Freestone County, Texas Biographies Biography of Dr. J. T. Harriss (Dec 23, 1844-?, buried ?) Source - A Memorial and Biographical History of Hill County, Texas Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892 pages 228-230 DR. J. T. HARRISS, of Hillsboro, Hill county, was born in Monroe county, Alabama, Deccember 23, 1844, a son of Braddock Harriss, a native of South Carolina. The latter was one of the pioneers of Coosa county, Alabama, having settled in the little town of Equality in 1822, and was afterward Treasurer of the county for a number of years. He came to Texas in 1882, locating in Freestone county, where he died at the age of eighty-two years [on May 7, 1884 and is buried at Wortham Cemetery]. His father was born in England, and emigrated to America in time to take part in the Revolutionary War. On one occasion he was in company with several of his neighbors who returned to their plantations to determine how things were going on at home. Before they reached the community, however, they decided to divide their little squad, and each man take his allotment and visit his own farm. When patriot Harriss reached home he learned that there were Tories and British camping near by, ready for an attack upon the settlers. He determined to investigate, and accordingly got his little force in order and upon reconnoitering came to a little valley where were British. He rushed in by surprise, captured their arms, carried them to the rear, returned, and took charge of his prisoners. Dr. Harriss, the ninth of eleven children, received his appointment as a cadet to the Alabama Military Institution at Glenville, at the age of fifteen years, where he remained until 1860. In that year, he enlisted at A. W. De Bardelaben's battalion of Alabama, Patterson's Rangers, in a cavalry troop. The Doctor was its drill officer, and the battalion was consolidated with Hewitt's battalion, and made the fifty-sixth Alabama Cavalry, under William Boyles, of Mobile. The army then removed to North Mississippi, where the Doctor was made commander of Ferguson's scouts, and breveted First Lieutenant, under Captain Dr. Walden, of Coosa county, Alabama. He participated in the engagements at Cumberland Gap, Peachtree Springs, Mulberry Gap, Tazewell, raided Kentucky under Longstreet, returned again to Mississippi and took part in the fight at Champion Hill, Edward's Depot, Baker's Creek, Raymond and Big Black. The command then moved to north Mississippi, and was engaged in several small fights. While stationed at Pontotoc the Doctor took a squad of men and tapped the Memphis & Charleston railroad, tore up the track, destroyed the telegraph and captured a train with 300 unarmed recruits and $10,000 worth of provisions, and then moved back to the main army. It was at this time the weather was so cold that when our subject undertook to use his crowbar to tear up the track, the frost in the bar took the hide off his hands. The command was met, and they attacked Pocahontas, and captured many prisoners and supplies. From there they moved to Rome, Georgia, where they met the main army coming from Dalton, and Sherman was fought from there to the sea. The Doctor was one of the number delegated to take Jeff Davis to the Trans-Mississippi Department, but Mr. Davis refused to go, and the Doctor crossed over to that department with 300 men. He came back and captured 5,000 horses on Big Black, near Edward's Depot, and attempted to take them to Meridian, Mississippi, but was pursued by a regiment of Union troops and the horses and command were captured at the city, except our subject's set, who took to the woods, and made their way home on foot. In 1869 Mr. Harriss took the oath of allegiance, and began the study of medicine in the office of J. T. Beckham, at Brooksville, Alabama, where he remained two years. In 1871 he went to New Orleans, took one course, the returned to Alabama and practiced until 1880, when he went to Mobile, Alabama, and took a course of lectures. In 1885 he graduated at the Southern Medical College of Atlanta, Georgia, and in 1883 moved to Woodland, Freestone county, Texas, where he enjoyed a large and lucrative practice for seven years. In 1889 he came to Hillsboro, and engaged in the drug business, but was burned out in 1891. The only office the Doctor ever held was that of Justice of the Peace in his native county for about fifteen years, during which time he never tried a case, and settled all difficulties without going to law. He is a member of the State and County Medical Societies, was a delegate to the convention that nominated Governor Ross, organized the Freestone Medical College, and is a Royal Arch Mason. Dr. Harriss was married in 1871 to Miss Anna Terrell, a daughter of A. J. Terrell and a grand-daughter of Abel Hogerty, a large and wealthy planter on the Tallapoosa river. They have two children: Sherwood P. and Sallie Terrell, both graduates of the city school of Hillsboro, and now attending Hill's Commercial College at Waco.