ALBERT T. HARRIS
Albert T. Harris resides on the north half of the northwest quarter of section 20, Pymosa township, which he purchased of L. W. Gaddis in the spring of 1883. This land was entered by William Nesbit in March, 1858. The first improvements upon it were made by Job E. Card, Jr., who broke a few acres and sold it to Joseph M. Scott. Mr. Scott sold it to S. T. McFadden, and the latter to Mr. Gaddis. Mr. Scott erected the first buildings. Mr. Harris, since purchasing the place, has made some improvements, including the finishing of the house and the building of a barn at a cost of three hundred dollars. The land is all under improvement. He has an orchard containing one hundred and thirty trees, one hundred of which were planted by him in 1883. Mr. Harris first came to Cass county in the fall of 1856, but did not locate here permanently until 1860. In 1857 he pre-empted a piece of land in Brighton township, and bought twenty acres of section 27, of Pymosa, land now owned by J. W. Lamb. In 1861, Mr. Harris sold this land and bought a quarter section in Pymosa township, comprising the north half of the southeasst quarter, and the south half of the northeast quarter of section 18, which he improved and resided upon until he moved to his present residence. He still owns the above farm. Albert T. Harris was born in Green county Ohio, in September 1835. He removed when a child, to Indiana, with his parents. His home was in that State until he came to Cass county, with the exception of two years, during which he attended school in Clermont county, Ohio. His father, Benjamin Harris, was born October 29, 1788, and died in Indiana in 1863. His mother, Susan Harris, died in March, 1877, in the eighty-fourth year of her age. They had a large family of children, six of whom have been residents of this county, but only two, Albert T. and James A., are now living here. Charles W. Harris was the first one of the brothers who came to this township. He is now deceased. His family still live here. The subject of this sketch was married to Maria Butler, daughter of Edward Butler. She was born in Indiana in 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Harris have five children: Edward E., Henry F, Alice L., Mary L. and James A., all of whom were born here except the eldest, who was born in Indiana. Mr. Harris enlisted in October, 1864, in company D, of the Eleventh Iowa Infantry, and served till the close of the war.
Transcribed by Gloria Goltiani from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pg. 567-568.
