Harry Lee Ireland (1909 - 1990)

Born 12 Nov 1909 in Bronson, Bourbon, Kansas, USA

Ancestors

Son of William Matthewson Ireland and Eva May (Wright) Ireland

Husband of Beulah Clarease (Nichols) Ireland — married 12 Aug 1934 in Kansas City, Wyandotte, Kansas, United States

Descendants

Died 21 Aug 1990 at age 80 in Estes Park, Larimer, Colorado, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kevin Ireland [send private message]

Biography

Harry Ireland was a Kansan.

This profile is part of the Ireland Name Study.

This profile is part of the McCool Name Study.

Harry was born in Bronson, Bourbon County, Kansas on 12 Nov 1909.^[1] He was the youngest of five children (three boys and two girls) of William Matthewson Ireland (1875-1959) and Eva May (Wright) Ireland (1879-1934). He was presumably named for his uncle, Harry Arthur Ireland.

In the 1910 census Harry (age 0) was the son of William Ireland in Marion, Bourbon, Kansas, United States.^[2]

In the 1915 census Harry (age 5) was in Franklin Township, Bourbon, Kansas, United States.^[3]

The family lived in Bronson, then briefly in Springfield, Missouri, before moving to Ottawa, Kansas where he finished high school.^[4]

In the 1920 census Harry (age 10) was the son of William M Ireland in Springfield, Greene, Missouri, United States.^[5]

Harry was in a 1925 state census record in Ottawa, Franklin County, Kansas.^[6]

Harry Lee Ireland

In the 1930 census Harry (age 20) was the single son of Wm M Ireland in Ottawa, Franklin, Kansas, United States.^[7]

William M Ireland Family at Eva's Funeral in Ottawa

1934 was the best of times and the worst of times for Harry. He lost his oldest sister, Romola, in February and his mother Eva May (Wright) Ireland in March.

Harry and Clarease Wedding

But the sorrow was followed by joy, as Harry married Clarease (Nichols) Ireland on 12 Aug 1934 in Ottawa. They would have four children together (all living in Feb 2023).

In 1935, Harry graduated from Ottawa University where he was elected permanent president of his graduating class. Two years later, the family moved briefly to Parsons where his first child was born and he was district manager of the General American Life Insurance Company.

In the 1940 census Harry (age 30) was a married son in Ottawa, Franklin, Kansas, United States.^[8]

Harry Ireland - Red Cross

Harry registered for the draft in 1940.^[1] From 1941 to 1945, he served as field director for the American Red Cross in Battle Creek, Michigan. Clarease and their growing family remained in Kansas. Read about Red Cross services during WWII.

The family returned to Parsons in 1945 where they raised their four children and made their home for the rest of his life.

Harry became associated with the Provident Life Insurance Co, and was its representative for several years handling group life insurance for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad.

Harry and his children

In the 1950 census Harry (age 40), Insurance Salesman, was the married head of household in North Township, Labette County, Kansas.^[9]

Throughout the years, Harry, Clarease, and their kids (and later, grandkids) spent many wonderful vacations in Colorado - especially in Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Royal Gorge hike

Colorado Vacation

From 1954 to 1963, Harry was employed by the Curtis Publishing Co. as a sales representative.

In 1964, he began teaching civics at Parsons Junior High School, having held a teaching certificate since his graduation from college. After two years, he moved to Parsons High School where he taught classes in government, economics, and western civilization. During the summers of those teaching years, he attended Kansas State College at Emporia, where he earned his master's in library science in 1969. From 1969 until his retirement in 1975, he was a librarian at Labette Community College.

Harry Ireland

Harry and Clarease enjoyed a wonderful 50th anniversary celebration with their extended friends in August 1984, first in Parsons and then in Estes Park.

Harry and Clarease Anniversary Portrait

Harry and Clarease Anniversary

Harry died on 21 Aug 1990, shortly before his 81st birthday while on vacation in Estes Park Colorado - one of his family's favorite places. He is interred at Oakwood Cemetery in Parsons, Labette County, Kansas.^[10]

His wife, Clarease, lived for almost 20 more years. She died two months before her 100th birthday.

As of May 2023, all four of his children are living.

DNA Confirmation

Paternal and maternal relationships are confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between Harry's son, G Ireland, and G's full first cousin, MI. Their MRCAs are their grandparents, William Matthewson Ireland (1875-1959) and Eva May (Wright) Ireland (1879-1934). Their predicted relationship from AncestryDNA is first cousin, based on sharing 760 cM across 33 segments.

