Family of , NOAH THOMAS HARRIS In Charlton, Wayne, Brantley Counties, Georgia
L.-R.; Clifford Amanda (Highsmith); Baby, Maude Alma (Harris) Cleland; Noah Thomas Harris; Ira Conrade Harris
A Participant in the GaGenWeb Project

Noah T. Harris was born on September 12, 1878 in an area of Wayne County, Georgia, now designated Brantley County. He was the son of Joseph Ebenezer (Ebb or Eben) Harris, and Julia Ann Wainright, the daughter of James Wainwright (PWG Vol. IV). Noah was the grandson of Jimpsey Harris. The name, Noah is traced back to the father of Nancy Robinson (Noah Robinson).  Nancy, wife of James Wainright,  named a son, Noah Thomas Wainright. The sister of Noah, Julia Ann Wainright, who married J. Ebenezer Harris, named her first son Noah Thomas Harris.

Noah Thomas Harris was married to Clifford Amanda Highsmith, the daughter of Owen K. Highsmith, and Selener Counts Harrell. Clifford was the grandaughter of David Highsmith (PWG Vol. I). She was born January 10, 1880; died at the age of 49 on November 6, 1929, and was buried at the Smyrna Cemetery, near Lulaton, Georgia. Maude, the daughter of Noah and Clifford, spoke many times of walking, running and playing, behind a mule-drawn wagon driven by Clifford Amanda going to church services at the Smyrna Primitive Baptist Church.  

At the time of Noah's marriage to Clifford Amanda, Eben divided his property and gave them farming acreage. Noah built his home on the main road to the east of Eben's homestead. Noah's farm land bordered on the main road, Poley Branch, and also east of Little Buffalo Creek. Noah's home was later passed-on to Solena, his daughter, and her husband, George Royal Steedley.  After the death of George Royal, and Solena, Noah's property was passed to George Ernest Steedley, the son of George and Solena.  J. Eben's old farm place was inherited by his son Seaborn Brantley, and subsequently Brantley's son, J.E. (Joseph Eben Harris). CHILDREN:

1. IRA CONRADE, born 8/21/1906 Married Mary Jane Wainright, dau. of John Bailey Wainright on 10/1934. Conrade died 11/18/1975 and is buried at Greenlawn Cemetery near Waycross, Georgia.

2. MAUDE ALMA, born 8/17/1910 Married William A. Cleland Jr. son of William Alfred Cleland Sr. on 4/24/1927.

3.WILLIAM BRANTLEY, born 4/30/1913 Married Mary Laura White, dau. of Jim White. She died 12/16/1978 and is buried at New Hope Church Cemetery.

4.SOLENA MARION, born 8/30/1915 Married George Royal Steeley, son of William D. Randall Steedley on 2/24/1934.

5. DOROTHY MAE, born 3/16/1921 Married Seward Edgar Steedley, son of William Randall Steedley on 9/26/1936.

Born the son of a farmer and timber man, Noah also followed that trade. He farmed during the cultivation, planting, and harvesting seasons, and turned to the woods during the off seasons for income to buy clothing, food supplies, and other personal items which were not produced on the farm. He was also very skilled as a wood craftsman.

Noah's trade as a woodsman came from harvesting timber and hewing-out "cross-ties" for railroad tracks at a time when the Coastline Railroad was expanding south. This was accomplished with his brother, Brantley, using heavy axes, cross-cut saws, and a yoke of Oxen. Solid hard wood, single piece "cross-ties" from the heart of the tree, would bring the workers 50 cents each. Two workers could hew-out two to three "cross-ties" a day. At the end of the month, the "cross-ties" would be transported by a "Two wheel Cart" drawn by the Oxen to Lulaton, Georgia, located three miles north of their farm, and east of Nahunta, and sold or exchanged for mercantile.

