Harris / Myrtle / Fields Family

Early American Family History - dating back to 1730 in Virginia


The John Harris Family - early pioneer family of Baker, Oregon and the Blue Mountains of Oregon

John Harris - center, elder fought in the Civil War, and following the Civil War, became Colonel of a fort in Baker, Oregon. After retirement, he raised horses for the western calvary on a horse ranch in the Blue Mountains, outside of Baker, Oregon.

Annie Tolbert -lower right, wife of John Harris, descendant of American families dating back before the American Revolutionary war. Her great grandfather, John Myrtle fought in the Revolutionary war and was born in Virginia, in 1730. Her great grandmother, Phoebe Fields Myrtle, was elder sister to Rubin and Thomas Fields, who were in the Louis and Clarke expedition. Thomas Fields, in hand-to-hand combat with a Souix warrior, killed the warrior. The warrior was attempting to take some of the expeditions provisions, which resulted in the conflict. This was the first killing of a Native American person, by an American government action. Grizzly bears were also discovered and killed during the expedition. Dr. Karr in his film project and shamanistic work has been motivated to heal the ancestral wounds caused by his ancestors to both Native Americans, and Grizzly Bears. Dr. Karr's father who was a wilderness man in the 1920's in Oregon and Washington, also had killed Grizzly Bears, and had told Dr. Karr many stories about these horrific encounters. Through his great grand mother Annie Tolbert's family line, Dr. Karr is at least an eigth-generation American. He feels a particularly close connection with the American land as a result of this long family American connection.

Dr. Karr's mother's family's patriarchal line has a long history of being pioneers - generation after generation (eight generations). They began as early colonists in Virginia, accompanied Daniel Boone as early settlers in Kentucky, and were given land grants in Missourri by the federal government because of their involvement in the Lewis and Clarke expedition, and moved on to be early pioneers in Oregon. Dr. Karr feels that he is continuing his family pioneer work on a different level in pioneering his shamanistic work.

Dr. Karr calls upon his pioneer Harris ancestors to spiritually support his Jungian / Shamanistic work.

Albert Mrytle Harris - well dressed gentleman, upper right
Dr. Karr's maternal grandfather. Father of Dr. Karr's mother, Adeleine Anabelle Harris. He was a great horseman, and was most proud of his showteam of Clydesdale horses, and had been a cowboy and sherrif.


Turn of the Century, Fourth of July Celebration in Baker Oregon, where Dr. Karr's mother's family the Harris's are a pioneer family

Kerr Family

Rodney's GrandFather Roy Kerr- was a star athlete

Rodney's Parents

Adeline Anabelle Harris Kerr - Rodney's Mother.
Adeline was a chorus girl upon a river-boat speak-easy during prohibition in the roaring 20's which navigated up and down the Willamit river in Portland Oregon, providing alcohol and fun times for its patrons.


Rex Kerr - Rodney's Father
Rex Kerr was the chief accountant for Southern Pacific Railroad -as was his father, Roy Kerr. Rex means "King" in Latin, and Roy means "King" in French.