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Richard,
I am also trying to locate a man named Joe W Harris who's orginal name was Joe Harris Wilson we believe he was born abt 1835 (according to newspaper article) unknown where.
He was sleeping with a woman named Eliza Jane Burroughs/Fuller Noble Mitchem/um. there is some conflict about the maiden name of Eliza.
Eliza and her 2nd husband James Nathaniel Mitchum where on the 1880 Lampasas Co Tx census in Lampasas.
From there they moved to Brownwood Brown Co TX.
Dallas Morning News
Dallas Dallas Co Tx
2-27-1888
KILLED WITH A SHOT-GUN
A man avenges his outraged Honor
The Recreant* Wife Falls on the body of the Dead Man, Kisses Him and Weeps.
Brownwood, Tex Feb 26.—J. N. Mitchem shot and killed Joe W. Harris on the street here at about 9 o’clock last night. The killing was on account of Harris’ intimacy with Mitchems’ wife. At the time of the shooting Mitchems was standing about the middle of Fisk street, between Coggin, Ford & Martin’s bank an Allman’s store.
Harris was in front of Allman’s store. Harris was in front of Allman’s store. Six shots took effect, making five flesh wounds in the arm, chest and neck, while one shot entered the right side and passed through the heart and lungs. When Mitchem shot Harris ran and Mitchem fired the second barrel of his gun, but missed. Harris ran down the sidewalk about fifty feet and fall upon his face with a pistol in his hand. William Walcott was with Harris. The sheriff immediately arrested Mitchem and also Walcott, upon the supposition that he had decoyed Harris out for Mitchem to shoot him, but Walcott has been released. The News reporter interviewed Mitchem in jail this morning, and the following is the substance of his statement:
Four years ago I became suspicious that Harris was too familiar with my wife in Lampasas, where I then lived, and I had a difficulty with him, in which he drew a pistol on me in my own house. I would have killed him then had it not been for disgracing my children. My wife promised me she would never speak to Harris again and I wrote him that if he ever came about my wife again I would kill him. Last November I learned that he had been seen with my wife here, and I got a shotgun and loaded six cartidges to kill him, but he left. Yesterday evening I learned that he had been buggy riding the day before with my wife, and had gone out again with my wife and daughter. I went out the road that they had gone, and met my wife and daughter and saw Harris at a distance driving the buggy off. I went home and got the same cartridges that I had loaded before and went to a gunsmith’s and borrowed a shotgun. This was after dark. I hid my gun and went to hunting for Harris I saw him go from the hotel around Allman’s corner toward the square. I stood in the shade of Coggin’s bank until I saw him return. I started to him. The moon was shinning brightly. When about half way across the street I called out:
“Is that you, Harris”
“He said, “Yes,” and drew his piston.
I fired; he ran and I fired again.
Immediately after the shooting Mrs. Mitchem came down and fell upon Harris’ body, kissed him and cried.
Mitchem is about 45 years old, has a wife and three children, two girls and a boy, one girl about grown. He is a hide buyer. Harris about 35 years old and was a gambler.
He had a certificate of deposits on a Dallas bank for $1800. It is said that he lived at San Antonio.
*recreant \REK-ree-uhnt\,
adjective:
1. Cowardly; craven.
2. Unfaithful; disloyal.
noun:
1. A coward.
2. An unfaithful or disloyal person.
In there divorce case is the following quote (this divorce is 121 pages of subpeona's and testominy.
"May 14, 1888:
J. N. Mitchem filed original petition for divorce against E. J. Mitchem in the District Court of Brown County, Texas, case number 651, alleging that they had been married in Sabine County, Texas on the 12th day of September, 1872; that they had continued to live together as man and wife until February 25, 1888 “when defendant’s conduct had become so lewd and unfaithful to her marital vows that plaintiff could endure life with defendant no longer”; that on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th days of February, 1888, defendant “did on each of said days in the County of Brown State of Texas unlawfully and in total disregard of her duties as a wife and the chastity of a decent woman, have and hold carnal intercourse … with one J. W. HARRIS alias WILSON” and did (on other occasions) “have and hold such unlawful and criminal intercourse with said HARRIS alias WILSON”; and that it was not until on or about February 25th, 1888 that plaintiff knew of said unlawful and criminal acts and adulterous conduct by defendant; that three children were born of the marriage: Vada, a female aged about 15 years; Lula, a female aged about 8 years; and James B., a male aged about 11 years; that defendant is financially unable to care for and rear said children and that “her moral character and conduct unfits her to have the nurture and rearing of said children or the control of their education, morally or otherwise”; that defendant has “become a woman of base and immoral character and conduct”; that plaintiff “by reason of the premises he can no longer, with self-respect or peace, live with the defendant” who is “an unsafe and unsuitable person to have charge or control of” the parties’ children. J. N. Mitchem made reference to a house and lot owned by the couple in the Town of Lampasas in Lampasas County, Texas; asked that the defendant be required to answer the petition; that he have judgment “dissolving the said marriage contract”; that he have the custody, care, control, and possession of the children; and that the property jointly owned by the parties “be divided between plaintiff and defendant in such manner as the Court may deem best.” [Scott & Jenkins, Attorneys for J. N. Mitchem.]"
From James's statements in the newspaper article
This Joe Harris lived in Lampasas when he did and apparently moved to somewhere close to San Antonio.
the only Joe Harris listed in 1880 Lampasas Co Tx in 1880 is the following
There is no Joe Wilson's at all.
Joe Harris age 45 b TX
S J wife age 36 b AR
A B (daughter) age 16 b Tx
M J (daughter)age 14 b Tx
S M (daughter) age 11 b Mexico
J H (son) age 6 b TX
Do you know this family by chance, if not can you keep me in mind while researching your Harris Family of Lampasas.
Debra LaMel
TX
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