Shortly after their marriage, Harvey and Grace Archer moved to Wood County, Ohio, south of Toledo in the northwest part of the state. On Jun 5, 1917, Harvey Archer filled out a US military draft registration card in Wood County. He stated that he was a self-employed farmer in Jackson Township, and that he had been born on March 20, 1888 in Fulday, Ohio. Harvey's registration indicates that he had a wife and one child to support. He was described as being tall and slender with blue eyes and auburn hair.
In 1920, Harvey Archer (31) rented a farm in Jackson Twp., Wood County, Ohio. Other members of the household were his wife, Grace E. (25), and daughters Marjorie I. (4 yrs 1 mo.) and Edna L. (2 yrs. 5 mos.). Everyone was a native of Ohio, as were their parents.
By 1930, the family had ,oved back to southeast Ohio. Harvey Archer (42) owned a farm in Meigsville, Morgan County, Ohio where he lived with his wife Grace (35) and children Marjorie (14), Edna (11), Ralph (9) and Donald (6). All of the children attended school. According to the census, Harvey and Grace were married around 1913.
According to an article in the Zanesville Times Recorder, Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Archer and children of McConnelsville attended the fourth annual reunion of the Merry-Bryan families at the Caldwell Fairgrounds on Labor Day.
In 1942, 54 year old Harvey Archer filled out a US military draft registration card. He indicated that he had no middle name. He gave his address as RFD 2 McConnelsville, Meigs Twp., Morgan County, Ohio. Mrs. Grace Archer of the same address was listed as a person who would always know his address. He stated that he had a telephone on the Neelysville exchange, but the line for phone number was left blank. Harvey said that he was born in Noble Count on Mar. 20 1888. Harvey was described as being 71 inches tall (5'11"), 174 lbs, with blue eyes, gray hair, and a light complexion. He had a scar on his right jaw and one on his left thumb.
An article on the front page of the Zanesville Times Recorder on 29 Sep 1953 described a horrible car-truck accident just south of McConnelsville in which a truck was rear-ended by a car with six members of the Marietta College football team as they were returning to school at 7 a.m. Monday morning. The top of the car was sheared off and the car burst into flames. Harvey Archer and Charles Hall, state highway employees who were on their way to work stopped and helped the driver of the truck pull the boys from the burning wreck. Two of the boys later died of their injuries. Sheriff Albert McConnel stated that all of the youths would have burned to death had it not been for the actions of the three rescuers.
Harvey Archer’s obituary was published in the Zanesville Times Recorder on 18 Dec 1961:
McCOONNELSVILLE - Harvey Archer, 73, retired State Highway
Department employe died unexpectedly at 1:30 a.m. Sunday at his
home here after a heart attack.
He was born in Noble County March 20, 1888, a son of Sylvanus
and Hulda Bates Archer. He was a member of the Neeleyville Grange
and Morgan Aerie Eagles Lodge,
Mr. Archer is survived by his widow, the former Grace Luke; two
daughters, Mrs. Robert Chichester of Vienna, W.Va., and Mrs. Judson
Young of Athens; two sons, Ralph and Donald, both of this community;
five grandchildren; a brother W. H. Archer of Caldwell Route 1.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Fisher Funeral Home
with the Rev. Father Edwin Yocke in charge. Burial will be in Malta
Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p.m. today.
Grace Luke Archer’s obituary was published in the Zanesville Times Recorder on 27 Nov 1970:
McCONNELSVILLE - Mrs. Grace Archer, 75, of McConnelsville died at 5:30 p.m. Thursday (Oct 26) at her home after suffering an apparent heart attack.
She was born Dec. 15, 1894, in Noble County, a daughter of George and Alice Matheney Luke. Her husband Harvey is deceased. Mrs. Archer was a member of the Seventh Street Church of Christ.
Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Robert Chichester of West Virginia, and Mrs. Judson Young of Athens; two sons, Ralph of McConnelsville and Ronald of Malta; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; and a half-sister, Mrs. Howard Barnes of Caldwell. One sister and one brother are also deceased.
The body was take to Fisher Funeral Home in McConnelsville.
Alternate spelling of surname: Matheney. The obituaries of Harley Luke and Grace Luke Matheny identify their mother's name as Alice Matheny Luke. However, the obituary of Sarah Matheny Mallet states that she is the mother of Harley Luke and Mrs. Grace Archer. The obituary appeared in the Zanesville Signal on 23 Oct 1950:
Funeral services for Mrs. Sarah Mallett, 82, of near Caldwell,
sister of two Zanesville residents, who died Saturday at her home,
will be held at 1:30 o’clock Tuesday afternoon at the Crum Ridge
Church of Christ. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
The body has been removed to the residence from the Gardner
funeral home at Stafford.
Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Florence Hayes of Caldwell,
Mrs. Grace Archer of McConnelsville, Mrs. Helen Barnes of the
home, and a son, Harley Luke of Carlisle; 10 grandchildren; 12
great-grandchildren; three sisters, Mrs. Nellie Moore of Caldwell,
Mrs. Norvista Mendenhall and Mrs. Josie Eppley of this city; and
three brother, John Matheny of Geneva, Clyde Matheny of Colum-
bus, and Clarence Matheny of Bowling Green.
Paul Archer was a veteran of World War II. was a resident of Washington County, Ohio at the time of his death.
Dates of birth and death (from Social Security Death Index) have not been proven.
