Death

15 Jan 1864 • Fayette County, Tennessee, USA

Burial @ Bethlehem Cemetery west of Moscow, Fayette county, Tennessee. His wife Jane Webb is buried next to him along with an infant child. Tombstone reads "Jany 15 1864", stone at the foot reads "Jan 15, 1864".

Census Records

1840 Census - Fayette, Tennessee

• Name: Surner Harris
• [Turner Harris]
• Home in 1840 (City, County, State): Fayette, Tennessee
• Free White Persons - Males - Under 5: 1
• Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9: 2
• Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: 1
• Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39: 1
• Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14: 1
• Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39: 1
• Persons Employed in Agriculture: 1
• Free White Persons - Under 20: 5
• Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 2
• Total Free White Persons: 7
• Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 7

Source Citation

Year: 1840; Census Place: Fayette, Tennessee; Roll: 521; Page: 152; Family History Library Film: 0024544

Source Information

Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

1850 Census, Fayette, TN - HOH Turner Harris

(Enumeration date 21 Nov 1850)

• Name: Turner Harris
• Age: 45
• Birth Year: abt 1805
• Birthplace: North Carolina
• Home in 1850: District 12, Fayette, Tennessee, USA
• Gender: Male
• Family Number: 1394
• Household Members:
• Name Age
• Turner Harris 45, Farmer, 500 real estate value, NC
• Ary Ann Harris 30, VA
• Sarah J Harris 2, Tenn
• Mary E Harris 8/12 mos, Tenn
• John Harris 18, NC (Attended school)
• James Harris 17, NC (Attended school)
• William Harris 13, Tenn (Attended school)

Source Citation

Year: 1850; Census Place: District 12, Fayette, Tennessee; Roll: M432_877; Page: 334B; Image: 333

Source Information

Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

1860 Census - HOH T Harris

• Name: T Harris
• Age: 55
• Birth Year: abt 1805
• Gender: Male
• Birth Place: North Carolina
• Home in 1860: District 12, Fayette, Tennessee
• Dwelling Number: 1065
• Family Number: 1065
• Real Estate Value: 6500
• Personal Estate Value: 9500
• Household Members:
• Name Age
• T Harris 55
• A Harris 42
• Simon Harris 18
• Fred Harris 16
• S F Harris 13
• M E Harris 11
• Margt Harris 9
• Para W Harris 4
• Eliza Harris 2
• Harris 2/12

Source Citation

Year: 1860; Census Place: District 12, Fayette, Tennessee; Roll: M653_1248; Page: 485; Family History Library Film: 805248

Source Information

Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

THE HARRIS FAMILY OF MOSCOW

The first Fayette Co ancestor of this Harris family was Turner Harris. He was born in NC about 1805. The county was likely Anson. His parents are not known for certain, but DNA testing of his descendants indicate that his first ancestor to come to America was Captain Thomas Harris who came to Jamestown Virginia from England arriving on the ship Prosperous in 1611. Captain Thomas was one of the original promoters of the colony of Virginia and  influential in early years.  Much has been written in colonial Virginia histories about Captain Thomas and his son Major William Harris. Both received their titles from participation in early Indian Wars. Major William Harris was killed by Indians in 1677. Both served several terms in the Virginia House of Burgesses. Captain Thomas, Major William (1), William (2) and William (3) lived their lives in Virginia. William (3) married Judith Pride Hudson. A son, Sherrod, moved into NC and died in Anson Co in 1805. Several of Sherrod's sons were living in the Anson / Richmond Co area at the time Turner was born and one is likely his father. One son was named Hudson and is the best candidate.

Turner married Jane Webb in NC in 1825. Jane was born abt 1809 in NC. They had four children born in NC. They were:

                   1. Henrietta Ann ( nicknamed Ritter Ann ); born Dec 23, 1825 in  NC ( probably Anson Co ), died 

                   1902 in Rising Star TX

                   2. Hudson; born March 1, 1828 in Anson Co NC, died June 1912 in Moscow TN

                   3. John; born abt 1832 in NC ( probably Montgomery Co )                                 

                   4. James; born abt 1833 in NC ( probably Montogomery Co )

In the 1830 census the family was living in adjoining Montgomery Co NC. In 1834 the family moved to Hardeman Co TN and two years later moved to their homestead sixteen miles southwest of Somerville near Moscow. Four children were born to them after moving to TN. They were:

