It’s not Monday and I am late on posting. The idea was to make a simple blog post each week on some topic relating to history and mystery. Maybe a ghost story or two. In the beginning of the brainstorm for this post I went over a handful of ideas. I decided I’d write something on the Montana State Children’s Home otherwise known as the orphanage in Twin Bridges, Montana. Maybe you’ve seen the Ghost Adventures episode or listened to the former podcast, Lady in Black’s episode on it. My great-grandmother Florence arrived as a 5 year old child to the orphanage in 1915 with her younger brother Clark. I’ve spent over two decades researching my great-grandmother and her mysterious father, Harry Morris.
Recently I was reading a case study, “Unravelling Balls of Yarn: Lessons in the Use of a Skeptical Eye” from 1991, by my absolute research idol, Elizabeth Shown Mills, and it inspired me to write about a topic that I know a lot about, and at the same time feel like I know nothing about. That topic is Harry Morris the barber, my great-great grandfather. There is still much that needs to be unraveled regarding his life and how he came to Montana by 1908, and why he left, where he went, and what else he did with his life and his unfortunately (for this researcher) common name.
This post will begin with a discussion of what we know, what has been determined to be “Our Harry”. I will use this term frequently to differentiate my great-great grandfather from the plethora of other Harry Morris’ in records. My great grandmother Florence, was deeply curious about her paternal side. It has been my mission to try and solve as much mystery as I can with the information I find. If you feel that you have tips, hints, feedback, I would welcome it with open arms. Feel free to comment or email spookymulderfeet@gmail.com with your Harry Morris research suggestions! I’m shameless and desperate for help.
Alright, let’s dive into this. What do we know? The earliest record that we find Harry Morris is in the Montana, U.S., County Marriages, 1865-1987. On January 15th 1908, Harry Morris of Manhattan, Montana, a 27 year old white man, born at Corydon, Warren County, Pennsylvania married Arvilla Lanpear, a 19 year old white woman born at Belgrade, Montana and now residing in Manhattan, Montana. The record states it is the first marriage for both individuals. Harry’s parents are listed as James Morris and Mary Benedict. Arvilla’s parents are listed as Joseph Lanphear and Agnes McKee. The witnesses to the marriage were James M Lanphear (Arvilla’s brother) and Nora Small.
The next record we have is a death certificate in Montana, U.S., County Births and Deaths, 1830-2011 for a baby aged six months. Otis Morris died 17 Mar 1908 of pneumonia and the secondary contribution was measles. According to the death certificate, Otis’s parents are listed as Harry Morris, born Pennsylvania and “Vilie” Lanphear born Gallatin County, Montana. Joseph Lanphear, Otis’s maternal grandfather, was the informant on the death certificate. The information regarding Otis’s age (6 months and 17 days), would have him born about Sept 1, 1908. That is just shy of 9 months to the day from Harry and Arvilla’s marriage.
We next view a birth record found in the Montana, U.S. Birth Records, 1897-1988. Florence Agnes Morris was born 27 April 1910 at the Bozeman Sanitarium. Florence was the second child born to Harry Morris, a barber, born Pennsylvania, and Arvilla E Lanphear born Montana. The parents are residing at Perkins Place, Bozeman, Montana. It is interesting to note that the record appears to have Florence’s name added at a later date, 5/7/1942 in red ink. This is the first instance we see Harry’s occupation of ‘barber’ listed on a record. A curious note is that according to Bozeman Health Medical Group’s website, the Bozeman Sanitarium was called the Blair Sanitarium until 1911, but Bozeman Sanitarium is written on the record. You can read more about the history that Bozeman Health published on their website here.
Our first census record is found in the 1910 United States Federal Census. In Bozeman Ward 1, Gallatin, Montana, we have Harry Morris a 29 year old white man working as a barber with wife Ivilla 21 years and daughter Agnes U is a new born baby at 0/12 months. The family lives at Perkins Place. “Ivilla” is 21 years old, birthplace is listed as Montana. Her father’s birthplace is listed as Minnesota and her mother’s listed as Scotland. Harry’s birthplace is Pennsylvania, but both his parents’ birthplaces are listed as “Unk” or unknown. We don’t know who answered the census taker’s questions in Bozeman City in late April 1910, but potentially both Harry and Arvilla didn’t know where his parents were born. There are two other people on the page with unknown parental birthplaces, a 51 year old white man from Alabama and a 26 year old white man from New York. According to this record, Ivilla is listed as the mother of 2 children, 1 living. This is the first and only time that we see my great grandmother Florence with a middle initial of “U”. The record shows no middle initials for either Harry or Arvilla, “Ivilla” here.
