Thomas McKee Harris (1828 - 1886)

Born 19 Dec 1828 in Harrisville, Butler County, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Prudence (Simpson) Harris — married 24 May 1849 in Mercer, Pennsylvania, United States

Died 11 Sep 1886 at age 57 in Lower Lake, Lake County, California

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Joann Haines [send private message]

Biography

Thomas McKee Harris (known as "McKee" to his family) was the son of James Agnew Harris and Mary Ann (McKee) Harris. McKee was born in the town founded by his grandfather, Harrisville, Pennsylvania, in 1828.

On 24 May 1849, McKee married Prudence Simpson, the daughter of John Simpson and Martha Whitacer. Prudence was born in 1833 in Mercer, Pennsylvania. After the death of their first child at 18 months in 1851, McKee and Prudence moved from Pennsylvania to Iowa. I believe he was the first of the Harris family to move to Iowa, and it was his glowing letters to his parents that convinced the rest of the family to move west. The Harris family eventually settled in Grinnell in 1852, but ironically, McKee remained only one year longer in Iowa. In 1853, he moved to California. Prudence and their daughter, Laura, joined him there in 1856. Their family continued to grow and thrive in California. Mckee died in Lower Lake, Lake County, California in 1886.

McKee and Prudence had 7 children: Alonzo DeWitt Harris (1850-1851), Mary Laura Harris Wright Tucker (1853-1888), Alfred Harris (1856-1904), Ella M. Harris Fraser Parker (1859-1941), Bruce Harris (1862-1881), Prudence Harris (1868-1868), and Thomas McKee ("Mack") Harris (1868-1912).

From History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California by Aurelius O. Carpenter and Percy H. Millberry (p. 277):

"Thomas McKee Harris came to California and settled in Lake County, where he lived and died, and became quite prominent as a hotel man and farmer."

From the "Frame Documents" (research compiled by Howard Jesse Frame and forwarded to me by Lowell Harris, the grandson of Samuel E. Harris):

"It is interesting to note that four children of the ten children born to James and Mary Ann McKee Harris finally settled, lived out their lives and died in California. They were Thomas McKee ("McKee") Harris, James Agnew Harris, William John Harris and Jane ('Aunt Jennie') Harris Compton."...

Sources

Haines, Charles Henry. Personal family history as related by Thomas McKee's nephew, Charles Henry Haines

Haines, Joanna Harris. "Seventy Years in Iowa. 1931. Interview of McKee's sister, Joanna Harris Haines.

Frame, Howard Jesse, "Frame Documents"

Carpenter, Aurelius O. and Percy H. Millberry, "History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California: With Biographical ..., p. 277:

https://books.google.com/books?id=kDFEAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA277&lpg=PA277&dq=thomas+mckee+harris&source=bl&ots=yLj-IEwesZ&sig=QkOddHX-unmIVtVE7o15RsK9Nso&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjg1rO2nJvLAhWEbiYKHS-nB10Q6AEIRDAL#v=onepage&q=thomas%20mckee%20harris&f=false

1850 - Census, 22 years old, living in Mercer Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania with wife, Prudence (18), son, Alonzo G (0), and mother-in-law, Martha Simpson (50):

• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/5MR : 21 December 2020), McKee Harris, Mercer Township, Butler, Pennsylvania, United States, citing family, NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

1853 - McKee's Pioneer Record. Record shows emigration date, birth date and place, marriage date, and parents names:

• "California, Pioneer Migration Index, Compiled 1906-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/LPR3: 16 August 2019), Thomas McKee Harris, Mar 1853; citing Emigration, California, United States, California State Library, Sacramento.

1856 - cited in Pioneer Record of wife, Prudence Simpson Harris. Record shows emigration date, birth date and place, marriage date, death date and place, and parents names:

• "California, Pioneer Migration Index, Compiled 1906-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/LPRS: 16 August 2019), Thomas McKee Harris in entry for Prudence Simpson Harris, 1856; citing Emigration, California, United States, California State Library, Sacramento.

1860 - Census, 32 years old, living in Cache Creek Township, Yolo County, California with wife, Prudence (27), and children Laura (7), Alphius (4), and Ella (0):

• "United States Census, 1860," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/J9Y : 18 February 2021), T M Harris, 1860.

1867 - Voter Registration in Coyote, California.

• "California Great Registers, 1850-1920," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/QJS : 25 July 2019), Thomas McKee Harris, 18 May 1867; citing Voter Registration, Coyote, Lake, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 976,469.

1867 - cited in marriage record of daughter, Mary Laura, to Joseph Wright in Lake County, California on November 17th. (If Laura's age is cited correctly in the 1860 census, then she was only 14 years old when she married!! Please tell me her age is not correct.):

• "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/NWG : 9 March 2021), T.M. Harris in entry for Joseph Wright and Mary Laura Harris, 17 Nov 1867; citing Lake County, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 1,295,685.

1870 - Census, 42 years old, living in Tamlpais Valley, Marin County, California with wife, Prudence (37), and children Laura (17), Alpha (13), Ella (11), Bruce (7), and Mack (1):

• "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/8PC : 28 May 2021), T M Harris, 1870.

1880 - Census, 51 years old, living in Excelsior, Lake County, California with wife, Prudence (46), son, T Mack (11), and grandson, George Wright (11):

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/DDN : 19 February 2021), Thomas M Harris, Excelsior, Lake, California, United States; citing enumeration district ED 49, sheet 5A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,066.

1886 (or 1884) - Death. McKee's California Pioneer Record cites his death date as 11 Sep 1886. McKee's findagrave memorial cites his death date as 6 Sep 1884, but no source is given for this date and no photo of McKee's grave is provided. I tend to prefer the California Pioneer Record, as that seems more of an official document. I have no death certificate. A photo of McKee is posted at the findagrave memorial:

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/113603009/thomas_mckee-harris: accessed April 28, 2024), memorial page for Thomas McKee Harris (19 Dec 1828–7 Sep 1884), Find A Grave: Memorial #113603009, citing Middletown Cemetery, Middletown, Lake County, California, USA; Maintained by BluMoKitty (contributor 46830270).

1906-1935 - cited in Pioneer Record of son, Alfred. Record shows birth date and place, marriage date, death year and place, and parents names:

• "California, Pioneer Migration Index, Compiled 1906-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/V45V : 16 August 2019), Thomas McKee Harris in entry for Alfred Harris ; citing Emigration, California, United States, California State Library, Sacramento.

1912 - cited in the burial record of son, Thomas McKee Harris, Jr. in Middleton, Lake County, California on July 14th:

• "California Deaths and Burials, 1776-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/LNW2 : 4 February 2020), Thomas McKee Harris in entry for Thomas McKee Harris, 1912.

1941 - cited in the death record of daughter, Ella Parker, who died in Sonoma, California on December 14th:

• "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/RDY : 26 November 2014), Harris in entry for Ella Parker, 14 Dec 1941; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.