Compiled by Teresa
Martin Klaiber 2023
John
Henry Harris was the son of Lawrence and Cynthia Collingsworth Harris, born in
Johnson County, Kentucky, 2 March 1860.
Family
traditions have whispers of truths, some flamboyant, but mostly hearsay. Thus a repeated story appeared in 2007 on a
noted genealogy site stating that “John Henry Harris wandered into Rush, Boyd
County, Kentucky and went to work for Evie’s uncle, Taylor Mayhew…” and that is
how he met his wife.[i]
John
Henry Harris was one of ten known children of Lawrence and Cynthia. The family had moved to Johnson County from
Floyd County before some of the family migrated to Boyd County. By 1869 John Henry Harris’ older sister,
Nancy, had married George W. Crum[ii]
and resided on Bolts Fork of Boyd County.
One of Crum’s brothers, James Crum, would later marry, Susannah “Susan”
Sexton, the daughter of Richard Sexton and Mary Lucas[iii]. Susannah was a grandniece of Marcus/Mark
Sexton buried in Klaiber Cemetery.
By
1880 John Henry Harris and father Lawrence Harris, are residing next door to
the Mayhew Family on what is now Long Branch Road, along with John’s sisters Sarah
A. and Mary. Indexing of census records
is done by volunteers and unless the indexer is familiar with a local area many
errors are made. Thus the indices show
Lawrence as “Lance” misread and easily overlooked.
John
Henry Harris and Susan Evangeline “Eva” Mayhew were married 13 June 1886 on
Williams Creek in Carter County at the “Pleasant Church”[iv]. Eva’s father, William Mayhew died 3 May 1890
and is buried in Klaiber Cemetery. John
and Eva resided with her widowed mother, Mary Mayhew in 1900.
In
1903 Taylor Mayhew, brother of Eva, was deeded the north side of Salmons Fork
at the mouth of Long Branch to a corner with the property of Philip Howe from
brother John D. Mayhew, all part of William Mayhew’s, then deceased, property.[v] In turn, in November Taylor had several transactions involving the
north side of Salmons Fork which partitioned William Mayhew’s property. 71 acres on the north side of Salmons Creek was deeded back to siblings including one to
John and his sister Susan E. (Eva Mayhew) Harris[vi]. All the property in turn reverted back to
Mary “May” Ross Mayhew, widow of William C. Mayhew.
Ever
confusing is the renaming of this part of the creek on early maps. Today maps show Long Branch Creek going
straight up Long Branch Road into Carter County. But early maps and deeds show Long Branch Creek
turning at the bridge (the mouth of Long Branch) and running up the lane past what is now this compiler’s home, then past
the Philip Howe aka Klaiber log one room house. Long Branch Creek meanders through the bottom
fields behind our home and then curves back left where the head of Long Branch ends in the
water shed in Carter County. Salmon’s
Fork was in fact the stream continuing up what is now Long Branch Road in front
of then Mayhew property[vii]. The Philip Howe log home still stands behind
our log home and is a Kentucky Registered Landmark.
Mary
Elizabeth Ross Mayhew, mother of Eva died 8 September 1904 and is buried in
Klaiber Cemetery.
John
Henry and Eva Harris had six children by the time of William Mayhew’s death[viii]. John Henry Harris died on 11 March 1909 here
on Garner.
Eva, widowed with five of her children are
still residing next to the Mayhew holdings.
By 1920 Eva had moved to Logan County, West Virginia where, son Charles
was renting and working in the coal mines.
In
the 1950’s Julina Sexton Klaiber, campaigned for funds to fix the road and fence around Klaiber Cemetery. Among the
responses was a letter dated May 1956
“…Dear old friend and neighbor. I am Mae Harris daughter of John and Eva
Harris, now Mrs. R. E. Bryant…” The
Bryant’s were living in Worthington, Franklin County, Ohio and donated for the
care of the road.
[i]
Angie Harris Pelfrey, Ancestry.com, original submitted by NolaBull
[ii]
s/o Reuben and Pricilla Mutters Crum
[iii]
Carter County Circuit Court Bk 30/31 Divorce 1911
[iv]
FHL 1842850
[v] KY
Boyd deed book 40 p 2
[vi]
KY Boyd deed book 4-0 p 4
[vii]
Today what was then Salmons Fork runs along Blanton and Stewart, Green and others property on the
south and across the road, Wright’s,
Stewarts, Tolliver’s on the north. Today
the creek and road running into Carter County is simply all labeled Long
Branch. While the turn at the county bridge at 22937 and creek running up the
hollow is simply not named on most maps.
By experience this compiler can tell you that when there are heavy rains
the water rushing from the water shed into Long Branch,, down the hollow and
into the main Long Branch is not something for the faint of heart. Long Branch flows between the old
Howe/Klaiber one room and our log home flooding the lane and leaving us to wait for receding waters.
[viii]
Clarence Burns Harris m Ethel Rice; Flora Fain Harris; Elizabeth Ethel Harris m
Ed McCormick; Ida Mae Harris m Robert Bryant; Mary Angeline Harris m Bert Allen
Pelfrey