We have our next record in 1912, with a birth certificate from Montana, U.S. Birth Records, 1897-1988, 15 June 1912 Harry Ansel Morris was born in Manhattan, Montana as the third child born to Harry Morris, a white man born in Pennsylvania, and working as a laborer, and Arvilla Lanphear a white woman born in Montana. There are no middle initials for Harry or Arvilla. It will be noted now, that both my great grandmother and her brother’s names were changed when they were adopted (albeit temporarily because that family ended up surrendering the children back to the orphanage, the children retained their adopted names). Agnes Morris became Florence Gwendolyn Magby, and Harry Ansel Morris became James Clark Magby. That information was learned from the orphanage/adoption papers from the Montana Children’s Home, which was acquired from the Montana Archives by this writer. I hope to deep dive into those documents as well with you, but for our current focus, we will continue our path looking at the children’s father, Harry before we spider web into the orphanage paperwork. Stay on target, stay on target.
Let’s review what we know. Harry and Arvilla were married 15 Jan 1908. They had three children, Otis, Agnes, and Ansel. Baby Otis died at 6 months and 17 days on 17 Mar 1909. Baby Agnes was born 27 April 1910 at the Bozeman Sanitarium. Finally, Ansel was born 15 July 1912. The 1910 US Federal Census shows Harry, Arvilla, and baby Agnes (grandma Florence) living in Bozeman City on Perkin’s Place. The Perkin’s Place address is listed on Florence’s birth record. Harry’s occupation as a barber is listed twice, once on baby Agnes’ birth record and again in the 1910 US Federal Census record.
It seems like we have a lot of information, right? We shouldn’t have any trouble finding Harry Morris out east in Warren County, Pennsylvania. We’ve got his parent’s names too! Oh and look, Harry and his family are establishing, and we should be able to find many records going forward!? Right? WRONG. Oh so wrong.
Our next record is a death record, from 1916 but before that a brief explanation of another collection of documents in possession by this researcher. It must be stated that the orphanage paperwork that I received from the Montana State Archives contains rich information covering time from the 1915 intake to personal letters from the 1920s written by my great grandmother Florence to Mr. Hawk, the long time superintendent of the orphanage. I will refer to the information contained in that file, but I feel like that entire file deserves its own post, perhaps as a supplement to this post. As alluded to before, this entire project has become a spider web.
On 10 April 1916, Arvilla Ester Lanphear Morris died of bronchial pneumonia. Her birth information given on the record is 1 Oct 1888, Montana. She is listed as married, and her parents are Joseph Lanphear, born South Center, Minnesota and Agnes McKee, born Scotland. There appears to have been a correction made to the document at one point because red pen crosses out Joseph’s birthplace of Wisconsin, to write “South Center, Minnesota” and originally his surname was written “Lamphear”, the m is crossed out and replaced with an n. There is no date or notation letting us know when that correction was made. There is no mention or reference to Arvilla’s husband’s identity, she is simply listed as “married”. The informant for the death certificate is “Mrs. F J Redfield” of Manhattan, Montana. Mary McKee, the sister to Agnes McKee, married Fred J Redfield, and is the identity of our informant here. In the Meadow View Cemetery, located in Manhattan Montana, Agnes and her sister Mary’s headstones face each other from across a path. Agnes passed earlier than her daughter, in 1905.
Before receiving the adoption file, it was assumed that the children went to the orphanage after the death of their mother Arvilla in 1916. However, the intake date for the children is 18 Feb 1915 prior to their mother’s death. Both parents, Harry and Arvilla are listed on the paperwork and they are able to pay “nothing”. The document includes their signatures. On the intake form, it is interesting that the children’s grandfather is listed as the closest nearest relative, but both parents supposedly live in Bozeman and are alive. Their grandfather wrote letters in 1915 referring to an agreement the orphan’s home office had made with him to get the children back in his care.
However, intending on sticking to my focus of Harry Morris, I am going to discuss a different letter in the adoption file, by our guy, the man, the myth and the legend, Harry himself.
A letter dated Sept 25th 1918 (written as ‘9-25-1918’) from Cheyenne, Wyoming reads:
“Dear Sir Or to who it may consern. I have been told that the little Morris children was left there for you to find homes. Would you please let me know as soon as you can. I am there Father and would like to have them sent to me so if you have them let me know so I can send for them. Hopeing I will here soon I will close. Mrs. F J Redfield told us they were there.
