Perry since the camp was established.

Okey Harless killed Charles Horneff

Killed at Camp Perry, The News-Herald, Hillsboro, Ohio, 5 August 1909, page 4, column 1.

The dead man, Charles Hornoff, Jr., was just 23 years old, the same age as Okey Harless. Charles was born on 13 May 1886 in Guilford, Medina County, Ohio, to Charles Hornoff, Sr. and Emma M. Hartman.

Charles Hornoff death certificate

Charles Hornoff, Certificate of Death number 37351 (30 July 1909), Bureau of Vital Statistics, Ohio.

Okey Harless was the son of William Henry Harless and Frances Fernelia Keffer. He was born on 11 June 1886 in Iola, Roane County, West Virginia. Okey died on 7 March 1957 in Vienna, Wood County, West Virginia.

Okey Blaine Harless

Born: 11 June 1886.
Died: 7 March 1957.
Parents: William Henry Harless and Frances Fernelia Keffer.
Spouse: Alice Virginia Newell.
Known Children: none known.
Relationship to Johan Philip Harless: 3rd great-grandson and 4th great-grandson.

  1. Johan Philip Harless.
  2. Martin Harless.
  3. Philip Harless.
  4. James Howard Harless.
  5. William Henry Harless.
  6. Okey Blaine Harless.
  1. Johan Philip Harless.
  2. Philip Harless.
  3. Leroy Harless.
  4. Delilah Harless.
  5. Frances Fernelia Keffer.
  6. Okey Blaine Harless.

Wedding Wednesday – Marie Harless and Norman Brogan

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Almost 73 years ago, Marie Harless, the 17 year old daughter of Belva Lockwood Brown and Lightburn Bernie Harless, married Norman B. Brogan in Russell, Greenup County, Kentucky. I have often wondered if the couple chose to marry in Kentucky because Marie was under age to marry in West Virginia without parental consent.

The newspaper reported:

Mrs. Norman Brogan is the former Miss Marie Harless, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Harless of Dunbar, who was married Sept. 14 in Russell, Ky., [to Norman Brogan,] son of Mrs. Rosamonde A. Black and nephew of Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Brogan. Rev. John R. Gilpin read the ceremony in the presence of Mr. and Mrs. Bever Justices of Oak Hill and Mr. Fred Harless.

The bride attended Madison schools and her husband, an employee of the Graveley Motor company in Dunbar, was graduated from Dunbar high school. The couple resides at 320 McAndrews street, Dunbar.

Marie Harless Wedding

 

The Charleston Gazette, Charleston, WV, 27 September 1940.

Marie Harless

Born: 6 March 1923.
Died: 
Parents: Lightburn Bernie Harless and Belva Lockwood Brown.
Spouse: Norman B. Brogan.
Known Children: unknown.
Relationship to Johan Philip Harless: 5th great-granddaughter.

  1. Johan Philip Harless.
  2. Martin Harless.
  3. Philip Harless.
  4. Philip Henry Harless.
  5. William Anderson Harless
  6. John William Harless.
  7. Lightburn Bernie Harless.
  8. Marie Harless.

Last Will and Testament of James Burwell Harless

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State of West Virginia, County of Kanawha and town of Marmet.

I, J. B. Harless, with a sound mind on this the 24th day of February, 1914 in the presents of Albert Hearrold and J. C. Leavens, make my last will and testament to-wit: at my death I hereby make the following disposal of my property:

W. B. Harless, C. D. Harless, Flora Evines and Sybil Harless are to have an equal part of my estate, Improvements to be considered. Sybil Harless is not to come in possession of his part untill he reaches the age of 21 years. In case I should not live I here by name W. B. and C. D. Harless as his Guardian untill he does reach the age of 21 years.

My full meaning of this document is that the Four above named heirs shall shear and shear alike.

Signature of J. B. Harless J. B. Harless
Signature of witnesses C. A. Harold
J. C. Leavens

P. S. In case that Sybil Harless should die without leaving heirs of his own. His part shall be divided equeal among the other three heirs above mentions.

At a regular session of the County Court of Kanawha County, continued and held forsaid County at the Court House thereof on Saturday the 21st day of March, 1914.

A paper writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of J. B. Harless,  deceased, late of said County, was this day presented to the Court for probate, and the same being duly proven by the oaths of C. A. Harold and J. C. Leavens, the subscribing witnesses thereto, the said paper writing is admitted to probate and ordered to be recorded as filed as and for the last will and testament of the said decedent.

Teste:  L C Massey. Clerk
Kanawha County Court.

Will of James Burwell Harless

James Burwell Harless last will and testament

“West Virginia Will Books, 1756-1971,” digital images, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 23 September 2013), image copy, will of J. B. Harless, dated 24 February 1914, Kanawha County Wills, Vol. 7, p. 285.

An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts.

James Burwell Harless

Born: 27 February 1840.
Died: 14 March 1914.
Parents: James Howard Harless and Spicey Barker.
Spouse: Mary Ellen Barker.
Known Children: Wyatt J. Harless, Myrtle J. Harless, Watson Berry Harless, Naoma Harless, Commodore D. Harless, Flora Belle Harless.
Relationship to Johan Philip Harless: 2nd great-grandson.

  1. Johan Philip Harless.
  2. Martin Harless.
  3. Philip Harless.
  4. James Howard Harless.
  5. James Burwell Harless.