Born in Iowa, in the 1880s he lived in Johnson County, Kansas, and there or nearby in 1891 married Laura E. (maiden name unknown). They later homesteaded in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, proving up their claim in 1901. By 1902 they had three children who are known: Roy, b. 1898; and Carl and Stanley. The birth years for the latter two are unknown, for both of them died the next year (1902) from malaria without living long enough to be entered on a census. By 1904, the family had moved to the Los Angeles area, for their next child, Irene, was born there in that year. Another child, Glen, was also born in LA in 1908. The family must have remained poor, for the 1910 and 1920 census shows Elmer working in agriculture with mortgaged property.
The oldest son, Roy Harris, grew up as a farmer in this rural, isolated environment. He studied piano with his mother, and later clarinet. Though he studied at the University of California, Berkeley, he was still virtually self-taught when he began writing music of his own. In the early 1920s, he had lessons from Arthur Bliss (then in Santa Barbara) and the senior American composer and researcher of American Indian music, Arthur Farwell. Harris sold his farmland and supported himself as a truck-driver and delivery man for a dairy farm. His story from this point on is well told in the Wiki article devoted to him.
It is not known for certain where Elmer was buried, but the death year is certain, and the present cemetery is the largest and most conveniently located to his last home in West Covina. The year and place of death of his wife remain unknown. There are California Voter Registration records for a "Mrs. Laura E. Harris" in LA as late as 1960.
Note from Alan Wadham:
His body was cremated at a mortuary in Altadena (CA) and his ashes were returned to the funeral home in Covina that was handling the arrangements, and they returned them to the family. Where his ashes went from there is anyone's guess. They might have been scattered on his farm, or maybe (quietly) buried with his wife when she died, though there is no proof of that, or maybe one of his descendants has them. Anyway, he's not at Forest Lawn.
The oldest son, Roy Harris, grew up as a farmer in this rural, isolated environment. He studied piano with his mother, and later clarinet. Though he studied at the University of California, Berkeley, he was still virtually self-taught when he began writing music of his own. In the early 1920s, he had lessons from Arthur Bliss (then in Santa Barbara) and the senior American composer and researcher of American Indian music, Arthur Farwell. Harris sold his farmland and supported himself as a truck-driver and delivery man for a dairy farm. His story from this point on is well told in the Wiki article devoted to him.
It is not known for certain where Elmer was buried, but the death year is certain, and the present cemetery is the largest and most conveniently located to his last home in West Covina. The year and place of death of his wife remain unknown. There are California Voter Registration records for a "Mrs. Laura E. Harris" in LA as late as 1960.
Note from Alan Wadham:
His body was cremated at a mortuary in Altadena (CA) and his ashes were returned to the funeral home in Covina that was handling the arrangements, and they returned them to the family. Where his ashes went from there is anyone's guess. They might have been scattered on his farm, or maybe (quietly) buried with his wife when she died, though there is no proof of that, or maybe one of his descendants has them. Anyway, he's not at Forest Lawn.
Born in Iowa, in the 1880s he lived in Johnson County, Kansas, and there or nearby in 1891 married Laura E. (maiden name unknown). They later homesteaded in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, proving up their claim in 1901. By 1902 they had three children who are known: Roy, b. 1898; and Carl and Stanley. The birth years for the latter two are unknown, for both of them died the next year (1902) from malaria without living long enough to be entered on a census. By 1904, the family had moved to the Los Angeles area, for their next child, Irene, was born there in that year. Another child, Glen, was also born in LA in 1908. The family must have remained poor, for the 1910 and 1920 census shows Elmer working in agriculture with mortgaged property.
The oldest son, Roy Harris, grew up as a farmer in this rural, isolated environment. He studied piano with his mother, and later clarinet. Though he studied at the University of California, Berkeley, he was still virtually self-taught when he began writing music of his own. In the early 1920s, he had lessons from Arthur Bliss (then in Santa Barbara) and the senior American composer and researcher of American Indian music, Arthur Farwell. Harris sold his farmland and supported himself as a truck-driver and delivery man for a dairy farm. His story from this point on is well told in the Wiki article devoted to him.
It is not known for certain where Elmer was buried, but the death year is certain, and the present cemetery is the largest and most conveniently located to his last home in West Covina. The year and place of death of his wife remain unknown. There are California Voter Registration records for a "Mrs. Laura E. Harris" in LA as late as 1960.
Note from Alan Wadham:
His body was cremated at a mortuary in Altadena (CA) and his ashes were returned to the funeral home in Covina that was handling the arrangements, and they returned them to the family. Where his ashes went from there is anyone's guess. They might have been scattered on his farm, or maybe (quietly) buried with his wife when she died, though there is no proof of that, or maybe one of his descendants has them. Anyway, he's not at Forest Lawn.
The oldest son, Roy Harris, grew up as a farmer in this rural, isolated environment. He studied piano with his mother, and later clarinet. Though he studied at the University of California, Berkeley, he was still virtually self-taught when he began writing music of his own. In the early 1920s, he had lessons from Arthur Bliss (then in Santa Barbara) and the senior American composer and researcher of American Indian music, Arthur Farwell. Harris sold his farmland and supported himself as a truck-driver and delivery man for a dairy farm. His story from this point on is well told in the Wiki article devoted to him.
It is not known for certain where Elmer was buried, but the death year is certain, and the present cemetery is the largest and most conveniently located to his last home in West Covina. The year and place of death of his wife remain unknown. There are California Voter Registration records for a "Mrs. Laura E. Harris" in LA as late as 1960.
Note from Alan Wadham:
His body was cremated at a mortuary in Altadena (CA) and his ashes were returned to the funeral home in Covina that was handling the arrangements, and they returned them to the family. Where his ashes went from there is anyone's guess. They might have been scattered on his farm, or maybe (quietly) buried with his wife when she died, though there is no proof of that, or maybe one of his descendants has them. Anyway, he's not at Forest Lawn.
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