Notes for Demas Lindy HARRIS

Sponsored by American History Press.

Americanhistorypress.com

"Keeping American history alive, one good book at a time!"

Notes for Demas Lindy HARRIS

Demos L Harris was born in Stark County Ohio May 16 1818 a son of Stephen and Sibyl Clark Harris Stephen Harris was born in Elizabethtown NJ in 1780 of English and Scotch descent his mother Mary Hamilton being a relative of Alexander Hamilton who was
killed in a duel with Aaron Burr in 1804 He settled in Stark County Ohio when Canton the county seat had but three or four houses and Massillon was a swamp He became a large land owner and thrifty agriculturist a leader among the men of his county
holding various civil and political offices of trust He died in Chippewa Wayrfe Co Ohio iu the eighty third year of his age Demas L is the eighth of twelve children He received such educational advantages as the district school afforded and attended
the academy at Granville a year and subsequently taught two winter terms In 1850 Mr Harris went overland to California and remained two years He was in Cali f trnia when that State was admitted into the Union and repre santed Nevada County in the first
State Convention held at San Francisco in 1851 He was a candidate of the Whig party for the State Legislature but was defeated by twelve votes In 1856 Mr Harris came to Illinois and located on alarm in Lee County eight miles from Mendota where he lived
twenty years and in 1876 moved to Mendota He owns 400 acres of excellent land which is now cultivated by renters While a resident of Lee County Mr Harris held various township offices In the darkest days of the civil war in 1862 he was elected to the
Legislature and seconded every measure proposed by Governor Yates to further the interests of the Union cause and the honor of his adopted State and from 1863 to 1868 represented his township on the Board of Supervisors Recast his first vote for Thomas
Corwin for Governor in 1840 and his first Presidential vote for General Harrison He was a Whig till 1854 when he gave his allegiance to what was destined to become the great Republican party Mr Harris was married in 1843 to Ann Louisa Eyles of Medina
County Ohio They have had five children four are living Viola M wife of Oscar C Merrifield Madison R an attorney of Chicago Frank M a civil engineer of Kansas City Mo and Clarinda H wife of JS Edgecomb of Waltham Township Mr Harris in former years was
a member of the Methodist church but at present is not connected with any religious organization although a supporter of the Baptist church of which his family are active members his eldest daughter Mrs Merrifield acting as a member of the choir of her
congregation [History of La Salle County, Illinois: together with sketches of its cities ...pp. 702-03]
*****

| HOME | SURNAMES |

Sponsored by American History Press.

Americanhistorypress.com

"Keeping American history alive, one good book at a time!"