Yours Truly, Harry Morris 2616 Bent St Cheyenne, Wyo”
In a response, Harry is told in a letter that
“…the two Morris children, will say that these have been placed for adoption and have passed from our custody. They have a very fine home together where they will receive every advantage of education and car and are happy in their surroundings.”
The nameless state superintendent ends their letter with, “Regretting the unfortunate conditions that made this arrangement necessary I am”.
Now, the emotional weight of this record is a touch heavy for this researcher. However, setting my feels aside for a moment, we do learn an important piece of information that proves quite fortunate with another document. Harry gives his address in his letter as 2616 Bent Street Cheyenne, Wyo. He also mentions that Mrs. F J Redfield told him the children were there, his mother in law’s sister, Mary McKee Redfield.
Harry Morris is an incredibly common name in the early 20th century. It can feel sometimes impossible to weed through the magnitude of records for thousands of Harry’s. All leading and living their own lives with their own families. There are times I have wanted to give up and exclaim, “Ah to hell with this shit!”. I’m obsessed. I don’t know if it’s the riddle, or that it’s in my blood. Because it was a mystery to my great grandmother, and potentially her sons, and definitely her granddaughters, it’s just there. It lives in my bones. It will be there likely forever, this drive for the truth. The answers to so many questions starting with why.
I was able to verify a World War I draft card as belonging to Our Harry because of the 2616 Bent St address, and we get the name of a new wife, Emma. Harry’s birth date is listed 23 Aug 1885. The first time we get a full date rather than a listed age. His draft card tells us that he is a 33 year old white “unemployed at present” barber. Harry’s physical appearance is 69 inches tall, medium height box is checked, medium build box is checked, his eyes are gray and his hair is black. The document was registered 12 Sept 1918, around two weeks prior to his letter to the orphan’s home. His address on the draft card is listed, 2626 Bent St, Cheyenne Wyoming.
The search goes cold for a while. Does Harry go to war? His age of 33 seems a bit old to go off to Europe, and if he goes does he die? How on earth does he survive if he does indeed serve? We don’t know those answers. We don’t know if Harry served in World War I. The search for years becomes incredibly frustrating without any real leads. I spend my focus on Wyoming, Montana, and the west in general. I let the search go dormant. Until one day, an tip on Ancestry popped up (which, to be honest, I don’t usually find Ancestry hints all that helpful, for reasons being a) I already have the information or b) the information is so ripe with misinformation it makes me feel like I’m gagging on a spoon). It led me to a marriage license dated 2 April 1923 for Harry Morris and Mabel Ruttenbar in the Iowa, Marriage Records, 1880-1937. Harry is a 44 year old white man residing in Des Moines Iowa and his occupation is barber. The bride to be is 24 year old Mabel Ruttenbar also residing in Des Moines, Iowa. It is the second marriage for both parties. Mabel was born in Ravenwood, Missouri and her parents are recorded as Thomas Peckett and Emma Rogers. Harry’s parents are listed as James Morris and Mary Benedict and his birth place is recorded as Warren County, Pennsylvania. This document hits the information we find on the marriage license to Arvilla back in 1908 in Gallatin County, Montana. Although it is listed as the second marriage for Harry, we are led to believe it is his third, because of wife Emma in Wyoming, listed on the draft card. What happened to Emma? The wedded bliss of Harry and Mabel did not last long, she filed for divorce Saturday Aug 7th, 1926. Mabel P Morris is listed with her parents in the 1925 Iowa Census, but Harry ain’t there.
We’re going to take a pause here, and jump back in with Part 2 of our quest into Harry Morris because we’ve covered a lot of ground, and there is still more to go. This post has covered all the information and records that I have been able to determine belong to my great-great grandfather Harry the barber. The next discussion is going to focus on the potential records, documents that are curious, that I find compelling, yet for one reason or another I am unable to find the link that would merit an Our Harry stamp of approval. But like I said, they are compelling. Let us not forget that genealogy without documentation is mythology. We’ll pick up in Wyoming, tangent to Canada, jump back to Iowa, take a journey to Missouri to meet yet another possible spouse and view a death record listing a curious date of birth. Then, we’ll take a wild goose chase into western Pennsylvania and southwestern New York because of an obituary. Again, it’s all a lot of possible and plausible, but it’s all circumstantial until we can back it up with documentation. We don’t have any idea who, what, or where Harry is prior to 1908 or after his 1923 marriage in Iowa. Sometimes I question whether his “real” name was Harry before 1908. Dear God please no more spider webs.
Until next time, reader! Who knows when, sometime soon, it’s all chaos now, so I hope you’ll check back.
Spooky Mulder
Spooky Mulder Feet 
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