JOHN HARRIS DAR MEMORIAL MARKER PRESENTATION, Anderson County, SC Version 2.3, 27-May-2006, C298m.TXT, C298m **************************************************************** REPRODUCING NOTICE: ------------------- These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, or presentation by any other organization, or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Paul M Kankula - nn8nn Seneca, SC, USA Oconee County SC GenWeb Coordinator Oconee County SC GenWeb Homestead http://www.rootsweb.com/~scoconee/oconee.html Oconee County SC GenWeb Tombstone Project http://www.rootsweb.com/~scoconee/cemeteries.html http://www.usgwtombstones.org/southcarolina/oconee.html **************************************************************** By: Seneca Daily Journal, 4-May-2006 Bob Harris, of Walhalla, uses his boat to frequent the gravesite of his ancestors, as he is a direct descendant of the marriage between John Harris, the son of a Maryland Presbyterian minister and Mary Pickens, the eldest daughter of Gen. Andrew Pickens and Rebecca Calhoun. The burial site is situated on a small hourglass-shaped island off Oconee Point Park, where the waters of Coneross Creek once merged with the Seneca River. Large hardwood trees shade freshly hewn granite burial markers now sitting beside larger stone slabs, some placed there nearly 250 years ago. Other graves are marked by mere bowling-ball size roughly shaped rocks bearing the effaced etchings of long-ago dates. The knoll, once part of the Harris .family estate - some of the first lands claimed by Back Country settlers - has long been the final resting place of at least two of this state's most outstanding contributors to colonial American history. Some years ago, a bronze monument with information describing the life and military accomplishments of Harris was incorrectly affixed atop the grave marker of his father - Col. John Harris III (1789-1838), a veteran of the War of 1812. This error occurred because unknown persons removed the markers for Pickens and Harris during the construction of the man-made lake, says Harris. The elder John Harris (1762-1845), referred to as "Private John" by family, joined the state militia in Abbeville at age 16. Wounded in earlier battles, he went on to fight at Cowpens and also participated in the siege of Yorktown. At the close of the war, Harris married Mary Pickens and with "bounty money" paid to evolutionary soldiers, acquired land for a plantation and for more than 40 years, served as the area's "high sheriff" as well as magistrate judge. Now, at the behest of the Daughter's of the Revolution, and specifically the efforts of Marion Whitehurst, a DAR member who spearheaded their replacement, the new headstones will stand as the first "official" monuments for the patriots. A formal dedication ceremony is scheduled for May 15 2006. HARRIS, John, b. 6-dec-1762, d. 24-apr-1845, revolutionary war private, John, p. john harris & mary harris, private in colonel williamson's sc regiment, war of 1812