Harris - James W. - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Rev. James W. HARRIS, pastor Methodist Episcopal Church, Crawfordsville was b. May 7, 1844 21/2 mi W. of Terre Haute, Vigo Co, Indiana. His grandfather was in the Revol. War. His father, Richard was a native of Delaware. The subj. of this sketch lived on the farm till he was 16, then attended the Classical Academy at Terre Haute, until he enlisted Nov 1, 1861 in Co H 2nd Cav, 41st Ind. Vols. He went in as a private and in less than a year was promoted 1st Lt. of his company. He fought in the battles of Shiloh, around Corinth, Gallatin, and in various other engagements, culminated in the battle of Chicakamaugua and Fair Garden. He was taken prisoner May 9, 1864 at Vanill station, Georgia. He was a prisoner in Dalton, Macon, Savannah, Charleston, Camp Sorgum and Columbia. As he was being taken with others to Charlotte, he and Capt. W. C. Adams conceived the plan of escape by cutting through the bottom of the car with a saw made of a case knife. When the train stopped they made their exit. They were 7 days in reaching the Union forces. When they started it was night and no moon or stars shining. They got lost and traveled the third night over the same road they did the first They lived on corn part of the time and traveled through swamps and woods, enduring hardships and running many narrow escapes, until they at last found refuge under the flag of freedom. Mr. H. was in the army 3 years four months and 21 days, nine months and four days of which he was a prisoner. In 1870 he entered the ministry and began preaching in the northern part of the state in Porter Co, and has preached at Chesterton, Argus, Terre Haute, Covington and in Sept. 1880 became pastor of the Methodist Church in Crawfordsville. In 1874 he entered Asbury University and grad. in the classical course in 1878. He was marr. in 1868 to Miss J.A. GOODMAN, daughter of Rev. WW Goodman of Vigo Co. She was a member of the Congregational Church and died in 1870. Mr. H. is a member of the Masonic order, the Knights of Pythias, The AOUW and chaplain of the Grand Army of the Republic, department of Indiana. He is a diligent student, studies in theforenoon - typed by kbz