We are told that Noah had one Ole stubborn Ox which would occasionally sulk and balk from going to the woods. During the early morning hours on the way to work, this Ole Ox would flop-down to the ground and lay there until past noon-day when it was too late to accomplish any work, and then get up. Finally, after several of these "balks" Noah and Brantley decided on a solution. Since the Ole Ox was too big and heavy to move (approximately 2,000 lbs), and since they had other chores to perform, they tied all-four feet together and left him laying at the spot where he "flopped". The Ole Ox got wise after two of these occasions and never caused any more problems. Noah spoke many times of preparing hand-made harnesses for his oxen from leather and web-straps. He plaited long "bull whips" from strips of leather to work his oxen.

Retirement from farming came in Noah's early fifties. While working in the woods, his lower legs were exposed to a poisonous substance which resulted in an infectious, incurable condition requiring bandages and treatment the rest of his life. After Noah's retirement in the middle 1930's, Solena moved back to the old home-place built by Noah T. and assumed the farming and housekeeping chores with her husband, George Steedley. They gain ownership of the property by taking care of Noah, and assuming responsibilities for the property taxes. Noah continued living at his old home place until the early 1950's, when George and Solena torn-down the old homestead and built another home.  Noah, aged approximately 72,  disagreed with the demolishment of his old home, and moved to Nahunta, and lived with his daughter, Maude and her husband W.A. Cleland Jr, until his death.   

Wood craftsman skills were first revealed during Noah's early manhood days. He furnished his home with many hand-built items. After retirement from timber and farming, he refined these skills and earned income from building "pioneer-type" home furniture (tables, chairs, rocking chairs, benches, garment and kitchen cabinets), wheel barrows, and flat bottom fishing boats which were designed to maneuver the river swamp fishing spots near his home. He was also skilled as a blacksmith, building many of the flat iron-ware braces etc. required in the construction of furniture, field/garden hoes, and repairing plows and wagon wheels.

The signature of his hand made rocking chairs was the unique "cow-hide bottoms", common in pioneer homes located in the Wire Grasses of Georgia. He obtained wood for these items by going into the swamps, cutting hardwood trees, hewing the hard-wood logs by hand to the required board sizes, and seasoning the wood until ready for usage. In early 1990's, many of these items were still being used and cherished by their proud owners as 'Relics of Pioneer Georgia.

Noah did not have the advantage of a formal education and, like his father, Eben, could not read or write. His intellectual prowess  was proved by his skills as a craftsman, businessman, and his fulfillment to society during the hard depression period, the Spanish American War, and two World Wars.

His wisdom is attested in the nurturing of five children, one of which (William Brantley "Bill") served in the Georgia House of Representatives and was a key figure in Brantley County. "Bill" gained his nest-egg of wealth in "stump woods", and operated businesses in Brantley County for over three decades. Noah's son, Ira Conrade, was a Heavy Equipment Operator before retirement and was involved in constructing highways/roads and clearing property for many public buildings in Brantley County. One of Conrade's last jobs before retirement was the Greenlawn Cemetery near Waycross, where he wanted to be buried.

Noah Thomas Harris was a very gentle and compassionate individual. Grandchildren remember a "Grand-daddy" who loved fishing in Jonas Lake, Long Lake, the Ole Barn near the Satilla River, and Little Buffalo Creek adjacent to his farm. They remember the hard-rock candy he stored in a secret place to be available when they visited him. They remember the Purple Martin Bird-Houses-gourds hanging from a tall pole, small-mobile wind propellers which seem to spin eternally, and the hand-made toy-trinketry he used to amuse them.

The last decade of Noah's life was spent with his daughter, Maude Alma, and her husband, W. A. Cleland Jr., living in Nahunta, Georgia.   With slab-boards obtained from a local saw-mill, W.A. helped Noah built a small workshop on the back of the  Cleland  property which facilitated Noah's continued wood craftsmanship into his late seventies. He died in Nahunta on November 2, 1961, while living with Maude and was buried next to Clifford Amanda's grave-site at the Smyrna Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, at Lulaton, Georgia.

 RETURN TO HARRIS FAMILY