                   1. William T; born May 7, 1837 in Fayette Co, died June 25, 1904 in  Fayette Co

                   2. Simon / Simeon; born abt 1842 in Fayette 

                   3. Frederick Parker Stanton or Fred; born abt 1844 in Fayette  Co, died 1921 in Nevada Co AR

                   4. Infant; buried beside Turner and Jane in Bethlehem Cemetery west of Moscow 

Only sons Hudson and William T lived out their lives near Moscow and have descendants in the area today. Henrietta Ann married John Forrest Duggan January 15, 1845 in Fayette Co. Fred married Sarah Elizabeth Leverett in 1864 in Fayette Co. It is not known what happened to sons John, James and Simon /Simeon. They apparently left Fayette Co after reaching adulthood. Jane Webb died June 6, 1845 and is buried in Bethlehem Cemetery west of Moscow. Turner married Ary Ann Mitchell, born abt 1820 in VA, on June 17, 1847 in Fayette Co. They had eight children, all born in Fayette Co. They were:

                   1. Sarah Jane: born abt 1848, died 1892 in Scott Co AR

                   2. Mary E; born abt 1850, died 1933 in Bowie TX

                   3. Edwin; born abt 1854, died 1855 in Fayette Co, buried in Bethlehem Cemetery west of Moscow

                   4. Marthina Lou " Mattie "; born abt 1854, died 1924 in Mt Vernon, Franklin Co TX

                   5. Paralea Dulcia; born abt 1856, died 1905 in Mt Vernon, Franklin Co, TX

                   6. Elizabeth J; born abt 1858

                   7. Robert Thomas; born abt 1860, died 1862, buried in Bethlehem Cemetery west of Moscow

                   8. Cullen; born abt 1861, died 1946 in Provo  AR

Turner Harris died July 15, 1865 near the end of the Civil War. He is buried in Bethlehem Cemetery west of Moscow beside Jane Webb and three infant children. One infant is Jane's and two are Ary Ann's. The masonic emblem is on his tombstone. Turner's will can be summarized as follows: " I leave all my possessions to my present wife and minor children if anything is left after this war is over ". Turner apparently suffered severe loss of assets in the Civil War. The area along the vital Memphis and Charleston Railroad was frequented by foraging military units of both sides. Many small battles were fought over control of the M & C Railroad. He lost his slaves and probably his livestock and feed stocks. His land was sold at public auction after his death to settle estate claims. His widow bought part of his land and his son, William T, bought the remainder. In 1870, Ary Ann Harris sold her land and moved to Louisiana with all her children. None of Turner's second family remained in Fayette Co. Several years after Turner's death, Fred moved to Nevada Co AR and Henrietta Ann apparently did also as her husband, John Forrest Duggan, died there in 1886.

Fayette Co road records describe maintenance of State Line Road west of the wagon road bridge over Wolf River to Turner Harris at the intersection of Mt Pleasant Road ( now called Slayden Road ). Union Army maps of the area from Memphis to LaGrange along the Memphis and Charleston Railroad clearly mark his home and farm buildings in the southeast corner of the intersection. Land accumulated by son Hudson may have reached to and / or included part of Turner's homestead. In the mid 1900's the remains of an old home stood in this corner.

Hudson Harris became successful in farming and business. He owned over 400 acres of farmland in the Wolf River bottom, a cotton gin and the water mill on the North Fork of Wolf River near Moscow. His land was bounded by the Wolf River on the east, Highway 57 on the north and State Line Road on the west. The farm homes and barns, etc were located on the high ground along State Line Road. This area was referred to as Harris Hill by the local populace. Hudson married Martha Jane Williams in Fayette Co August 6, 1850. Martha Jane was born January 4, 1833 in Fayette Co and died July 27, 1875 in Fayette Co. They had nine children. They were:

                  1. John William; born 1852, died 1886

                  2. M D L; born 1855, md J C Williams

                  3. Nannie J; born 1857, died 1882, md H Bascomb Simmons            

                  4. Mark E; born 1859

                  5. Elizabeth; born 1860

                  6. Ella Jeff; born 1861, died 1927, md William S Hogan

                  7. Thomas M; born 1864, md Mollie R Webb

                  8. Captain Jinks; born 1869, died 1949, md Laura Bruce Bull

                  9. G Loyd; born 1871, died 1922, md Ida B Johnson

Moscow Baptist Church records state that Mr and Mrs Hudson Harris were two of the initial group of ten that organized the church in 1901. The church is now called Morris Memorial Baptist Church. Hudson's second wife's given name was Indiana. Hudson and Martha Jane are buried in Bethlehem Cemetery west of Moscow.

