No. 1 - Mary Marie Harris

Mary Marie Harris, my maternal grandmother,  was born Mary Marie Alexander to Luther Alexander and Mattie Francis Hurst on April 21, 1898 in Woodford, Oklahoma, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory. Mary had three siblings, Gertrude who was born November 19, 1900.  Her brother Clyde was born in 1902 and her brother Dow was born in 1903.  Mary's father Luther died between 1903 and 1910.  Clyde also died between 1903 and 1910.

In 1900 Mary lived with her sister Gertrude and their parents Mattie and Luther in Township 2, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory.  At the time Luther's brother, Dempsy also lived with them.  Then in 1910 Mary, Gertrude and Dow lived with only their mother Mattie in Noble, Cleveland County Oklahoma.  They lived with Mattie's brother, Thomas Hurst.  Luther died sometime after 1903, the year that Dow was born.  While Luther is not on the 1910 census, neither is son Clyde who was born in 1902.  Luther's death was a railroad accident.  Family lore suggests that Luther was hit by a train and his body dismembered.

Below is a picture of Mary and Gertrude, Dow and Clyde probably about 1908.

                                            Gertrude, Dow, Clyde and Mary Alexander


Mary met Carl John Harris and married him in December 1916 in Headrick, Oklahoma.  Carl was born in Anna, Collin, Texas on March 20, 1900.  Carl's parents were George Ock Harris and Minnie Todd Harris who had moved to Texas from Mississippi.  Below is a photo of Mary and Carl Harris before their marriage, probably about 1915.

Mary was a sweet grandmother and loved to be in control of things.  She once told me that she met Carl and knew because he was younger than she was that she needed to take care of him.  In the next blog, I'll give you information about Mary and Carl's children.