1888: More sisters emigrate to America (George McClain - from Bern to Berne)

The biggest news of the Lehmann-Neukomm family this year is that two more of the sisters decide to join their brothers and sister in America.

Leah Lehmann, now 26, decides to take their four-year-old daughter, Marie Leah Joss and their newborn son Anatole ("der Toli") Frederic Joss, just born in January to America.

And the younger sister, Pauline Lehmann, just 20,* decides to go with them.

Leah's husband, Frederick Joss, now 33, promises to follow a year later. On the ship the Lehmann sisters discover another Swiss, Edward Kratzer (the author - George D. McClain's great-grandfather), heading for Berne, Indiana, though he's Reformed Church affiliation, rather than Mennonite.

From a letter written by Pauline to her son, Lloyd T. Harris:

For Lloyd Thomas Harris

Your mother, Mrs. Pauline Ida Lehmann was born in Switzerland - November 10th - 1869 in Delemond Canton, Bern, Switzerland.

She lived in the Yura Mountains from 12 years on until she 18, then I came to America.

After 2-1/2 years I meet your father, Thomas Hyatt Harris and was married May 3, 1890.

I was baptized in the Menonite church when I was sixteen years old upon faith believing in God and Jesus Christ whom saved me from sin and Satan. In with I rejoice today and will until I die, and then forever and ever.

I joined the Evangelical church after Harris died, and I still belong and will never depart, for I love the Church.

Keep this somewhere amongs your papers if you will.

Mother

I am now 68 years old in 1937.

Written the 21 of November 1937



From the records of Gladys Harris Bash:

Pauline lived in the Tura Mountains from age 12 to 18, then came to America. 2-1/2 years later she met Thomas Hyatt Harris. She was baptized Menonite at age 16; joined the Evangelical Church after Harris died. She always referred to her husband as "Harris."

Notes from "Ramblings" by Lloyd Thomas Harris, Jr.:

All I know about my Grandmother Harris' ancestry is that she came from Switzerland and was related to August Lehman, one time President of Switzerland**.......

I do not remember very much about my Grandmother Harris. I know that we went to Berne one time, but I don't remember very much about it. Also, I can remember she came to visit us when we lived on Gloff Road in Dundee Township, adjacent to the Ann Arbor Railroad. I know she and I walked along the tracks picking up coal that had dropped off the train (or had been thrown there by the fireman in order to help people living along the railroads.) Why we were picking it up, I don't know. Maybe we were in desperate need of it, or it just was part of her frugal nature.

My memory of her is that of a woman with a stern visage; giving me the impression that she was a stern woman. Later in life I asked my Aunt Millie (Dad's youngest sister) about that, and she said, "Oh, no, my mother was one of the most loving persons in the world!" So much for childhood impressions.

Obituary from the Berne Witness newspaper issue dated 1/21/1944, pages 1 & 2:

PNEUMONIA FATAL TO MRS. PAULINE HARRIS, THURS. A.M.

Funeral for Local Lady Saturday Morning at Evangelical Church

Mrs. Pauline Ida Harris, 74, died at 2 o'clock on Thursday morning at her home on Columbia street, following a four weeks' illness of influenza and pneumonia. Her sickness began with a siege of flu and later developed into pneumonia. For the past several days her condition was critical.

Mrs. Harris was a native of Delemont, Switzerland, and was born on November 10, 1869, a daughter of Abraham and Marianna Neukomm-Lehman. She immigrated to this country with her family in 1888 and has since that time made her home in this community. She was united in marriage to Thomas Hyatt Harris on May 3, 1890. Their union was severed on April 5, 1904 by the death of Mr. Harris.

Surviving her are the following children: Lloyd T. Harris of Toledo, Ohio; Beatrice, wife of Howard Foster of Albion, Indiana; Carl H. Harris of Battle Creek, Michigan and Millicent, wife of Alvin Diekman of Detroit, Michigan. there are also 10 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Also the following brother and sisters survive: Karl H. Lehman at the northeast edge of town, Mrs. Bertha Gerber of Switzerland; Mrs. Leah Yoss, Mrs. Caroline Flueckiger and Mrs. Emil Nagel Sr., all of this place.

Four children, Huldah, Ada, Estella and Walter preceded her in death as did four brothers and two sisters.

The body may be viewed at the Yager funeral home until the time of the funeral Saturday morning at 10 o'clock will be held at the Trinity Evangelical church, Rev. C. P. Maas officiating. Burial will be in Spring Hill cemetery northeast of town.

*actually she was only 18

** this is unproven