Merle Haggard's Grandma Harp was Martha Frances Arizona Belle Villines Harp born in Boxley Valley, Newton County, Arkansas in 1876. She married John Bohannon Harp in 1901. John Bohannon Harp was a grandson of our own Martha Jane Tate Harp and Elijah Bohannon Harp. This makes Merle Haggard the Three Sister's 4th cousin.
A detailed story of Grandma Harp, aka Zone Vilines Harp, can be found here
This is our own Martha Jane Tate Harp, 3rd great grandmother of Merle Haggard, and sister to our 2nd grandmother, Ann Catherine Tate Maples.
Merle Haggard's song about Grandma Harp lyrics
[Chorus]
Grandma's maiden name was Zone Villines
There's ninety years to tell about in a few short lines
Born in Newton County down in Arkansas
Then in nineteen-and-one, she married Grandpa
We laid her soul to rest one Sunday morning
And everybody knew she'd done her part
Don't get set to hear no hidden family legend
Just a song about the life of Grandma Harp
[Verse]
Just think about the times that she lived through
And think about the changing world she saw
Now somehow she reared a decent family out of poverty
And for seventy years, she loved the same old Grandpa
To me, her passing brought a closing chapter
To a way of life that I loved within my heart
I just mean to say, I think we owe her something special
If just a song about the life of Grandma Harp
[Chorus]
Grandma's maiden name was Zone Villines
There's ninety years to tell about in a few short lines
Born in Newton County down in Arkansas
Then in nineteen-and-one, she married Grandpa
We laid her soul to rest one Sunday morning
And everybody knew she'd done her part
Don't get set to hear no hidden family legend
Just a song about the life of Grandma Harp
Grandma's maiden name was Zone Villines
There's ninety years to tell about in a few short lines
Born in Newton County down in Arkansas
Then in nineteen-and-one, she married Grandpa
We laid her soul to rest one Sunday morning
And everybody knew she'd done her part
Don't get set to hear no hidden family legend
Just a song about the life of Grandma Harp
[Verse]
Just think about the times that she lived through
And think about the changing world she saw
Now somehow she reared a decent family out of poverty
And for seventy years, she loved the same old Grandpa
To me, her passing brought a closing chapter
To a way of life that I loved within my heart
I just mean to say, I think we owe her something special
If just a song about the life of Grandma Harp
[Chorus]
Grandma's maiden name was Zone Villines
There's ninety years to tell about in a few short lines
Born in Newton County down in Arkansas
Then in nineteen-and-one, she married Grandpa
We laid her soul to rest one Sunday morning
And everybody knew she'd done her part
Don't get set to hear no hidden family legend
Just a song about the life of Grandma Harp
Zone Vilines Harp [Grandma Harp] and husband, John Bohannon Harp
