BIO: George Washington HARRIS, Dauphin County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JAWB Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/runk/runk-bios.htm _______________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, page 219. _______________________________________________________________ HARRIS, GEORGE WASHINGTON, was born June 23, 1798, in the old ferry house, now the location of Harris Park school house. He was a son of Robert Harris, who was a son of John Harris, the founder of the city of Harrisburg, and grandson of John Harris, the first settler. His mother was Elizabeth Ewing, daughter of the celebrated Rev. John Ewing, D. D., provost of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Harris' early education was received at the old Harrisburg Academy and the select schools of the day. Subsequently he went to Dickinson, Jefferson and the University of Pennsylvania, graduating at the latter institution. He studied law, and was admitted to the Dauphin county bar in 1820. He remained at Harrisburg several years, during a portion of which period he served as deputy attorney general for the county of Dauphin. He afterwards removed to Philadelphia and entered into law partnership with Calvin Blythe. He returned to Harrisburg and resumed his place at the Dauphin county bar, and was appointed reporter of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, publishing a series of volumes of report. For a number of years he filled the position of secretary to the library committee of the United States Senate. Mr. Harris recently edited the journal of Mr. Maclay, one of the first United States senators from Pennsylvania. He died at Harrisburg Sunday morning, August 13, 1882. Mr. Harris married Elizabeth Mary, daughter of Dr. Henry Hall and Hester Maclay, daughter of Senator Maclay; his wife surviving him at near fourscore.