The Harris Centennial
Harris --The past 100 Years

"H" Biographies
Haffield, Halverson, Hamilton, Harms, Hintze

Haffield Family

Enoch Haffield was born September 10, 1862, in Walford, England. He came to the United States in 1887, and to the Allendorf community to live. He talked about weathering the big blizzard of 1888.

Enoch Haffield was united in marriage to Mary Ann Conway in January, 1900. Mary Ann Conway was born in Dublin, Ireland, on July 25, 1875. She came to the Allendorf community on December 25, 1899.

They farmed and lived in Osceola County all the rest of their lives. They moved to the Fletcher Farm in 1918, located 3 ½ miles west and ½ mile north of Harris. They remained there until their deaths; Enoch in 1941, and Mary Ann in 1942.

Family: William (deceased); Maye Johnston, Lynden, Washington; Charles (deceased); Lewis (deceased); Mildred Peterson, Mitchell, South Dakota; Milo (deceased); Edith Wood, Round Lake, Minnesota; Arthur “Pat” (deceased); Alice (deceased); Jean Gilbert, Sioux City.

Maye, Mildred, Edith Arthur and Jean graduated from Harris Consolidated School.

Reier Halverson Family

Reir Halverson (1865-1931) and Julia Hildahl (1867-1939) were married November 15, 1883. Mr. Halverson was section foreman on the Rock Island Railroad.

Mr. Halverson came to America when about 16 years of age from Sand, Suldahl, Norway. He married Julia at Goldfield, Iowa. Later they went to Lake Park and then to Harris in 1892. He had continuous service with Rock Island Railroad for over 39 years.

Children: Bessie (Halverson) Barnes; Edward Halverson; Hannah (Halverson) Logan; Martin Halverson.

George Hamilton Family

George Hamilton homesteaded the west half of section 29 in Fairview Township in June, 1872. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1846, and came to America when he was four years old. He married Anna Stones of England. They resided on this farm nearly forty years before moving into Ocheyedan.

Mr. Hamilton was a township trustee in 1878, and township assessor in the early 1900’s for several years. As with many of the early settlers in the area, this family went through many trying circumstances, one of which was the January blizzard of 1873. Mr. Hamilton left home with his team of horses on a 25 mile trip to the mill at Milford, Iowa. Four miles from Milford the horses got down in a snow drift in a corn field and were unable to go on. He remained there in the snow for 26 hours when a family by the name of Smith came across him stuck in the snow drift. This family took Mr. Hamilton to their home for he was very chilled and cold; within five days he was able to return to his own home.

Three children were born to them; Mary Elizabeth (Mrs. Fred Naab) Arthur and Alice Grace (Mrs. Sam L. Block). George Hamilton was the great grandfather of Maurice Dale Block of Ocheyedan, Iowa.

R.J. Frank Harms Family

Frank Harms was born in Sudcoldene-Anrt Narden, Osfriesland Germany, September 21, 1870. He was about fifteen years old when he came with his family to America, settling at Remsen, Iowa. When he was a young man, he worked for several years at Remsen in the winter and western Nebraska and Wyoming in the summer. Later he came to Harris, Iowa, to his sister Emma Harms Ihnen working for farmers, then buying a farm five miles south of Harris.

He asked Anna Behrens, whom he had met in Nebraska, who was originally born at Carthlage, Illinois, and later moving to Nebraska, and later to Little Rock with her parents, to be his bride. They lived on the farm four miles south of Harris for many years where all twelve of their children were born and raised. He retired in May City, Iowa in 1944

He was a Charter member of the Harris Lutheran Church and also helped plot the Union Cemetery.

Their children married and moved to the following: Theresa married Fred Thies of Sibley. They lived south of Harris, their early years, then Sibley, Sioux City, and are now retired and live in Moville.

Nana married Dewey Hocking and lived most of their life at Jackson and Estherville. They retired in May City. Nana died in 1980, and Dewey in 1973.

Margaret married Ray Boom of Little Rock. They have lived most of their life at Sibley, where they also retired.

Marie married Henry Poppen of Sibley, and lived all their life there where they also retired. Marie died in 1985.

Jennie married Carl Vagle and lived on farms near Spirit Lake, Walnut Grove, Minnesota, and Jackson, Minnesota. They retired in Jackson, Minnesota. Carl died in 1986.

Earl married Alta Hollander of Lake Park. They lived on farms at Melvin, May City, and Harris, for many years, and retired at May City, Iowa.

John married Leola Schultz of Melvin, and lived in the Melvin area and retired in May City. John died in 1981.

Harold married Viola Christiansen of Hartley. They lived at Hartley, May City, and for a few years in Washington State. They retired in May City.

Emma married Henry Tewes. They lived around the Jackson, Minnesota, area where they farmed and retired in Jackson. Emma died in 1976, and Henry in 1988.

LeRoy married Virginia Selby of Harris. They lived at Ocheyedan, and in Washington for a few years, Albert Lea, and West Concord. They retired in Albert Lea, Minnesota. LeRoy died in 1987.

Lawrence married Clarice Recher of Ocheyedan; they lived a few years at Melvin, then moved to Harris for a number of years. They retired and moved to May City.

Donald married Rosella Runge of May City, lived in the May City area for a number of years and later moved to Lake Park, Iowa. Donald died in 1984.

The William and Jessie (Hintze) Family

Lloyd, born in 1900, married Lucille Porter, and died in 1984.  Leone, born in 1902, married Dewey Jennings, and lives in George, Iowa.  Harold (Pat), born in 1904, married Lila Loomis.  Harold died in 1984, and his widow is living in Brainerd, Minnesota.  Sadie, born in 1907, married Hemmie Meyers, and died in 1983.  Denver, born in 1910, married Esther Johnson, and died in 1975.  His widow is living in Rock Rapids, Iowa.  Harvey, born in 1911, married Adeline Marshal, and died in 1973.  His widow is living in Elk River, Minnesota.  Victor, born in 1917, married Cathy Kohl, and died in 1975.  Gilbert, born in 1927, married Virginia Bartels; both are living in Muscatine, Iowa. (pg. 32)