William Lewis Harper

   Jefferson County, Mississippi

The Harper Family of Jefferson County

As a young man William Lewis Harper rode his horse over the family land looking for a place to build his own home. When he found it he knew it was to be his. William began building as soon as he could. He named his home "Secluseval" and wanted nothing better than to see it finished. William married Ann Talliferro and raised a large family until Ann's early death. She was a fine woman. William then hired an educated woman to teach his children and raise them. Along the way they married. Ann Elizabeth Coulson Harper was my great great grandmother. She was from a well to do family from "up north". The family lived at "Secluseval" until their deaths.
William Lewis Harper was the son of William L. and Louisa Lewis Harper. Louisa lived with her son until her death circa 1865. William L. died when his only child, William Lewis, was quite young, in 1828. William Lewis' first wife, Ann Talliferro Harper, died young, having given birth to a large family. W.L. went to fight in the Civil War and was wounded at Shiloh. This wound was bad enough to keep him from returning to battle. He and Annie began their own family. Annie was known for treating Ann Talliferro's children as she did her own. Annie Harper died on May 22, 1907 at home. She had many sons but only one daughter, Lurline Hewit Harper. Lurline was lavished with the best money could buy. Her parents had a piano forte brought from France and when it got to Jefferson County a horse and large buckboard brought it the rest of the way to "Secluseval". On a visit to Secluseval several years ago I was able to sit and play this beautiful instrument. Below is a birth-death time line of this family. I do not have all the dates.

William L. Harper, from Virginia, passed away on a trip coming home from Virginia. This was in 1828. His widow, Louisa Lewis Harper, lived with her son, William Lewis, until her death.
William Lewis Harper married Ann Talliferro and raised a large family. Ann passed 23 August 1862. William Lewis Harper m. Annie E. Coulson-28 Apr 1864.
William passed away 3 Jan 1892. Annie passed 22 May 1907.

Their daughter, Lurline Hewit Harper (born 1874) , married Robert Paine Linfield (b. 1871) in 1895.
Robert Paine Linfield, who was named after a Methodist minister, passed June 5, 1920. His wife, Lurline Hewit Harper Linfield, passed in April, 1966. Lurline got her middle name from her father's business partner, Mr. Hewit.

Robert Paine and Lurline Hewit Harper Linfield had one living child, Dr. Edwin Harper Linfield. They lost their first child, Ann Elizabeth, at age five days.

Dr. Edwin Harper Linfield married Olivia Burwell Barrett. She was born April 10, 1900 and passed on Dec. 13, 1985. Dr. Edwin Harper Linfield passed in 1938.
They were my grandparents.
 
-Mari Byers 2004-

These pages are about my great-grandmother,
Lurline Hewit Harper Linfield.

She was born at "Secluseval", the family home in Jefferson County, Mississippi. Her parents were William Lewis and Annie E. Coulson Harper. William was born in Virginia while Annie was from Natchez.
 
Below are pages I took from my great-great-grandmother, Annie Coulson Harper's scrapbook.
Annie made this scrapbook for her only daughter, Lurline.
 
-Mari Byers 2004-
 
Letter from William Lewis Harper to his Mother from Oakland School-1836
 
Locks of hair from Lurline's school mates circa 1883
 
Oakland College Commencement-June 1, 1866
 
Memorial Service for Jefferson Davis Opera House, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 1889
 
Dance Card of Lurline Hewit Harper
 
Wedding Gift List of Lurline Harper and Robert Paine Linfield
 
"Secluseval" Jefferson County, Mississippi
 
Pictures of people who worked for the Harpers. These ladies and gentlemen were at one time slaves.
 
Letter from Governor Lowry to Annie Harper