Captain Jinks Harris married Laura Bruce Bull December 11, 1889 in Fayette Co. They had seven children. They were:

                   1. Hudson James; born 1891

                   2. Betty B; born 1892, died 1894

                   3. Dennie Mae; born 1894, married John Leonard Cain, they owned a                         plantation near Lake Village, AR

                   4. Viva Byrd; born 1896, married Keith Black Tillman, they operated a                          general store in Moscow before moving to Tillatoba, MS

                   5. Captain Dewey; born 1898, married Lucille White, he was a                                  bookkeeper / accountant in Pine Bluff, AR

                   6. Dempsey Steven; born 1900

                   7. Howard Hope; born 1909

Captain Jinks and Laura Bruce lived at Harris Hill in the main farm house at the intersection of Hwy 57 and State Line Road. He was elected Moscow Town Marshall in 1902. At the time Laura Bruce died in 1942, Howard Hope's family lived in a concrete block tenant house near the main house. Hudson Jame's family lived in the old farm house further southwest on State Line Road. Hudson had been operating the farm for a good many years. After the death of Laura Bruce, Captain Jinks suddenly sold the family farm. The families of Howard Hope and Hudson James had to relocate. For the first time in about a century, no Harris lived at Harris Hill. Captain Jinks lived in boarding houses and hotels in Memphis and New Orleans for several years. He then returned to Moscow, old, sick and broke. He lived in the home of son Howard Hope for a short time. His daughter, Dennie May, then placed him in a nursing home in Greenville MS where he died in 1949. Captain Jinks and Laura Bruce are buried in Oak Grove Cemetery southwest of Moscow. The main farm house on Harris Hill was partially destroyed by the 1952 tornado and later restored. The 1988 tornado completely destroyed the farm house, the concrete block tenant house and other structures.

William T Harris lived in the vicinity of Harris Hill. After his death his widow, Elizabeth, lived in the household of nephew Captain Jinks Harris. William T and Elizabeth had five known children. They were:

                   1. Martha or Mattie; born 1859

                   2. Ada May; born 1864

                   3. William Edward " Eddie "; born 1868

                   4. Munsey; born 1871

                   5. Jrine; born 1876

William Edward married Unknown Johnson who died before 1900. A son, Lewis Vaiden Harris, was living with his grandparents, William and Mallie Johnson, in the 1910 census.

In the 1900's four Harris families lived in the Moscow area. Three were sons of Captain Jinks Harris and one was the son of William Edward " Eddie " Harris. All were great grandsons of Turner Harris. The sons of Captain Jinks were Hudson James " Hut " and Howard Hope " Jim " who lived in or near Moscow and Dempsey Steven " Demp " who lived in the Rossville / Piperton area. The son of William Edward " Eddie " was Lewis Vaiden who lived near Moscow.

Hudson James was a farmer and cattle dealer. He married Mamie Amelia Vaughn. They had seven children. They were:

                   !. Cleo; born 1911

                   2. Mabel; born 1915

                   3. Bruce; born 1917

                   4. Eleanor; born 1918

                   5. Curry Norris; born 1919

                   6. John Thomas " JT "; born 1926

                   7. LaNelle Rebecca; born 1932, a twin brother died at birth

Mamie died in 1952 and Hudson died in 1965. They are buried in Friendship Cemetery east of Moscow.

Dempsey Steven was a truck driver most of his life. He married Allie May Vaughn. They had five children. They were:

                   1. Jinks Carmack

                   2. Sylvia Joyce

                   3. Feemster

                   4. Thomas

                   5. Laura May

Dempsey died in 1975 and Allie Mae died in 1976.

Howard Hope was a night watchman, house painter and school bus driver. He was the last person to operate the Moscow water mill in 1937. Howard married Jessie Surratt Taylor. They had four children. They were:

                   1. Betty Carol; born 1935

                   2. Howard Gaylon; born 1939

                   3. Sara Ann; born 1942

                   4. Paul Stanley; born 1945

Another child in the household was Janie Chloe Taylor ( born 1932, died 1999 ), Jessie's child by a previous marriage. Howard died in 1975 and Jessie died in 2002. They are buried in Friendship Cemetery east of Moscow.

Lewis Vaiden Harris was a farmer. He married Effie Mae Unknown. They had six children. They were:

                   1. Edward L; born 1921

                   2. Ellis R; born 1923

                   3. Maurine; born 1926

                   4. Francis; born 1928

                   5. Woodson; born 1930

                   6. Joe Estes; born 1942

Lewis died in 1980 and Effie Mae died in 1989. They are buried in the family plot in Bethlehem Cemetery west of Moscow.

Two great great grandsons of Turner Harris and Moscow natives were KIA in WW II.

They were both members of bomber crews that were shot down over France. Harvey Keith Tlllman, the son of Viva Harris Tillman, was the tail gunner and died December 31, 1943. After the war was over his remains were returned to Tillatoba MS and buried there. Lieutenant Edward Harris, the son of Lewis Vaiden Harris, died January 29, 1944 and is buried in the American Cemetery in Lorraine France. He has a memorial marker in the family plot in Bethlehem Cemetery west of Moscow.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jan 11 2019, 14:57:33 UTC
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jan 11 2019, 15:00:17 UTC
• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Mar 14 2020, 1:08:28 UTC
• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Mar 14 2020, 4:37:09 UTC