HARRISON BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri ==================================================================== HARRISON, James M. - b: 1831 Mason Co, WV source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co. - page: 734 residence: Davis Twp Judge James M. Harrison was born in Mason County, West Virginia, May 24, 1831. His father was William H. Harrison, and his mother's maiden name was Esther Allen, both of old Virginia families. She died in 1854, but the former is residing on the old home farm in Western Virginia. He is a hale old gentleman of seventy- four years, and is living with his third wife. James was the second of eleven children, six of whom are living, two besides himself in Missouri, Caroline, (wife of William A. Pfost) and Virginia, (wife of James Porter.) He grew to manhood on his father's farm, and in his twenty-first year was married, January 10, 1852, to Miss Esther Fisher, of Virginia. In 1856 they came to Missouri and settled near Calhoun, where they lived on the "Draper Farm" two years, moving thence in 1858 to his present home. He entered 160 acres of land and bought more as his means would allow, and his farm now contains about 700 acres of fine land suitable for stock growing or agriculture. Mr. Harrison is one of the substantial farmers of the county, and was chosen at the recent election judge of the county court, for the second district. During the war he served about six months with Price. and participated in the action at Drywood, and was also at the capture of Lexington. He afterward served in the state militia, and was at Sedalia at the time of the raid upon that place. In 1876, having suffered from poor health for some time, he went to California and spent one season in the mountains. Recuperating his failing health he has since devoted his attention to the duties of the farm. Judge Harrison lost his wife on the 5th of December, 1877. She left four children: Mary Elizabeth, (wife of John W. Wagner), John W., (whose wife is Anna Rutlege), James H., (who married Mattie Birge) and Mordecia A. January 2, 1881, he married Miss Margaret P. Green. They have one child, Clement J. ==================================================================== HARRISON, James M. - b: 1832 Mason Co, WV source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 373 residence: Davis Twp Judge James M. Harrison, of Davis township, has resided in Henry County for over sixty-two years and is probably the oldest pioneer in the western part of the county, not only in age but in years of residence in the county. Few people who settled in his vicinity sixty years ago are now living, and practically none of the old pioneers are now living in this neighborhood. Judge Harrison has outlived them all and has resided on his farm since he first entered the land from the Government in 1857. Times have changed greatly in that long period and Judge Harrison has lived to see the vast unbroken prairies thickly populated with a thriving population. His first home on the prairie was a pole cabin roofed with boards, the spaces between the poles being filled with mud. A stick and clay chimney, leading upward from an old fashioned fireplace, sufficed for heat and cooking purposes. The cooking and baking for the family were all done over the open fire. Judge Harrison recalls that he had a very happy time in the old days and there was always plenty to eat. Game was easily killed and he shot many wild turkeys and prairie chickens for the table. Local hunters made a business of killing deer for the settlers and the larder was always supplied with wild deer meat. Fishing was excellent and altogether everybody enjoyed life. This primitive and carefree condition of living was common among the pioneers until the border troubles and the ensuing Civil War engulfed the neighborhood. Mr. Harrison enlisted in the Confederate forces under General Price in 1861 and served for about eight months, taking part in the battles of Drywood and Lexington and was at Sedalia when the city was invested by the Federal forces. Sickness incapacitated him for continued duty and he was discharged from the service. During the course of years spent in farming activities and stock raising, Judge Harrison became prosperous and accumulated several hundred acres of land, all of which he has given outright to his children excepting 160 acres. Judge Harrison now makes his home, in his old age, with his son, Mordecai A. Harrison. James M. Harrison was born in Mason County, West Virginia, May 24, 1832, and is the son of William Henry Harrison, a native of Rockingham County, Virginia (born August 22, 1809, died March, 1897). His mother was Esther Allen, a native of Mason County, West Virginia (born December, 1809, died 1862). William H. Harrison lived all of his days in Mason County, West Virginia, although he made trips to visit his children in Missouri, but the climate not being agreeable to him he did not remain for long at a time. He was father of eleven children, only two of whom are living: Josiah, a resident of Jackson County, West Virginia; and James M., subject of this review. Another son, Jeremiah, fought as a Union soldier during the Civil War and died at Salt Lake City in 1915. William H. Harrison, the youngest son, died in September, 1917. He served in the Confederate army. Judge Harrison came to Missouri in 1856 and during the first year lived at the home of his brother-in-law, Leonard Fisher, who had located in Henry County in 1855. He entered his home place of 160 acres in 1857 and made his home thereon as herein stated. On January 10, 1851, the marriage of James M. Harrison and Esther Fisher was consummated in Jackson County, West Virginia. This marriage was blessed with the following children: The first child born died in infancy; Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Wagner, deceased, left one child, May Wagner; John W., deceased, married Anna Rutledge and left three children, James G., Mrs. R. B. Gates and Ray H., now serving in National Army in France, Company B, 18th Regiment Railway Engineers; James Henry, living in Oklahoma, married Mattie Birge and has two children, Mrs. Odessa Harris and Charles Wesley, and Mordecai M. Mordecai M. Harrison was born in 1865 and is the owner of a fine farm of 160 acres. He married Linnie Suttles and had five children, two of whom are living, Esther and Mamie. Mrs. Esther Harrison died December 5, 1877, aged fifty-two years. On January 2, 1881, Judge Harrison was married to Margaret P. Greer, who bore him one child, Clement J., now deceased. During his entire life, since attaining his majority, Judge Harrison has been a stanch Democrat and has been one of the leaders of his party in Henry County. He served eight years as a judge of the County Court, his first term having been in the early eighties and his second term from 1894 to 1898, during which time the present court house at Clinton was erected. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. 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