Uncle Will Harris

Home Up Aunt Clara Grandma Gibbons Uncle Will A SQUAW FIGHT Z George Wilhelm

William Moses Harris
Born 7 June 1885 in Glendale, Kane County, Utah
Died 18 Sep 1959 in St. Johns, Apache County, Arizona

 

 Many a morning Uncle Will could be seen driving his cow to pasture with his little dog, Major, following dutifully behind him.  Uncle Will would come by to see his sister, Grandma Gibbons, Nancy Elizabeth Harris Gibbons, in St. Johns and they would act as though they hadn't seen each other in ages.  Great joy and excitement was extant.  And Major sat patiently at his feet, sometimes with his head on Uncle Willie's shoe. 

As with many of the people prior to radio, television and motion pictures, they would recite poems or stories (readings) for each other.  Sometimes their story included a ballad or song as in the case of Billy Wigdon included here.

One of Grandma Gibbons' favorites to contribute was "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe. 

Legendary lore has a tale about Uncle Will being on a jury that was 'hung'  for days.  Suddenly they arrived at a verdict of 'not guilty.'  Uncle Will commented, on being ask about his jury experience, "Those were eleven of the hardest headed people I ever met!"

 Uncle Will raised the most delicious grapes I ever tasted. (Mom says they were very sour and had seeds but he cut me off a bunch with his knife.  No one had ever given me grapes from the vine before or since.) He and  Aunt Mattie raised a little granddaughter, Dell, with whom we were delighted to play when she accompanied Uncle Will to Grandma's house where we lived.

The following tape was provided to me by my father, Harvey Gibbons Wilhelm, a grand-nephew of Uncle Will.

 

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Introduction of Wayne Harris, grandson of Uncle Will,  when tape was made in 1958.
Uncle Will, age 92, telling the story and singing the Irish 'Ballad of Billy Wigdon.'

 
Uncle Will sings another folk tune-- I think --The Empty Cabin Door.

 
Song:  Praises of Famous Q-Ball or Plains of Kildare.
Uncle Will Harris tells of finding Harris Caves and why it is named after the Harrises.

 
Uncle Will tells of his father in Old Mexico with the old woman with smallpox.  Uncle Willie states at the beginning that his father had more faith than he ever saw in his life.  Uncle Will can be heard to weep as he speaks of this faith. What a legacy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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