Sussex-Surry County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Harris, William A., 1956 

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THE HISTORY OF ROCKY HOCK CHURCH PEWS; "GIVEN BY W.A. HARRIS" 

  WILLIAM ALFRED HARRIS (1878 - 1956) was a member of Rocky Hock Church his 
entire life.  He married Hutoka White (1880 - 1962) from Wakefield in 1907. 
They had no children.  Willie Harris owned and operated Wakefield Peanut 
Company, which was located in the Pocahantas area of Wakefield adjacent to 
the railroad.  The peanut company burned to the ground in August 1932. 
After his peanut company burned, he negotiated with Columbian Peanut Company 
from Suffolk to build a peanut factory in Wakefield.  When they opened for 
business in the fall of 1933, Willie became manager of the business and 
remained there until his retirement.  Golden Peanut Company is still using 
some of the buildings today.  He was the president of Farmers Bank of 
Wakefield, one of two local banks in Wakefield at that time.  (The other was 
The Bank of Sussex and Surry.)  Soon after their marriage, the Harrises 
purchased the home that Charles and Cheryl West live in today.  This house 
was the former Wakefield Methodist Charge Parsonage.  The Harrises lived 
there until their death.  Mr. Harris also owned much property in and around 
Wakefield.

  When Rocky Hock Church was remodeled in 1954, he and his wife gave a church 
pew for the sanctuary.  Upon his death, he bequeathed a large sum of money to 
Rocky Hock Church, and he also bequeathed some of his estate to the Wakefield 
Methodist Church and to the Methodist Orphanage in Richmond.  Both Mr. and 
Mrs. Harris are buried in Wakefield Cemetery. 


"Willie" William Alfred HARRIS, retired manager of Columbian Peanut Co., 
former owner/operator of Wakefield Peanut Co., 
b. 15 Oct 1878, Sussex Co., d. 19 Nov 1956, Surry Co., 
interred in Wakefield Cemetery*, 
Rocky Hock Church pew history 

*Wakefield list, an extension of the 
   Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/cemeteries/wakefd.txt 

A photo of his gravestone is posted with Find a Grave Memorial #127989548. 

D.Cert. 27932 (Wakefield #12) gives son of William & unk. (BAILEY) HARRIS. 

Willie's father, William Elliott HARRIS (1838 - 1913), was a Confederate 
   veteran, having served as a pvt. in the Surry Light Artillery.  He is 
   buried with his second wife, Rosa Attalee (WESTBROOK SLEDGE) HARRIS (1840 - 
   1922), at Rocky Hock Methodist Church.  (Find a Grave Mem. #20584513) 
   Rocky Hock list, another extension of the SCHS Cemetery Project: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/surry/cemeteries/rockyhk.txt 

Willie's father-in-law, Robert Wesley WHITE, was also a Confederate veteran, 
   having served as a pvt. in Co. H, 13th VA Cav. 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/obits/h620w2ob.txt