TWO WASHINGTON CO. YOUTHS KILLED IN CAR-CYCLE CRASH MARIETTA - James Robert Pryor, 19, of Lower Salem Route
1, was killed at 9:50 p.m. Sunday in a head-on motor-cycle-car
collision at the intersection of Ohio 821 and Washington County
Road 11, according to the Highway Patrol. Also killed was a passenger on the cycle, John Stephen Archer,
17, of Lower Salem Route 1. The car was driven by Stephen J. Carpenter, 17, of Whipple,
who sustained minor injuries and was taken to Marietta Memorial
Hospital. The accident is still under investigation, the patrol said. Born April 24, 1954, in Marietta, Mr. Pryor was a son of Blake
and Dorothy Henthorn Pryor of Lower Salen Route 1.
He was employed by A.R. Huffman Company in Marietta and
was a graduate of Caldwell High School. He was a member of
Mount Ephiram United Methodist Church. Surviving in addition to his parents are two brothers, Blake
Pryor Jr. and William Pryor, both of Lower Salen Route 1. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Mallett Funeral
Home at Stafford. Rev. Edgar Day will officiate. Burial will be in
Salem Township Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home. Mr. Archer was born Sept. 26, 1955, at Marietta, a son of Paul
and Rita Huffman Archer, of Lower Salem Route 1. He graduated from Skyvue High School in 1973 and was a
member of St. Henry's Catholic Church at Harrietsville. Survivors include his parents; two brothers, Larry and David,
both of the home; six sisters, Linda and Donna, both of Marietta,
Elaine, Darlene, Connie and Marsha, all of the home; and grand-
parents, Mr. and Mrs. William H. Archer of Summerfield Route 1. Friends may call anytime at Estadt Funeral Home in Caldwell
where the Rosary will be recited at 8 p.m. today. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Henry's
Church will Rev. Fr. Mark Froelich officiating. Burial will be in St.
Henry's Cemetery at Lower Salem route 1.
David Archer’s obituary appeared in the Zanesville Times Recorder on 26 Mar 1977:
NOBLE COUNTY TRUCK CRASH KILLS MAN, 23
David Archer, 23, of Lower Salem, who was a passenger in a truck
hauling cattle, was killed at 2:!0 p.m. Friday, eight miles north of the
Washington County line on Ohio 145 in Noble County, Highway Patrol
reports.
The accident occurred when the driver of the truck, Albert J. Baker, 45,
of Lower Salem Rt. 2, apparently lost control when cattle weight shifted to
one side on a sharp turn, patrol said. The truck turned over on its top, the
patrol said.
Highway patrol reported that Baker was injured but was not treated.
Ten cattle were in the truck at the time of the accident, the patrol said.
Some were loose last night but none were killed.
Mr. Archer was born July 2, 1954 in Marietta and was a 1972 graduate
of Skyvue High School. He was a member of St. Henry’s Catholic Church
at Harrietsville and was self-employed.
Surviving are his parents, Paul and Rita Huffman Archer of Lower Salem
Rt 1; six sisters, Linda and Donna both of Marietta, Mrs. Elaine Clist of
Sycamore Valley Rt. 1, Darlene, Connie and Marsha, all of the home; a
brother, Larry, of Lower Salem Rt. 1 and a grandfather, William A. Archer
of Summit Acres Nursing Home, Caldwell.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday in St. Henry’s Catholic church.
Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Friends may call at Estadt Funeral Home in Caldwell after 7 p.m. today
where Rosary will be held at 8 p.m. Sunday.
Sources conflict on date of birth:
16 Feb 1919 -- Snider
17 Feb 1920 -- Social Security Death Index
Marriage Record Vol 26 p. 548 (exact source unknown)
Groom Bride
Names: Harley Ross Morrison Clara Rose Archer
Ages on (date): 21 on 16 Feb 1940 19 on 31 Mar 1939
Residence: Caldwell, OH Rathbone, Washington Co, OH
Place of Birth: Caldwell, OH Caldwell, OH
Occ: Farming Housework
Father: Irvin Morrison William Archer
Mother: Columbia Roe Cecilia Crum
Previously married: No No - not widow
Date of Application: 30 Mar 1940
Date of Marriage: 3 Apr 1940Performed by: William Robbu, Pastor, Pastor, St. Mary's Church
[GWA comment: Clara Rose Archer (William, Sylvanus, Simon, Nathan, James, Patrick)]
From the Zanesville Signal, pg 5, 1 May 1940NEWLYWEDS HONORED
Mr. and Mrs. Harley Morrison, newlyweds, were honored with a
miscellaneous shower Monday evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. H.
Archer, near Caldwell. Mrs. Morrison is the former Clara Rose Archer.
Those attending were Mr. and Mrs. Ben Sorg and son, Joseph, and daughters,
Clara, Rita and Mary, Mr. and Mrs. Felix Schott, daughters, Esther, Ellen,
Elverna, and Ethel, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Crum, John Fisher, Ruth Jackson, Mr. and
Mrs. Louis Crum, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Schehl, and son, Robert, Mrs. Ida Warner,
Mr. and Mrs. D. A. Warner, Mrs. W. E. Morrison, and sons, George and Lewis,
and daughter, Catherine, Mr. and Mrs. Harley Luke, and sons, Harold and Russell,
and daughter, Eleanore, Joseph and Rose Hohman, Nick and Margaret Sorg, Samuel
and Catherine Forshey, Flavel Morrison, Floyd Mallett, Vernon Leasure, Donald
Orr, Harold Noll, Ruben Miller, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Archer and sons, Bernard, Paul,
James, and Andrew, and daughters, Irene and Lucy.
Parents of Dorla Thompson Archer have not been verified.