HARRISON.(Port Louisa Township)

pg 293

There is no record of the original plan or plat of the town. The earliest record we have is in the old plat book and this appears to have been a re-survey. We quote from the record as follows: "Plat or plan of the town of Harrison. This town re-surveyed and laid out by William Kennedy is situate on the east side or left bank of the Iowa river in the county of Louisa. The lots are 60 feet front by 142 back, with the exception of those fronting said river which are 50 feet front by 132 back. Main street is 84 feet wide, all others 66. The alleys are 15 feet wide. The bearings of the street are north 40 degrees east, by south 50 degrees east, etc." This re-survey is certified to by John Gilliland, county surveyor, on May 11, 1841, and was acknowledged by William Kennedy before J. J. Rinearson, justice of the peace, July 2, 1841.

Harrison was laid out by William Kennedy with the intention and expectation of making it the county seat. It was at one time quite a lively place for that early day.

J. R. Rockafellar had a license to sell merchandise there in 1839; we are not certain whether or not he was the first merchant there. There was a mill, a schoolhouse, and a number of other stores.

Harrison was a candidate for the county seat at the election in 1839 along with Fredonia and Wapello, but the returns of that election cannot be found.

The town of Harrison was started as early as 1837, for we find in the records of the first Board of Supervisors an account of holding a meeting at Harrison during that year.

One of the first doctors in the county was Reuben S. Searl, who lived at Harrison, and later, about 1840, Dr. Harris Howey resided there.

For a number of years there was a ferry across the Iowa near Harrison.

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