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  • Help - What is this name?

    Hello! I'm new to this forum, but I've been doing genealogy for about ten years.

    Today, I'm asking for help reading a name on a 1904 passport application by my third-great uncle, Henry "Harry" R. Harris. Harry was a merchant living in Manila, Philippine Islands after the Spanish American War. I really want to learn more about his wife (b. 19 May 1876 in Berlin, Germany). Her name is listed on this passport, but unfortunately the handwriting is pretty sloppy and I can't make out what it says. I can't find any other records on her.

    Harry died in 1905 in Reno, Nevada, and his wife came down from Oregon to retrieve the body (according to a death notice in the paper). It's unclear what happened to her after this. Also, this might be a hint: I have an old photo of them together, and someone wrote "Harry Harris and wife Emma" on the back. That's about all I know.

    Super thankful for any help!

    It won't let me post the image, so here's a link to the passport on imgur instead: https://imgur.com/a/cjkR1aJ

  • #2
    Emmia Hapag ??

    Comment


    • #3
      welcome to the forum, I can't decide if that is an H as it is nothing like the Henry Harris. Have you looked at some of the other records to see letters like it o names that can be read?

      No experience with German names.
      Last edited by cbcarolyn; 21-02-21, 21:23.
      Carolyn
      Family Tree site

      Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
      Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

      Comment


      • #4
        The passport is on Ancestry - a few more letters to compare.

        Phil
        historyhouse.co.uk
        Essex - family and local history.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by cbcarolyn View Post
          Have you looked at some of the other records to see letters like it o names that can be read?
          It doesn't seem that the other Manila 1904 Passport records were written in the same handwriting, so there's not much to be gained, unfortunately.

          Comment


          • #6
            that's a shame
            Carolyn
            Family Tree site

            Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
            Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by GallowayLass View Post
              Emmia Hapag ??
              That's a good guess. The first name especially looks like it could be Emmia

              Comment


              • #8
                So, sometimes (not always!) Ancestry suggests other pertinent records when you've found the first one. There is a 1900 census for Harry R Harris in Manila.
                https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer...e&pId=54608712

                It also suggest a marriage in CO - and in that 1900 census, Harry says his current US residence is Colorado City, CO. The marriage is to Myrtle Cram.
                https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageview...723&lang=en-GB

                Hmm. Could this be a different wife, but same Harry?

                He registered to vote in California in 1890.

                So, have you looked for/purchased his death cert? Did he have children?

                BTW - if you can find them, divorce records can be very interesting.

                Comment


                • #9
                  "The Masonic Cemetery which split from the larger cemetery has also been checked since Henry was a Mason and they do not have record of him either"

                  Did you try inquiring with the Masons in Colorado Springs?

                  Perhaps an ftf member with more experience with Berlin records could address the question of finding a birth cert there?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    This is very interesting, dob is off by a few days:
                    Emma Pla Harris
                    in the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

                    Emma Pla Harris [Emma Pla Planz]
                    Female
                    6 May 1876
                    Federal Republic of Germany
                    11 Dec 1966
                    29 Aug 1968
                    Henry Planz
                    Frieda Heine
                    567900119
                    05 Aug 1968: Name listed as EMMA PLA HARRIS
                    Emma P Harris
                    in the California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997
                    Emma P Harris
                    Female
                    6 May 1876
                    California
                    11 Dec 1966
                    San Francisco
                    Heine

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Familysearch has good coverage of post unification berlin records. German unification was 1874.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Another suggestion - look for his obit in the town that Mrs. Harris came from - Coos Bay, OR, right?

                        It looks to me that this couple moved around a lot. He's in Manila for the 1900, and dies in 1905. We have no idea when/where they married (right?).

                        I've assumed that you've followed/know the brother's line that is mentioned in the obit.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by PhotoFamily View Post
                          Another suggestion - look for his obit in the town that Mrs. Harris came from - Coos Bay, OR, right?

                          It looks to me that this couple moved around a lot. He's in Manila for the 1900, and dies in 1905. We have no idea when/where they married (right?).

                          I've assumed that you've followed/know the brother's line that is mentioned in the obit.
                          Wow, thank you so much for your additional research.

                          The marriage to Myrtle Cram in 1897 was his second marriage, but was anulled because they eloped and her parents didn't approve. He signs up for the Spanish American War in 1898 and is stationed on a steamship called the "China," where he served as its "pantryman." After the war, he sticks around in Manila and works as a merchant, shipping goods between Manila, Nagasaki, Honolulu and San Francisco. It's during this time that I believe he marries his third wife "Emmia (?)." Our picture labled, "Harry Harris and wife Emma" was printed in Nagasaki, Japan. It seems he also resided part of the time in Colorado City and/or Colorado Springs. It's a lot of residences in a short amount of time. He comes back to the States in the fall of 1905 to work with his brother Horace Alonzo Harris, (my second-great grandfather) a contractor in Reno, Nevada. Horace A. Harris' family is up in Coos Bay, Oregon at this time, which is presumably why Harry's wife is up there too.

