The Harris Centennial
Harris --The past 100 Years
"U" Biographies
Umland
Henry P. Umland Family
My grandfather, Henry
P. (Kelly) Umland, was born near Schleswig, Germany, and
my grandmother, Isabel Putney, was born in Leeds,
England. Both of their families migrated to America, when
they were small children and settled in Grundy County,
Iowa. The two met there and were married in 1893.
Grandfather was a farmer and grandmother, a teacher. In
the late 1890’s they moved to northwest Iowa, and
settled on a farm two and one half miles west of Harris.
After Several years on the farm they sold out and moved
into Harris. Henry owned and operated a meat market for a
few years; then sold that and took the job as manager of
the B.B. Anderson-Davenport Grain Elevator and held that
position for many years.
The Umlands were very well known and active in the
community. Henry was mayor of Harris, for several years
and, later, Justice of the Peace. They had three
children, Maye, George and Gladys.
Maye married Herman Screeden and lived most of her life
in Harris. George attended the University of Iowa, served
as an officer in the army during World War I, and then
pursued a career in banking in central Minnesota. Gladys
married Earl Beck and lived on a farm near Harris.
-by Bill Screeden.
Herman Umland Family
Herman Umland and Henry
P. Umland were brothers, and Laura Putney and Isabel
Putney were sisters. The Umland brothers married the
Putney sisters; making the cousins double cousins. Herman
and Laura had their roots in Germany and England, and
they, too, met in Grundy County, Iowa. They were married
in 1894. One year later they moved to Harris, and settled
on a farm southwest of town. After several years on the
farm they moved into Harris, where Herman became manager
of the Stockdale and Maak Grain Elevator; a position he
held for many years.
The Herman Umlands had three children, Wayne, Maude and
Esther. Wayne graduated from Iowa State College with a
degree in Mechanical Engineering, and spent most of his
life in New York City. He and his wife, Myrtle, had two
sons. Maude Umland married Carl Pettyjohn, and has lived
most of her adult life in Madison, Wisconsin. They had
one son and one daughter. Esther Umland married Lowell
Cox. They lived in, and around, Harris for many years and
later moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
-by Bill Screeden.