Biographical Sketch of Charles Andrew Harrison, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Charles Andrew Harrison, a prominent financier of Warrensburg, Missouri has long been one of the leading citizens of Johnson county. He is a member of a family that for years has been influential and active in the work of upbuilding this section of the state. Mr. Harrison was born July 5, 1863 in Hazel Hill township, at Fayetteville, Missouri. He is a son of Alfred Bell and Elizabeth (Francisco) Harrison. Alfred Bell Harrison was born March 26, 1832 in Johnson county, Missouri, a son of Harvey and Zilphia (Bell) Harrison, both of whom were natives of Tenn- esseee, where they were united in marriage November 28, 1824. Harvey Harrison was born March 7, 1806 in Blount county and Zilphia (Bell) Harrison was born October 6, 1803 in Davidson county. To them were born twelve children: Hugh Bell, who died at the age of four years; William Craig, who married Lucinda J. Vanarsdel, both of whom are now deceased; Margaret C., who first married Hugh Eagan and after his death married James M. Shackleford, now deceased; Joseph Patton, married Eva- line S. Seamands; Alfred Bell, the father of Charles Andrew, the sub- ject of this review; Robert Donell, who died in childhood at the age of four years; Harvey White, married Gillen D. Calvin, is now deceased; Andrew Jackson, married Priscilla Francisco, Johnson county; John Wesley, Warrensburg, Missouri, of whom a sketch appears elsewhere in this volume; George Washington, married Brunette Glass, Warrensburg, Missouri; Nancy Elizabeth, who died in childhood at the age of ten years; and James K. Polk, who died in Warrensburg, Missouri at the age of 70 years on October 17, 1916. Harvey Harrison died March 7, 1890, not quite a year after the death of his wife, which occurred on June 12, 1889. They lived to see among their descendants, 48 grand- children, 45 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. The Harrisons located in Lafayette county in 1829 and settled in Johnson county the next year. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Harrison were buried in the new cemetery at Warrensburg. Alfred Bell and Elizabeth (Francisco) Harrison were the parents of five children: Charles Andrew, the subject of this review; Mary A., the wife of W. E. Moore, Independence, Miss- ouri; Virgie, the wife of James B. Quinlain, Manhattan, Kansas; Harvey E., deceased; and Nellie M., the wife of R. K. Thorn, Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Harrison was a dealer in stock, shipping livestock extensively to all parts of the state, prior to his coming to Warrens- burg in 1872, when he entered the mercantile business associated with A. O. Redford, their place of business located on Holden street, where the Shackleford & Kunkle Barber Shop is now. June 19, 1877 the walls of the brick building gave way and Mr. Harrison was killed. The widow- ed mother now resides in Warrensburg. Charles Andrew Harrison attended the city schools of Warrensburg and later, he was a student at the Warrensburg State Normal School. After leaving school, he engaged in farming. Mr. Harrison raised one corn crop in Saline county and then returned to Johnson county to engage in farming on his mother's place in Hazel Hill township. He afterward was employed as clerk in the business establishment owned by A. O. Redford and then by Shockey & Redford, after which he conducted a livery stable, which he opened on East Pine street about 1882, where Baird & Townsend are now located. Mr. Harrison sold this place of business to P. P. Embree and then went to Oswego, Kansas, where he was engaged in the livery business for eight months. Upon his return to Missouri, Mr. Harrison again engaged in farming in Hazel Hill township. He was thus employed for 16 years. During his residence in Hazel Hill township, Charles Andrew Harrison took an active part in civic affairs and served as justice of the peace for twelve years and as school director for the same length of time. In 1901, Mr. Harrison was elected probate judge of Warrensburg, in which office he served two terms. During his incumbency, bonds were issued and the street paving and sewer system adopted, practically all the sewers being built at that time and three miles of paving laid. For two years, Mr. Harrison was chairman of the Democratic Central Commit- tee. He served 8 years as probate judge of Johnson county and at the expiration of his term of office entered the American Trust Company as president, which position he now occupies. The American Trust Company, of which Charles Andrew Harrison is president, is a consolidation of the American Bank of Warrensburg and the Johnson County Trust Company, which organization Mr. Harrison helped to form, December 1, 1913. The present capital stock of the bank is fifty thousand dollars, the sur- plus fund twenty-five thousand, and the deposits, at the time of this writing, two hundred thousand dollars. The present officers are: Charles A. Harrison, president; G. W. Lemmon, vice president; C. L. Gillilan, secretary & treasurer; and W. E. Crissey, general manager. October 14, 1884, Charles Andrew Harrison was united in marriage with Kate M. Logan, daughter of L. M. and Martha (Martin) Logan, of Warrens- burg. Both Mr. and Mrs. Logan are now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Harrison was born one child, a son, Alfred Harvey, who attended the city schools of Warrensburg and the Warrensburg State Normal School and is now in the employ of the American Trust Company. Mrs. Harrison died in December, 1907. December 4, 1908, Mr. Harrison was united in marri- age with Maude C. Hendrix, of Warrensburg. Maude C. (Hendrix) Harrison is a daughter of George W. and Mary A. Hendrix, and a sister of Mrs. Thomas W. Hunter, Stanton, Virginia; and J. W. Hendrix, Washington, D. C. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison reside at 214 East Market street, in the city of Warrensburg, where they are highly respected and esteemed. ==================================================================== 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. 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