                          If I remember correctly, I did email the Masonic Lodge in Colorado, but it didn't turn up any results. I'll check back through my emails to find out, and it might be good to check-in with them again now that I know more information.

                          I'll follow up on the Emma Pla Harris records.

                          I really appreciate everyone's help and support!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by kylejustin View Post
                            Familysearch has good coverage of post unification berlin records. German unification was 1874.
                            Thanks for letting me know. I'll do some searches!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              So, I don't know what fields were available to fill in on a 1905 NV death cert. Illinois' were pretty minimal, NY's were more detailed. Some death certs had fields to fill in the name of a spouse. Usually the name of an informant. Oh - and sometimes, even if there was a place for the wife's name, it might be "Mrs. <married surname>"

                              looks like you can't get a death cert online??
                              washoe county health district, vital statistics, birth certificate, death certificate, birth certificates, death certificates


                              weird, cuz there are other NV records online. You could try calling them

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Originally posted by PhotoFamily View Post
                                So, I don't know what fields were available to fill in on a 1905 NV death cert. Illinois' were pretty minimal, NY's were more detailed. Some death certs had fields to fill in the name of a spouse. Usually the name of an informant. Oh - and sometimes, even if there was a place for the wife's name, it might be "Mrs. <married surname>"

                                looks like you can't get a death cert online??
                                washoe county health district, vital statistics, birth certificate, death certificate, birth certificates, death certificates


                                weird, cuz there are other NV records online. You could try calling them
                                I think I'll try ordering a certificate tomorrow. It's not a guarantee they'll have it, but at this point, it's worth checking. A couple years ago I tried calling there, and the person said their records were limited prior to a certain date (can't remember when exactly). I think Nevada as a state didn't start taking death certificates seriously until 1911, but Washoe county might have been better. It might yield some results.

                                Part of my hope in researching this line is it might also lead to finding Harry's brother, Chester C. Harris Jr., who is a complete mystery to me. He completely vanishes after 1898. There were four brothers: William, Harry, Horace, and Chester Jr, and they were all extremely close with each other until their parents died in Colorado in 1895 and 1897. After this they all went their separate ways, and it's been an absolute joy (and at points, pure frustration) to track them all down again.

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Hmm. This might be a fruitless labor of love to try, but FamilySearch has some death records for Washoe County. You have to look at the film strip online

                                  Discover your family history. Explore the world’s largest collection of free family trees, genealogy records and resources.


                                  If you go down to the camera with the key on the section you're interested in, click, then login, you'll get the film strip.

                                  "v. 5. Death records/obituaries: Washoe County death records, 1896-1912;"

                                  So, Volume 5 is in the second strip. I didn't check it out - the "strips" may just be one long string of images.

                                  You have obits for the other three brothers and their parents? Checked CO newspapers for mention of Chester?

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Originally posted by PhotoFamily View Post
                                    Hmm. This might be a fruitless labor of love to try, but FamilySearch has some death records for Washoe County. You have to look at the film strip online

                                    Discover your family history. Explore the world’s largest collection of free family trees, genealogy records and resources.


                                    If you go down to the camera with the key on the section you're interested in, click, then login, you'll get the film strip.

                                    "v. 5. Death records/obituaries: Washoe County death records, 1896-1912;"

                                    So, Volume 5 is in the second strip. I didn't check it out - the "strips" may just be one long string of images.

                                    You have obits for the other three brothers and their parents? Checked CO newspapers for mention of Chester?
                                    Wow, this turned out great! I was able to find his death record in the resource you provided. Thank you. It doesn't have any new info, but it showed his name, birthday, parents' names, internment at Mt. View Cemetery, and listed his brother as the informant.

                                    I have an obituary for his dad (d. 1895), a death notice for his mom (d. 1897), and obituaries for Harry (d. 1905), William (d. 1937) and Horace (d. 1946). The only one of these that mentions Chester Jr. is his dad's obituary, which says his four sons will take over management of the Rock Island Hotel in Florence, Colorado. From this, I know Chester Jr. is still alive as of December, 1895 when he is 18 years old. Then he vanishes. I've scoured newspapers.com, genealogybank.com, and coloradohistoricnewspapers.com for mention of him, but turned up nothing. My best guess is he died soon after, and either the record/newspaper for his death is not digitized or it doesn't exist.

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      So, when I was meandering thru Ancestry, I saw a likely index for Chester going to the Spanish American War. I'ts only an index, you'd have to find the actual record elsewhere, if it even exists. Would you like to post a new thread about him?

                                      So glad that link worked out, even if it didn't have all the info you wanted

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        Hi, this would appear to be Henry's place of Burial as recorded on Find A Grave. The notes on the record state that both this cemetery,
                                        and the Masonic cemetery have no record of him. However the 2nd newspaper clip is quite clear that the burial took place at 2 pm
                                        26 Dec 1905. This is the Link..
                                        The obituary notes Henry Harris was buried in this cemetery, however they have no current record of it. The Masonic Cemetery which split from the larger cemetery has also been checked since Henry was a Mason and they do not have record of him either. It is unclear whether or not he is actually buried here as the...
                                        My avatar is my fathers father,name unknown.............................

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