Names in genealogy research can be a challenge. An ancestor could be written in the records by their first name, middle name, nickname, or initials. When looking at a record, how do you know if you have the right person? We have to use every clue about the individual – known dates, places, family members, occupations, and more. In the case of my great-grandfather, Dock Harris, his name has been a challenge for every generation of researchers.
Grandpa Dock Harris, circa 1920’s
When my father, Bob, first started his genealogy research in the early 1970s, he worked hard to discover all the accurate names, dates, and places for the family, but he ran into a roadblock with his grandfather, Dock.
Bob only knew him as Grandpa Harris, and the records named him D. H., Dock H., or just Dock, which didn’t sound like his real name but a nickname. Even the family bible simply named him as Dock Harris.1 By this time, Dock and his wife, Allie, had both passed away. Their children, Bert and Ettie, had also passed on. Who could Bob ask?
Bob wrote to his dad, Charles Leslie Shults, to learn more about the name situation. Dock was Les’ father-in-law, and Les knew him well. Les replied:
Mr. Harris first name was Claud, don’t know where he got D.H. His brother was Sam, he had a half brother named Tom the last time I saw him was in Kint Co. Texas. The Bone family in Love Co. Oklahoma at Marietta was his sister.2
Les and Ettie apparently named their first son Claude Huston Shults after their fathers – Claude Harris and William Huston Shults. Puzzling, though, were the records that never showed the name of Claude – until one did.
In researching Dock’s life thoroughly, his great-great-granddaughter, Nicole, ran across a World War II draft registration card naming Claude Harris with the exact birthdate of 29 December 1886 in Milam County, Texas. His physical description and birth information matched. His residence, however, was a mystery. The draft card showed his address as Diamond, Missouri, an unusual location for Dock. The card was dated 25 April 1942.3
In 1942 Dock was living at the state hospital in Vinita, Oklahoma, for mental illness. I wrote part of his story in Do You Have a Skeleton in Your Family History Closet. Dock had been admitted to the hospital in 1937 and died there in 1957. 4It didn’t make sense that he would have been in Missouri in 1942, but upon closer examination of his medical records, we found that on 19 April 1942, Dock was either paroled or had escaped the hospital. In either case, it appears that he was gone from the hospital for a short time – long enough to have registered for the draft under his given name of Claude.
Where did the nickname of Dock come from? Without any further clues from the records or family stories, I turned to ChatGPT. I prompted:
What can you tell me about the nickname of Dock in the 1880s Texas?
ChatGPT responded:
The nickname “Dock” was relatively common in Texas during the 1880s, often used as an informal or affectionate name for men. While its origins are not entirely clear, several plausible explanations exist:
- Derived from Doctor: The nickname “Dock” was frequently short for “Doctor.” This could have referred to someone who was an actual physician or someone known for treating ailments, even without formal medical training. It was also a playful or honorary nickname given to people with a knack for fixing things or solving problems.
- Family Nickname: In many cases, “Dock” was a shortened form of names like “Dawson” or “Devereaux,” or even a nickname unrelated to the person’s formal name. Southern families were known for bestowing affectionate or unique nicknames that often stuck into adulthood.
- Cultural Context: In 1880s Texas, informal nicknames were prevalent and were a sign of community and familiarity. “Dock” could have been used to signify respect or camaraderie, especially in frontier areas where social ties were strong.
- Occupational Connection: In some cases, nicknames like “Dock” might have been associated with an individual’s trade, though this would be less common in landlocked Texas compared to port towns.
To better understand a specific individual’s nickname, local records such as census documents, obituaries, personal letters, or community histories might reveal the origin or context of its use. If you have a specific person in mind, I could help you brainstorm ways to research further!
I like to ask multiple AI models the same question and queried Claude which responded:
In Texas during the 1880s, the use of “Dock” as a nickname emerged from several distinct cultural practices. The primary usage came from the Southern tradition of bestowing honorific nicknames, where “Dock” derived from “Doctor” – much like how “Judge” or “Colonel” were used as nicknames even for those who hadn’t earned those titles formally. This practice reflected the high social status accorded to medical professionals in nineteenth-century Texas society.
In Texas frontier communities of the 1880s, the nickname also sometimes indicated a person who, while not formally trained, served as a community healer or medical practitioner. This was especially common in rural areas where access to qualified physicians was limited. When researching family histories from this period, finding someone nicknamed “Dock” might suggest they played this informal medical role in their community.
The geographic distribution of the nickname shows interesting patterns across Texas. It appeared more frequently in East Texas counties, where Southern naming traditions were strongest, compared to West Texas or the border regions. This distribution aligns with settlement patterns of immigrants from other Southern states, particularly Tennessee and Georgia, where the nickname was also common.
To test the theory that Dock was a common nickname in Texas, I searched the 1880 census and found it was indeed common. FamilySearch found 438 instances of Dock as the first name in the southern states of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. Performing the same search for New York or Ohio found many fewer instances of the nickname.
Our final conclusion is that Dock was indeed a nickname for our ancestor named Claude Harris, born 29 December 1886 in Milam County, Texas. It seems that his family used the common nickname of Dock and it stuck with him throughout his life.
When confronted with a naming conundrum, additional research just might turn up additional information. Using AI to learn more about naming patterns and context can also aid us in our theories.
Best of luck in all your genealogical endeavors!
Sources
- John C. Harris Family Bible Records, 1844-1949, loose pages, “Births”; privately held by Georgie Lee Spradlin, Kingston, Oklahoma, 2008; image online, “Memories,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/89810965 : accessed 25 Apr 2024).
- C.L. Shults (Parker, Arizona) to Bob Shults, letter, 20 November 1971; privately held by Diana Elder, Highland, Utah.
- “U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942,” image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1002/images/44479_02_00012-01219 : accessed 5 December 2024), card for Claude Harris, serial no. 559: Local Draft Board for Newton County, Missouri.
- B.F. Peterson, Superintendent, Eastern State Hospital, Vinita, Oklahoma, to Bob Shults, letter, 1 Sep 1965; privately held by Diana Elder, Highland, Utah., D.H. Harris medical file, 1937-1957, no. [7111?], patient details and notes for admittance on 22 November 1937, Eastern State Hospital, Vinita, Oklahoma; photocopy supplied 17 July 2015, to Diana Elder, Highland Utah, p. 9-10 of 16. For death see: Oklahoma, Certificate of Death, no. 12234 (1957), Dock Harris; State Department of Health, Oklahoma City.
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Thanks for the note!