Harrison - James H.
Source: H. W. Beckwith History of Montgomery County, Indiana. (Chicago: HH Hill, 1881) p 380
Honorab1e James H. HARRISON, farmer and stock-raiser, Ladoga,
was born December 7, 1807, in Shelby County, Kentucky, and is a
son of Joshua and Sarah PARIS) Harrison. Sarah Paris was a native
of Green County, Tennessee. Her father, Robert Paris, emigrated
to Kentucky with the first white family in those regions. Before
he died he declared history to be wrong concerning the settlement
of Kentucky, asserting that the Boone family were taken sick in
East Tennessee when on their way to Kentucky, and that the Kenton
family moved on and were the first family to winter in that
state, the Boones following in the succeeding spring. Robert
Paris was very exact and truthful, and became aroused whenever he
read or heard contrary history. He was a soldier in the
revolution, and also fought the Indians. He killed at least four
Indians, whose scalps he wore to his shot pouch. Joshua Harrison
was a native of Mary1and, and early accompanied his parents to
Kentucky, where he lived in the fort known as Burnt Station, at
Beardstown. There he grew to manhood, married, and had a family.
In 1829 he and son Robert made a trip to Montgomery County,
Indiana, and entered 240 acres of land two miles west of Ladoga.
He returned to Kentucky, and in January 1830 James H. joined his
brother Robert in the wilds of Montgomery, and put in a crop. In
the following fall he made two trips to his native state, and
aided in moving the family to their new home. There were eleven
children. They lived on that farm until 1854, when the mother of
the family was thrown from a buggy and killed. This sad event
made a change. Joshua Harrison made his home with his daughter,
Mrs. Senator Harney, of Ladoga, where he died August 8, 1870,
aged ninety years, two months and two days. He had fought in the
War of 1812-15, and represented the County in1840 in the
legislature. He was whig and republican, never having voted for
but one democrat, Thomas Jefferson. He professed Christianity but
never united with the Church. His wife was a Methodist. Nine of
their children are living.
James H. Harrison, the principal
subject of this sketch, was married July 26, 1833, to Elizabeth,
daughter of George and Rebecca KELLEY) WATKINS, early settlers of
Scott township. She was a native of Montgomery County, Ohio.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Harrison settled four miles east of
Ladoga, where he worked at $8 per month, and bought the first
eighty acres. In three years he sold it, and in 1836 bought the
S.E. 1/4 of Sec. 31, Walnut township, of John POTTENGER, where he
still lives. He has 360 acres in the home farm, seventy-five
acres in Vermilion County, Illinois, 240 acres of well- improved
land in Kansas, and has given to five children one and one-
fourth sections, and to another $1,000 in cash. Mr. Harrison has
dealt very extensively in stock, especially in mules, during the
last thirty years. He has paid out as high as $50,000 a year for
stock. He at one time owned a flat-boat, which he ran down to New
Orleans, and met Abraham Lincoln in the same business, his first
acquaintance with the then future president. He was a whig, and
cast his first vote for J. Q. Adams. He has traveled extensively
through the south. In 1843- 44 he represented Montgomery County
in the state legislature. He was a member of the session in which
Hon. G. S. Orth and Gov. Williams received their first
experience. He has attended all the political conventions held in
the district, except two, and takes an active part in the
campaigns, never tiring till the victory is won or lost. Like his
father, he has aided all measures of a progressive nature. His
wife, for so many years his helpmate, and a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, died March 2, 1879, at the age of
seventy years, five months and twenty-seven days. They had eleven
children: Robert W., Charles B. (dead), John K. (dead), Wm. C.
(dead), Joshua P., James H. Jr. (dead), Thomas H., Sarah R.,
Louisa J. (dead), Mary E. (dead), and Carrie S.
Four sons, Robert W., John K., Joshua P. and Thomas H. served
in the civil war, Joshua P. having been eight months in
Andersonville prison, and at Savannah, Charleston, and Florence.
Mr. Harrison was a home-guard. Eight of his children he has
graduated at school. His second marriage took place August 26,
1880, to Mrs. Sarah ZIRKLE) ROBINSON - typed by kbz