HARRISON, George William - 1914

HARRISON, RAY, HALL, ABBOTT

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/1/2009 at 13:32:18

HISTORY OF
Cherokee County
IOWA
VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY
1914
by Thomas McCulla

GEORGE WILLIAM HARRISON.

Among those whose labors while they were active factors in lifes work contributed to public prosperity as well as to individual gain in Cherokee county was George William Harrison. Sterling traits of manhood and high ideals of citizenship brought him the warm regard of those with whom he came in contact.

Mr. Harrison was born in West Union, Fayette county, Iowa, November 20. 1857, and was a son of Christopher C. and Louisa S. (Ray) Harrison, both of whom were natives of Kingsbury, Norway. We are told by one who has seen it that G. W. Harrisons grandfather has one of the finest monuments in all European countries, erected to his memory. He was a great general and G. W. Harrison must have inherited some of his wonderful power. Nansen, the arctic explorer, was a cousin of Mr. Harrison's father, C. C. Harrison, who went to California in 1849. Like these relatives, a searcher after truth, he was always ready to shoulder difficult things. Nothing seemed too hard or great for him to accomplish. Christopher Harrison was born June 26, 1823, and was a gunsmith by trade. He continued in his native country until 1845, when, at the age of twentytwo years, he resolved to try his fortune in the new world. Accordingly he crossed the Atlantic and for a brief period was a resident of New York, but later removed westward to Michigan. After a short time spent in that state he started for California, hoping to win success in the gold mines. In 1852 he again started for the east and at Philadelphia had his gold coined. He then returned to Norway, where he was, August 25, 1852, married to Miss Louisa S. Ray, who was born in the land of the midnight sun February 8, 1830. Soon afterward he once more started for the new world and, making his way to Fayette county, Iowa, he there took up land from the government, upon which not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made. He at once began to cultivate the place, however, broke the sod, planted the fields and in course of time gathered good crops, but death terminated his active career when his son George W. was but five years of age. After becoming a naturalized American citizen he cast his first presidential ballot for John C. Fremont and continued to support the republican party until his death. His religious faith was that of the German Lutheran church. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Harrison were born four children: Caroline, who in 1887 received the appointment of assistant botanist in the department of agriculture at Washington, D. C, which appointment she still holds; Elizabeth, whose home is in Fayette county, Iowa; George W.; and Christian C., who is located in Arkansas.

A native of Iowa, George W. Harrison pursued his education in the schools of Fayette county and in the Upper Iowa University. He was a student in Upper Iowa University at Fayette for about three years and even in his student days exhibited those rare qualities of leadership which characterized him in later life. He was particularly active in temperance work and under his presidency the local organization became unusually popular and efficient. He then took up the profession of teaching and proved a capable educator, imparting readily and clearly to others the knowledge that he had acquired. He also became the owner of and conducted a stock farm and in 1881 he removed to Cherokee county, settling in Silver township. Here he again taught school and followed farming. After a time he took up his abode in Grand Meadow township, where he owned and cultivated a farm, bringing his fields to a high state of development. He died on the ist of June, 1907, and thus an active, useful life was terminated. He had done much to further educational interests and to promote the agricultural progress of his adopted county, and his worth was widely recognized by all who knew aught of his history.

It was on the 4th of April, 1884, that Mr. Harrison was united in marriage to Miss Elma Frances Hall, a daughter of Horatio Nelson and Elizabeth (Abbott) Hall, of Berrien county, Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison became the parents of seven children: Harvey N., living in Grand Meadow township; Leo C., who will graduate from the American School of Osteopathy in the class of 1914; Roscoe F., who is a student at Ames Agricultural College and will graduate in 1915; George W., who has passed away; and Julia, Ethel and Frances, all at home. The family circle has been twice broken in the death of Mr. Harrison and his son and namesake.

In politics Mr. Harrison was a republican and he served as township trustee and as school director. Mrs. Harrison is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Harrison gave a lot upon his farm for the erection of a church and there was built upon the ground a commodious and attractive house of worship. He gave the cemetery opposite the church, care and attention helping to make it a beautiful city of the dead. On the 6th of July the church was struck by lightning and burned to the ground and on the same day some of his valuable horses in the barn were killed by lightning. Mr Harrison was a man of genial, social nature and he possessed many of the sterling characteristics of his Norwegian ancestry, including industry and honesty. His worth was widely acknowledged and his life record certainly deserves a place upon the pages of a history of Cherokee county. He had a very extensive circle of friends "and all who knew him entertained for him the highest regard. The work which he had done for the church, the cemetery, the schools, the farmers institute, the temperance cause and for good roads remains as a monument to his memory. He was a man loved in the community where he had lived for nearly twenty years. He enjoyed the confidence of all who knew him and had held offices of honor and trust for years. He was widely known in his chosen vocation as a successful stockman. He loved the freedom of the farm. Good stock he delighted in and his yards and pastures were always well filled and well cared for. He was radical in his views but his teachings were always of a strictly moral, temperate and uplifting nature. He was always of independent mind, thinking for himself regardless of others opinions—a leader not a follower. The community has. lost a worthy and useful citizen and his family have lost a kind, loving and thoughtful husband and father.