This is Lyles's passport photo, taken in Mombasa, Kenya Colony, Africa where he was farming at the time.

Lyles had gone to Africa with a local church missionary group on 14 Dec 1912 after graduating from Clemson college, and after 2 years the missionary group returned to the US but Lyles stayed & worked for several international companies, including building the African intercontinental railroad. Lyles traveled during this time, including to Japan. He did not like Japan, he told my mother that the Japanese people were fastidiously clean on the outside, but they had the dirtiest minds of any people he had met. He returned to the British Colony of Kenya & began farming cotton, a skill he had learned from being the oldest child on his parents' farm in Spartanburg. As you can see in the photo, Liles favored wide-brimmed hats while working.

When the war broke out in Europe, he enlisted on the British side. At some point, Liles was injured by a spear & had to be in the hospital a long time, the nurse who brought around the liquor cart at the end of the day giving out drinks didn't notice when Liles swiped a whole bottle, according to his nephew Edwin Foster. He fell in love with the nurse & traveled back to Africa where they managed his plantation until Jan got pregnant, then Lyles applied for emergency permission at Nairobe, Kenya to return to the US with his family; this is his passport photo, it looks like a snapshot taken on his farm in Kenya. My mother used to proudly say that Lyles's oldest son was "conceived in Africa, born in England, and raised in America". My mother stayed with Lyles & Jan as a child one summer in the 1930's after they moved to NC, she said Jan was a very patient woman, Liles was emotional, she often admonished Lyles to keep his temper, calming him down. Jan was English, her name on her passport application is listed as "Jane Phizachlea", but the family always said she was named Jan Walker.

Lyles returned to America alone in 1923, landing in New York on 2 October 1923, his wife followed some time later after their oldest son James L was born in England in 1923; their 2nd son Paul was born in Spartanburg in 1925. When his brother Carlos died in 1926, Liles was listed as living in Cross Anchor, Spartanburg Co., SC.

In 1930 on the census they were living in Franklin, Macon Co., NC where Lyles was editing the local newspaper, the Franklin Press. In 1932, Lyles's address is listed as Cross Anchor, SC. In 1935 on the Florida census, his wife Jan was working as a nurse at a private school in Florida where their 2 sons were enrolled as students.

In April 1940, Lyles & his family were at Blowing Rock, Watauga Co., NC where he was listed as a Farmer who owned his farm with 4 yrs of college, his wife Jan was listed as having 2 yrs of college & working as a librarian at the public library where she earned $300 for a 52/week year, and his 2 sons were in high school. In this same year, the Clemson list of graduates says Lyles was a "Resort Hotel Owner" at Blowing Rock who had graduated from Clemson in June 1909 with 2 degrees, Agriculture & Chemistry.

In 1942 Lyles evidently asked his family for affidavits for proof of his birth, his uncle, former Judge JJ Gentry obliged as did his aunt Eva Gentry Berry, he was listed as living in Blowing Rock, NC; he must not have applied for a birth certificate until at least April 1953 when he was listed as living in Raleigh, NC on a 3rd affidavit filed by his sister Julia Harris Foster; Julia stated that since the family bible that listed their birthdates had no publication date, her affidavit was necessary.

Lyles was managing "Ruin Creek Farm" in Henderson, Vance Co., NC on 12 June 1956 when he evidently had a sudden heart attack & died on the way to the hospital; he was 69.

--Jeni

Translation of Text

#16150 -- AMOS LYLES HARRIS, male white married to JAN HARRIS, Route #3, Henderson Co., NC; Manager of Ruin Creek Farm; born 8-9-1887 in Spartanburg, SC to JOHN WEST HARRIS & unknown mother; no military service - died June 12, 1956 "Enroute to Hospital" of "Ventricular fibrillation" and "Atherosclerotic heart disease" - Removal 6-12-56 to unknown cemetery, Raleigh, NC - Informant: PJ HARRIS, 3525 Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC

--Jeni