My Harless Family

In loving Memory of Jack Oliver Harless

Born 9-19-1920 Saltillo, Texas

Died 3-10-2002 Pensacola, Florida

 

As remembered by Jack Oliver Harless including information from several other Harless sources*

I’ve heard the Harless family is from Virginia and lived next door to Thomas Jefferson. I’d always heard Great grandfather David Daniel Harless was a prisoner in the Civil War at Shipp Island off the coast of Mississippi. Several years ago my wife, Norma, and I went to Shipp Island and was told there had only been political prisoners on the Island.

Grandmother Lucindy Warren used to say the family was from the Isle of Mann but think this is the Warren side of the family. When I was growing up the Warrens lived between Greenville and Floyd, TX and they were progressive farmers; although we didn’t see that much of my Warren relatives. My Great uncle John Harless lived across the pasture from my Mother’s Grandpa Lewis (Jack O).

My parents William Lee Harless and Nina Henry married 11-15-1919. My Father worked for the Civil Service until retirement and the family moved around a lot but lived mainly in the Greenville, TX area. My Mother died when I was 10 years old and I had a great Father that was always there for me. (William Lee Harless w/Nina Henry)

 

 

 

 

 

 

(son, Jack Harless)

 

My father was in the Army in the World War I campaign in France engagements, skirmishes, and expeditions including the Meuse Arrogone Offensive. He was in the 36th Division and the 133rd Machine Gun Battalion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Wm. Lee Harless w/wife Nina Henry) (Wm. Lee Harless w/son Jack Harless)

 

I, Jack Oliver Harless (born 9-19-1920 Saltillo, TX died 3-19-2002 Pensacola, FL) married 4-21-1944 in Pensacola, FL to Norma Winifred Fillinghim (born 10-14-1922). Her parents were James Fillinghim (1889-1950) and Letha Coffield (1891 Emanuel, GA-1974). Norma retired from the Civil Service in Pensacola, FL and since we have traveled extensively.

 

(Jack Harless and wife Norma Fillinghim)

I, Jack Harless, joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in the later part of 1939, transferred to the U.S. Navy when the U.S. entered WWII, received my navy wings at Pensacola, Florida to stay in the training command as a Flight Instructor for a year. At that time the Navy had a shortage of multi-engine pilots to evacuate the wounded off the Islands. Therefore, sent through training by the Navy to the American Airlines School in Fort Worth, Texas. After training, sent to a base on Guam where flying R5Ds to evacuate the wounded out of Okinawa. When the war ended, went into Japan and flew the prisoners-of-war out of Japan.

After this, was released and went to work with Temco in Grand Prairie as a Test Pilot, testing R5Ds and P51s.   Then recalled to the Navy during the Korean Conflict, sent to an Air Group and assigned to a Corsair (F4U) squadron on the carrier, USS Philippine Sea CVA 47. The plane I was piloting was hit by ground fire and the carrier would not bring me aboard because of a hung bomb. Therefore, crash landed just below the bomb line, with my left shoulder harness broken - my head busted the windscreen, which was a 2-inch armor plating glass. When I awoke from about a 12-week coma at a hospital in Japan, I had a plastic plate in my head. At the end of 5 years was retired from the Navy with the Purple Heart, an Air Medal, a Korean Medal plus a Pacific Ribbon and a Ribbon for being an Expert Pistol Shot. Retired with 100% disability because of injuries incurred in line of duty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Corsair F4U) (P51)

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My parents were William Lee Harless (1894 Quinlan, TX – 1970 Denton, TX) married 1919 to Nina Henry (1899-1953 Greenville, TX). Her parents were Sanford Henry (1864-1921 Lamar CO, TX) m/Maud Lewis (1879-1931 Collin CO, TX). Sanford Henry parents were John Henry and Martha Jane Wilson. Maud Lewis parents were Jack Oliver Lewis (1853Collin CO, TX – 1931 Collin CO, TX) m/Molly Reasonover (1856 Davidson CO, TN – 1911 Collin Co,Tx). (Family has numerous records, family stories, and pictures on family of Nina Henry Harless, which includes several US Presidents, TX Governor, Robert E. Lee, Pocahantas, and other of our American founding fathers).

William Lee Harless parents were David Jake/Jehu Harless (1863 Madison CO, AL-abt 1930 Saltillo, TX) and married Lucinda Warren (1868-1953).

(Picture:  Family of David Jake/Jehu Harless and Lucinda Warren – children:   William Lee, Daniel, Felix Irving, Cullis, George, Winnie, John M.J.)

