Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 517
W.C.HARRIS, merchant tailor, of West liberty, dates his residence in that city from 1854. He was born Sept. 18, 1828, in Jefferson County, Ohio, and is the son of Isaac and Mary (Clemmons) Harris, the former a native of Cecil County, Md., and the latter of Ohio.

Isaac Harris in early life learned the trade of a blacksmith, which he followed during his life. He was a free-hearted man, and did not succeed in accumulating any great amount of worldly wealth. He was twice married and reared a family of twelve children, only two of whom are now living. W.C., of this sketch, and Sarah, wife of George Frazier, of Jefferson County, Ohio. Isaac Harris died in Jefferson County, Ohio many years ago.

Our subject spent the first twelve years of his life in Mt. Pleasant, Ohio. Having a large family to support; his father bound him to a merchant tailor in Steubenville, that State, until his majority. He served but five years of the time, learning the tailor's trade in that time. He then went to Louisville, Ky., where he worked at his trade five moonths, and then going to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he labored a few months. The Mexican War being in progress, when a youth of eighteen years, he enlisted in July, 1846, for three years, in Company A. 5th Ohio Infantry, and served until the close of the war in 1847. On receiving his discharge Mr. Harris returned to his home in Mt Pleasant, Ohio, but soon afterward went to Georgetown in that same State, where he worked at his trade for three years.

In 1850 he was united in marriage with Miss ALmira Brown, a native of Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, and a daughter of George Brown. By this union there were eight children: Mary Ellen, wife of Aaron Hise, of Washington, Iowa; Malvina, who died at the age of eighteen years; Belinda, engaged in teaching and residing at home; Willie, a merchant tailor on Fairfield, Iowa; Bertha, wife of W.S.Luse, a clerk of the People's Bank at West Liberty; Charles, who died at the age of fourteen months; Eddie D., a tailor by trade, residing at home, and Sidney, at home.

As stated, Mr. Harris came to West Liberty in 1854, and for more than a third of a century has made this place his home. As a citizen he is esteemed by everyone, and in all his relations with his fellow-men he has endeavored to adhere to the Golden Rule, doing unto others as he would others should do unto him. Socially, he is a member of I.O.O.F., his home lodge being Liberty Lodge No. 190, Politically, he is a Democrat, believing the principles advocated by that party are better adapted to the welfare of the public in general.

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