Bio of HARRISON, Thomas Asbury (b.1811 d.1887), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical

THOMAS ASBURY HARRISON - Vol II, pg 286-289
Among the builders of Minneapolis and the promoters of her development, lead­ing
to her present greatness, was numbered Thomas Asbury Harrison, banker and
railway owner, whose activities in financial and railway circles constituted a
most valuable contribution to the progress and improvement of this section of
the country. He was born December 18, 1811, at Belleville, St. Clair county,
Illinois, seven years before the admission of that state into the Union, when
the entire Mississippi valley was the western frontier of America and the most
farsighted could not have dreamed of the rapid and marvelous changes which were
to occur within the next three-quarters of a century. That his home environment
was beneficial in every way is indicated in the fact that he was accorded the
best educational advantages that could be secured in a private school in his
locality and eventually became teacher of his class. Business opportunity was to
him an irresistible call and when he had reached manhood he built the first
Harrison mill in Illinois, largely using borrowed capital for this purpose. He
maintained the highest standards, however, in the manufacture of his product and
the Harrison brand of flour soon became famous not only in all that region but
throughout the east. Steadily he developed the business, building various mills
and increasing his activities until through the manufacture of flour he had
acquired a handsome fortune.
In the year 1839 Mr. Harrison was married to Miss Rebecca M. Green of
Belle­ville, Illinois, and in 1860 he came with his family to Minneapolis. To
Mr. and Mrs. Harrison were born a son and two daughters, only one of whom is
living- Mrs. S. H. Knight. The wife and mother passed away in Minneapolis,
February 13, 1884, when in the sixty-fourth year of her age, and Mr. Harrison
had reached the age of nearly seventy-six years when his death occurred in this
city on the 27th of October, 1887.
In the meantime he had devoted twenty-seven years to the upbuilding and
development of Minneapolis through his activity in banking and railway circles.
He resided at the corner of Fourth avenue, South, and Seventh street and his
first investment in Minnesota was in the stock of the First National Bank of St.
Anthony. He had already acquired a very substantial fortune through his flour
milling inter­ests in Illinois and with his removal to this state was ready to
take advantage of the opportunities for the further development of his interests
in the field of ad­vantageous investment. He became one of the large
stockholders and a director of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad and also of the
St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad, standing back of railway projects at a
time when their importance was inestimable in connection with the development of
the Northwest. In 1863 he became the builder of Harrison Hall. In banking
circles he extended his connec tions by becoming a stockholder of the State
National Bank, of which he was later elected president, and in 1873 he was one
of the organizers of the Security Bank, now the First National Bank of
Minneapolis, in which he was also called to the presidency. His splendid
executive force and administrative power enabled him successfully to direct
these institutions, making them important features in the continued business
growth and development of the city.
Many interests having no commercial significance also received the endorsement
and support of Mr. Harrison. He became identified with Hamline University, was a
consistent member and generous supporter of the Methodist church and manifested
a helpful attitude toward many political and moral questions.