Harry's paternal-line grandson has taken a Big Y-700 test, with three Ireland-surname matches, confirming the Ireland surname back to at least the early 1700s in Belfast (although not necessarily confirming specific Ireland-surname ancestors).

All four of Harry's children have taken an AncestryDNA test. They match as full siblings:

GI-GP: 2,899cM on 63 segments

GI-SI: 2,504cM on 65 segments

GI-SM: 2,773cM on 70 segments

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Military: "Kansas, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945"
   citing Record number: 0;
   FamilySearch Record: QGK1-7YK6 (accessed 30 January 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSG9-LQ8T-Y Image number 00524
   Name: Harry Lee Ireland; Military Draft Registration Date: 16 Oct 1940; Residence Place: Labette, Kansas, Parsons; Birth Date: 12 Nov 1909; Birth Place: Kansas, Bronson; Race: White; Weight: 130; Eye Color: Blue; Complexion: Light; Occupation Employer: General American Life Ins Co; Height: 5 6; Hair: Blonde; Record Type: Military.
2. ↑ 1910 Census: "United States Census, 1910"
   citing enumeration district (ED) ED 49, sheet 4A, family 84, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 432; FHL microfilm 1,374,445.
   FamilySearch Record: M2HG-HF1 (accessed 30 January 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9RVJ-QQ6 Image number 01182
   Harry Lee Ireland (0), single son, in household of William Ireland (34) in Marion, Bourbon, Kansas, United States. Born in Kansas.
3. ↑ 1915 Census: "Kansas State Census, 1915"
   citing Franklin Township, Bourbon, Kansas, United States, 116, 4, Kansas Historical Society, Topeka.
   FamilySearch Record: QGRW-H2XF (accessed 30 January 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSQK-GSHK Image number 00064
   Harry Ireland (5) in Franklin Township, Bourbon, Kansas, United States. Born in Kan.
4. ↑ 1990 Obituary: "Newspapers.com"
   The Parsons Sun (Parsons, Kansas) 22 Aug 1990, page 4
   Newspapers Clip: 118955608 (accessed 18 February 2023)
5. ↑ 1920 Census: "United States Census, 1920"
   citing Affiliate Publication Number: T625; Affiliate Film Number: 915; Line: 79; FHL microfilm: 1820915; Record number: 13492;
   FamilySearch Record: M84K-PY2 (accessed 30 January 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GRXK-DBS Image number 00282
   Harry Lee Ireland (10), single son, in household of William M Ireland (44) in Springfield, Greene, Missouri, United States. Born in Kansas.
6. ↑ Census: "Kansas State Census, 1925"
   citing Page: 35; Line: 14; Record number: 7;
   FamilySearch Record: QGJR-J6Z3 (accessed 30 January 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CS7R-Q9Y2-F Image number 00234
   Harry Lee Ireland (15) son in household of W M Ireland (49) in Franklin, Kansas, United States. Born in Kans.
7. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
   citing enumeration district (ED) ED 17, sheet 3A, line 42, family 96, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 703; FHL microfilm 2,340,438.
   FamilySearch Record: X7Q3-YBM (accessed 30 January 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GR4P-H3P Image number 00289
   Harry Lee Ireland (20), single son, in household of Wm M Ireland (54) in Ottawa, Franklin, Kansas, United States. Born in Kansas.
8. ↑ 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940"
   citing Affiliate Publication Number: T627; Line: 25;
   FamilySearch Record: VRKQ-RB2 (accessed 30 January 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QSQ-G9MR-7QD3
   Harry R Ireland (30), married son, in household of Harry R Ireland (30) in Ottawa, Franklin, Kansas, United States. Born in Kansas.
9. ↑ 1950 Census: "United States 1950 Census"
   citing Page: 71; Line: 6;
   FamilySearch Record: 6F7L-RT38 (accessed 30 January 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QHN-PQH4-7ZMP
   Harry L Ireland (40), single, Ins Salesman, head of household in North Township, Labette, Kansas, United States. Born in Kansas.
10. ↑ Burial: "Find A Grave Index"
    citing record ID 70835024, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
    FamilySearch Record: QV2X-WXHY (accessed 30 January 2023)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #70835024
    Harry Lee Ireland burial (died on 21 Aug 1990) in Parsons, Labette, Kansas, United States of America.

• Research by his Y-DNA and AncestryDNA tested grandson