(Adults L-R) Jake Hargis 1912-1960, Thomas A Hargis 1904-1982, William N Hargis 1869-1946, Charles Ottis Hargis 1896-1976. (Children L-R) William O Hargis 1924-2005, Vernon L Hargis 1925. (photo circa 1929)
Jake "Jack" Earl Hargis
Jake "Jack" Earl Hargis born in Rowan County, Kentucky, on 20 Aug 1912, was the son of William Norvel Hargis and Nancy Ethel Gearhart. Jake was raised on a farm in Rowan County, Kentucky. He was a veteran and was a Technical Sergeant in the 480 Air Service Squadron, Army Air Force, during WWII. Jake changed his name to Jack when he was a young man and used that name the rest of his life. Jack moved from Kentucky to Mesa, Arizona, in the 1950's where he lived with his mother Nancy Ethel (Gearhart) Hargis and sisters Mary Avonelle and Eugenia (Hargis) Haney. Jack never married. He was coming home from work on 26 Feb 1960, got off the bus and was crossing the street when he was struck by a car and killed. Jack Hargis is buried in the City of Mesa Cemetery in Mesa, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix.
(It is interesting to note that while searching for Jack's gravesite I happened to notice about 20 feet away from his is the gravesite of the country singing legend, Waylon Jennings 1937-2002.)
Family Stories
Hargis family story: Here is a short story that survives today, passed down through the Hargis family by those too young to have actually known or remembered Willie Harden, but do remember and did know Jake Hargis. They say that Mrs. Pelfrey was living with the William Norvel Hargis family at the time Willie Hardin was shot and killed by Jake Pelfrey. (I suppose Mrs. Pelfrey was Louisa Hargis Pelfrey, William Norvel Hargis' sister?) William Norvel's Hargis' son Jake Hargis got so upset after Jake Pelfrey shot Willie Hardin that he changed his name from Jake to Jack. He was afraid someone would mistake which Jake was which and shoot him in retaliation for Willie's death. Jake Hargis kept the name Jack the rest of his life.
From the website of Donna Hardin: "Willie" died after he was shot by his mother's brother, Jake Pelfrey. Jake meant to shoot Willie's Dad Alfred Hardin, but mistook Willie for his father because Willie was wearing his new straw hat, one similar to his father's. Alfred Hardin and Jake Pelfrey were fighting over a property line.
James William Hardin's death certificate states that he died from a gunshot wound through the kidney. (#379)