David Jake/Jehu Harless parents were David Daniel Harless (1830 Madison CO, AL – 1898 Collin CO, TX) 2nd wife Nancy W. Lawler (b1831).

 

 

 

 

(David Daniel Harless)

David Daniel Harless parents were John Harless (1786 Montgomery CO, VA – 1830 Madison CO, AL) married Catherine Moser (1789 Orange CO, VA-1858 Madison CO, AL). Her parents were Nicholas Mason (1761 Burks CO, PA-abt 1821 Madison CO, AL) married Elizabeth Loy (1769 Orange CO, NC-abt 1807 Anderson CO, TN). Her parents were George Loy (1743/5 Burks CO, PA-1799 Orange CO, NC) married Mary Catherine Tillman/Tilghman (1744 Somerset, MD – 1834 Union Co, TN). The Loy & Tillman/Tilghamn family lines traces back through George Loy/Mary Catherine Tilghman; John Tilghman /Eva Dryden; Gideon Tilghman /Esther Holland; Gideon Tilghman I m/ Margaret Mamen; Christopher II Tilghman m/ Ruth Devonshire Christopher I m/Anna Sanders - he came to America from Kent Co, England; and these families can be traced back to Charles the Great Charlemagne of Prussia (742-813/4) and the Great Alfred, King ofEngland (849-899).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Harless parents were Henry Harless, Sr (abt 1752 Lexington, VA-1815 Madison Co, AL) m/Charity Heavener (1750 Orange Co, VA-aft 1807 Anderson Co, TN).

Henry Harless, Sr parents were Johan Philip Harless (1716 Muhlhofen, Germany – 1772 Montgomery Co, VA) m/Anna Margaretha Preisch-Price (1713 Offenbach, Laundau, Rheinland Pfaiz, Germany -1784 Montgomery Co, VA) arriving in Philadelphia on the ship ‘Winter Galley’ 9-5-1738 along with 4 of her brothers and all settled in the Shenendoah Valley of Virginia. Her family several generations back from Offenbach, Laundau, Rheinland Pfaiz, Germany. Her parents were David Henrich Preisch (1686/92 Germany – 1735 Germany) m/Agnes Hoffman (1686 Germany – aft 1727 Montgomery Co, AL). His parents were Johan Heinrich Priesch (1644-1708 Germany) m/ Elizabeth Beckerine. Agness Hoffman parents were Henrich Hoffman (1660-1727 Germany) m Ann Elizabeth ? (b1660 Germany).

 

Johan Philip Harless parents were possibly (but not proven) Ferdinand Harless (d1740 Germany) m/Anna Christina Volger.

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*Sources – Various Harless sources (primarily Georgia Hornbuckle Hendrix, also Cynthia Jamison, Kathy Lynn Vanote plus see my separate source listing)

Written 11/2001 with all of input from Jack Harless and other Harless sources (by Jackie Mae White Bishop, cousin from his Mothers side of family)

 

JACK’S direct ‘HARLESS’ LINE

(7)  Jack Oliver Harless b 9-19-1920 Saltillo, Tx d 3-19-02 Pensacola, Fl

4/21/1944 m/Norma Winifred Fillinghim

b 10-14-1922 Pensacola, Fl

(6)  William Lee Harless b 1-5-1894 Quinlan,TX d 8-25-1970 Denton,Tx

11-15-1919 m/Nina Henry b 8-1-1899;

d 6-21-1930 Greenville, Tx

(5)  David Jehugh (Jake/Hugh) Harless b April 1863 Madison Co, Al; d abt 1930 Saltillo, Tx

m/Lucindy Warren

(4)  David Daniel Harless d 6-7-1898 buried Honaker Cemetery, Farmersville, Tx

m/(1) Deannie Butler, (2) Nancy W. Lawler

4-15-1851, (3) Ellvira Prosser 8-1875

(3)  John Harless b 1786; d 1857

1805 m/Catherine Moser b 1789; d 1858

(2)  Henry Harless,Sr b 1752 Va;d 1815 Huntsville,Ala

m/Charity Heavener and Elizabeth ?

(1)  Johan Philip Harless b 1716 Muhlhofen, Germany; d 1772

m/2-21-1737/38 Offenbach, Laundau, Rheinland Pfaiz, Germany

m/ Anna Margaretha Preisch-Price

------Possibly ----- but NOT proven-----

Ferdinand Harless b Germany; d 4-6-1740 Billigheim, Germany

m/Anna Christina (?)

 

SPECIAL THANKS TO JACKIE BISHOP FOR SUBMITTING THIS BIOGRAPHY!