William Charles Harris (1930-1900)

HARRIS

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:14

William Charles Harris was born at Bristol, England, November 2, 1830; he died at Nevada, Iowa, October 5, 1900. His early life was quite an adventurous one. He ran away and went to sea at the age of fourteen, where he remained two years. He afterwards enlisted in the English army, where ho served ten years. During this service he went to South Africa and also into India, and was for a while in garrison in Canada. When a detail from each regiment was sent to London to attend the funeral of the Duke of Wellington, he was one of this Guard of Honor. He was also in the Crimean War and was one of the Light Brigade which made the celebrated charge at Balaklava. He was undoubtedly one of the last survivors of that disastrous affair. He returned to England soon after this last service, and migrated to America. He crossed the plains with a wagon train, passing through the city of Des Moines. After various travels, he returned to Iowa and settled near Nevada, Story county, in 1874. His career from that time forward was uneventful. The Nevada papers characterized him as a quiot and peaceful Iowa farmer, whose life was in all respects highly praiseworthy.

Citation: "William Charles Harris."The Annals of Iowa 4 (1901), 640-641.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.17077/0003-4827.4502