Walter Harris

"Grandma Rita broke with Mamal's religious tradition when she decided to marry Walter Harris from Covington, Louisiana. He was a very light-skinned man, most probably a mulatto, what New Orleaneans then called passant blanc. In other words, he was able to pass for white. More important to Mamal and Grandma Rita, however, was the fact that he was a Methodist, and the Catholic Church did not officially recognize a marriage outside the faith.

Grandma Rita and Grandpa Harris eventually had seven children, Noella, Elvira (Mother, born August 1, 1906), Gladys, Vivian, Hilda, Walter Jr., and Hazel. They spoke English instead of French as a first language, the first generation of Mother's family to do so." (Shirley Verrett's autobiography)

1. New Orleans, Louisiana, Birth Records Index, 1790-1915; Name: Walter Harris; Gender: Male; Race: Colored (Black); Birth Date: 13 Mar 1880; Birth Place: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Father: Alexander Harris; Mother: Sarah Usher.
2. United States Census, 1880; Name: Walter Harris; Event Type: Census; Event Date: 1880; Event Place: New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, United States; Gender: Male; Age: 0; Marital Status: Single; Race: Black; Race: B; Relationship to Head of Household: Son; Relationship to Head of Household: Son; Birth Year (Estimated): 1880; Birthplace: Louisiana, United States; Father's Birthplace: Louisiana, United States; Mother's Birthplace: Louisiana, United States; Sheet Letter: C; Sheet Number: 270; ; Person Number: 5; Volume: 1.
3. United States Census, 1900; Name: Walter Harris; Event Type: Census; Event Year: 1900; Event Place: 4th Precinct New Orleans city Ward 7, Orleans, Louisiana, United States; Gender: Male; Age: 20; Marital Status: Single; Race: Black; Race: B; Relationship to Head of Household: Brother-in-law; Relationship to Head of Household: Brother-In-Law; Birth Date: Mar 1880; Birthplace: Louisiana; Father's Birthplace: Louisiana; Mother's Birthplace: Georgia.
4. Louisiana, Parish Marriages, 1837-1957; Name: Walter Harris; Event Type: Marriage; Event Date: 23 Jul 1904; Event Place: Orleans, Louisiana, United States; Gender: Male; Age: 24; Birth Year (Estimated): 1880; Father's Name: Anderson Harris; Mother's Name: Sarah Harris; Spouse's Name: Rita Joseph; Spouse's Titles and Terms: Miss; Spouse's Gender: Female; Spouse's Age: 20; Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1884; Spouse's Father's Name: Alphonse Joseph; Spouse's Mother's Name: Jennie Joseph.
5. Louisiana, Parish Marriages, 1837-1957; Name: Walter Harris; Event Type: Marriage; Event Date: 20 Jul 1904; Event Place: Orleans, Louisiana, United States; Gender: Male; Age: 24; Birth Year (Estimated): 1880; Father's Name: Anderson Harris; Mother's Name: Sarah Harris; Spouse's Name: Rita Joseph; Spouse's Gender: Female; Spouse's Age: 20; Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1884; Spouse's Father's Name: Alphonse Joseph; Spouse's Mother's Name: Jennie Joseph.
6. United States Census, 1910; Name: Walter Harris; Event Type: Census; Event Date: 1910; Event Place: New Orleans Ward 7, Orleans, Louisiana, United States; Gender: Male; Age: 30; Marital Status: Married; Race: Black; Race: Black; Relationship to Head of Household: Head; Relationship to Head of Household: Head; Birth Year (Estimated): 1880; Birthplace: Louisiana; Father's Birthplace: Louisiana; Mother's Birthplace: Louisiana; Sheet Letter: A; Sheet Number: 21.
7. United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918; Name: Walter Harris; Event Type: Draft Registration; Event Date: 1917-1918; Event Place: New Orleans City no 6, Louisiana, United States; Gender: Male; Nationality: United States; Birth Date: 13 Mar 1880; Birthplace: , , United States.
8. United States Census, 1920; Name: Walter Harris; Event Type: Census; Event Date: 1920; Event Place: New Orleans Ward 7, Orleans, Louisiana, United States; Gender: Male; Age: 39; Marital Status: Married; Race: Black; Race: Black; Relationship to Head of Household: Head; Relationship to Head of Household: Head; Birth Year (Estimated): 1881; Birthplace: Louisiana; Father's Birthplace: Louisiana; Mother's Birthplace: Louisiana; Sheet Letter: A; Sheet Number: 2.
9. United States Census, 1930; Name: Walter Harris; Event Type: Census; Event Date: 1930; Event Place: New Orleans (Districts 1-250), Orleans, Louisiana, United States; Gender: Male; Age: 50; Marital Status: Married; Race: Negro; Race: Negro; Relationship to Head of Household: Head; Relationship to Head of Household: Head; Birth Year (Estimated): 1880; Birthplace: Louisiana; Father's Birthplace: Louisiana; Mother's Birthplace: Louisiana; Sheet Letter: A; Sheet Number: 26.
10. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007; Name: Walter Harris; Gender: Male; Race: Black; Birth Date: 13 Mar 1880; Birth Place: New Orleans, Louisiana; Father: Anderson Harris; Mother: Sarah Eusher; SSN: 438058630; Notes: May 1937: Name listed as WALTER HARRIS.