- Joined
- Oct 31, 2017
- Location
- Bountiful
James G. "Jim" Harris was born in Henry County, Virginia in 1843. He was a "free man of color". Jim decided that in order for him and his family to have a better life, he was going to pass as white. It was a great plan right up till the time the Confederacy told him he was now a soldier. He tried to tell them he was really not white, but they weren't going for it. He became a soldier in the 57th Virginia Infantry.
Here he is listed in the 1860 census.
"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M41C-LJ5 : 12 December 2017), James Harris in entry for George Harris, 1860.
Here he is again in the 1880 census. He is now white.
"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC5D-GTC : 15 July 2017), James G Harris, Irisburg, Henry, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district ED 133, sheet 145A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1373; FHL microfilm 1,255,373.