Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/155

 Ji:

VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

elected as a Democratic Republican to the third and fourth congresses (March 4, 1793- March 3, 1797); died at Fotheringay, Vir- ginia, July 18, 1820.

Harris, John Thomas, born in Albemarle county, Virginia, May 8, 1823, son of Na- than and Ann (Anderson) Harris; his fam- ily, who were among the earliest emigrants from England to the Virginia colony, were extensive planters and conspicuous in local affairs ; the son received an academic educa- tion, and while engaged in the study of law taught school in Augusta county, Virginia; then attended Judge Thompson's Law School at Staunton, and upon graduation established himself at Harrisonburg, Rock- ingham county, Virginia, for the practice of his profession ; took an active part in poli- tics, and in 1852 was elected common- wealth's attorney, to which office he was reelected in 1856, and served until 1859; presidential elector on the Buchanan ticket in 1856; elected as a Democrat to the thirty- sixth congress (March 4, 1859-March 3, 1861), where he was conspicuous as an ardent advocate for the Union; before the secession of Virginia, however, he cast his lot with the fortunes of his state, serving two terms in the Virginia house of delegates during the war, 1863-1865; judge of the twelfth judicial circuit, 1866-1869, and though while in this station he decided many novel legal questions growing out of the war, in only one instance was his opinion reversed by the court of appeals ; elected as a Democrat to the forty-second, forty- third, forty-fourth, forty-fifth and forty- sixth congresses (March 4, 1871-March 3, 1881) ; declined a unanimous renomination ; during Democratic ascendancy in that body he served as chairman of the committees on

election, on revision of the laws, and as second upon the judiciary; he ranked as one of the ablest parliamentarians in that body ; chairman of X'irginia Democratic conven- tion in 1884; delegate to several Democratic national conventions ; presidential elector on the Cleveland ticket in 1888; commissioner tc the World's Fair at Chicago; after his retirement from politics he actively and suc- cessfully engaged in the practice of his pro- fession; he married, in 1855, Virginia Mau- pin Miller, and they had seven children ; he died at Harrisonburg, Virginia, October 14, 1899.

Harris, William Alexander, born near Warrenton, Fauquier county, Virginia, Au- gust 24, 1805 : completed an academic course ; studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Luray; member of the house of delegates; presidential elector on the Van Buren and Johnson ticket in 1840; elected as a Democrat to the twenty- seventh congress (March 4, 1841-March 3, 1843) J editor of the '^Spectator" and the ^'Constitution'* in Washington, D. C. ; charge d'affaires to the Argentine Republic, 1846- 185 1 ; moved to Missouri and then back to Washington; editor of the '^Washington Union,'' and printer to the United States senate, 1857-1859; died in Pike county, Mis- souri, March 28, 1864.

Harrison, Carter Bassett, son of Governor Benjamin Harrison, studied at William and Mary College ; lived in Prince George coun- ty; member of the house of delegates in 1784. and of the third, fourth and fifth con- gresses (March 4, 1793-March 4, 1799) ; married Mary Howell Allen, daughter of Col. William Allen, of "Claremont," Surry county, Virginia.

Digitized by

Google