The Harris Centennial
Harris --The past 100 Years
"C" Biographies
Calhoun, Clark, Craun
Calhoun, Paul and Annetta
Annetta Elizabeth Forbes Calhoun was born August 8, 1889, in Amherst Township at Marcus, Iowa, and moved with her parents George and Elizabeth Forbes to a farm one mile west and one fourth mile south of Harris, the farm Al Forbes farmed. Her folks broke the sod and built the buildings that now stand on that farm.
Paul Calhoun was born at Keosauqua, Iowa, on October 8, 1891, and came to Harris at the age of ten and lived with the C.E. Benson and Robert Calhoun families.
Paul and Annetta Forbes Calhoun both attended school at Harris. She attended Iowa State Teachers College and then taught country school before her marriage.
It was her father and mother who were instrumental in starting the First Methodist Church and public school at Harris. Annetta Forbes Calhoun had nine brothers and sisters who attended the Harris Public School. Her oldest sister, Mary Forbes, was one of the first graduates of the Harris High School.
Paul Calhoun and Annetta Forbes were married in 1912, at Harris. To this union four children were born to grow to adulthood. Helen Claire Calhoun Swanson was born August 6, 1913, and is a retired school teacher living at Estherville, Iowa. Bryon Calhoun was born June 10, 1915, and is retired and living in Mesa, Arizona; he is a veteran of World War 11. Al Gene Calhoun Patrick was born September 1, 1918, and passed away in September 1976; she was an army nurse in World War II from June 1942, to December 1946, and served in the South Pacific from October 1944, to the spring of 1946. Craig Calhoun was born April 30, 1930, and is a former teacher and lives at Estherville, Iowa. All four children attended the Harris School from first through twelfth grade.
The Paul Calhoun family lived in the same house in Harris from the year 1918, when the home was built until Mrs. Calhoun passed away in 1958, The house is located two blocks east of the school house and now is owned by Craig Calhoun.
Clark, Clyde
Clyde was born at Story City, Iowa, in 1892. He was raised on a farm near Cedar Rapids, until the family moved to Chamberlain, South Dakota, in 1907. For five years he worked on a ranch and rode range, tending livestock along the Missouri River.
In 1912, he came to Terrill, Iowa, and worked as a railroad mail clerk on the Milwaukee railroad run from Algona, Iowa, to Chamberlain, South Dakota.
In 1917, he married Zola Lewis. They lived on a farm south of Superior, Iowa, from 1918 until 1941, when they purchased the King farm two and one half miles east of Harris.
They had four children: Wanda in Minnesota; Bonnie in California; Lewis (Bud) in Montana; and Allen who lives with his wife Marge on the home place. Clyde also resides on the home place. His wife died in 1977, at the age of 77.
Clyde will be 97 years old on February 11, 1989, our centennial year.
Craun, Lester and family
Lester Craun and Augusta Sehr were married August 31, 1920, in Spirit Lake, Iowa. Lester was a farmer, seed corn salesman, corn sealer and ran a cafe in Harris 60 some years ago.
They moved around a lot and lived on four different farms in the Ocheyedan-Harris area, and several years in Little Rock, Iowa.
My first impression of Harris was the friendliness of the people and the good neighbors we had.
Harris was fortunate in always having a doctor. There was Dr. Sporre who delivered our babies and took care of our aches and pains. He was always there except in the fishing season he would take a day off and go fishing. Then there was Dr. Paulson who delivered our youngest son fifty years ago.
We didn't have to drive to larger towns to do much shopping because there were plenty of business places on main street. I cannot remember an empty building on main street in those days.
Memories are what one lives on in later years.
Lester Craun was born November 23, 1898, and died January 25, 1969. Augusta Craun was born May 19, 1901. She resides at Ocheyedan, Iowa.
Children: Mardella Bebee Olson, Wayne, Nebraska; Arlene (Cricket) Bodey, Everett, Washington; Arlo (deceased) August 4, 1974; Maurice Craun, Ocheyedn, Iowa; and D. Kent Crain, Mason City, Iowa.