Page 39 - my-people-abbie-harris-beck

MARGARET FOURAKER HARRIS
1875-1954

Margaret was born in March 1875 in Clinch County Georgia near the town of
Fargo on the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp. Margaret was the eleventh child of fifteen
born to Ichabod and Nancy Daugharty Fouraker. She attended school which her brother
Nathan taught in the Piney Woods. In the loose grading of her day , she attained the level
of the sixth grade. She lived with the other members of her family on a 1200 acre farm,
consisting mostly of pine trees, that was owned by her father. It was a hard pioneer life,
lots of land, but very little money. If they had any money the nearest place to spend it was
15 miles away. They lived in a very remote corner of the earth with very few neighbors.,
The church was the center of their social and cultural life. Margaret was a very religious
person. The only book that her children can remember her reading was her Bible. She
remarked on several occasions, that the Bible was all the book she ever needed. The
members of her family all had Biblical names.
Margaret met William Henry Harris one Sunday when he came to their house to
take her older sister, Elizabeth for a buggy ride. On this Sunday, Elizabeth was already at
the church. Margaret had heard about the Mr. Harris that was in the area, how handsome,
wealthy and good looking he was. Margaret had never seen a person of this description
in her life. From the stories that her sister Elizabeth had told her, "he measured up to her
expectations". So when Mr. Harris asked Margaret if she would like to go buggy ridding
with him, Margaret did not have to make up her mind. It was every sister for herself.
There was a small stream that separated the roadway from the entrance to the house. The
stream was crossed with a foot log. Many years later Margaret told her children her
thoughts as she crossed the foot log. And these thoughts were, "This is the last time I
ever intend to cross this foot log". And so it was ! Margaret and William Henry married
on the day that they met ! Records have not been located of the marriage. However Burt
Fouraker (cousin of Ichabod) and to me, Abbie, said that he went with them to get
married, either in 1893 or 1894. Margaret and Mr. Harris as she always called him, lived
in Live Oak, Florida for several years. Here their first child was born.
Margaret learned quickly. She acquired all the social graces of city life. Her diction and
grammar was correct as well as being able to dress as those in the community. She was
not long in shedding the ways of the Oke people. She also learned the business interest of
her husband and became quit adept for her time. She bought land in Sumter County
Florida along with her husband. She helped him with the Naval stores operation. William
Henry had invested heavily in Naval store stocks. With bonds as well as direct interest in
many businesses. Margaret lived a life of the middle to upper class, easy and comfortable.
Margaret and William moved from Hamilton County Florida to Sumter County
Florida then back to Hamilton County, then to Northwest Florida. The moving about is
verified by county records and my being told by my mother. The Harris family operated a
turpentine still in the area now called Darlington, Florida. After they sold their holding in
Darlington, they purchased 160 acres of land on the edge of the city of Geneva. It was at
this location that four additional children were born. They began to call Geneva,
Alabama "Home". Margaret became a regular member of the First Baptist Church. She
was a charter member of the W.M.U. She did needle work and made many of the clothes