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A. C. Harris
A.
C. Harris, postmaster of Paton, was born in Wyoming county, New York,
on the 12th of October, 1840. His father, Thomas Harris, was born in
New York, December 26, 1791, and in early life learned and followed the
carpenter’s trade. He brought his family to the middle west in 1851,
settling in La Salle county, Illinois, and became a farmer near
Marseilles. There he resided up to the time of his death and in the
community was well known as a representative citizen and reliable
business man. He held membership in the Baptist church and in
antebellum days was an advocate of abolition principles. When the
republican party was formed to prevent the further extension of slavery
he joined its ranks and continued to give it his support until he was
called to his final rest. While a resident of New York he married
Fannie Woodruff, who was born in New York and died in La Salle county
in 1861 at the age of fifty-nine years. In their family were ten
children.
A. C. Harris spent his early boyhood in the Empire state and when ten
years of age accompanied his parents on their removal westward to La
Salle county, Illinois. His early education was acquired in the public
schools of Illinois and through the periods of vacation his time was
largely occupied with the duties of the farm. He remained at home until
the 9th of November, 1861, when aroused by a spirit of patriotism he
offered his services to the government, enlisting as a member of
Company A, Fifty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry. His company,
however, was a troop of cavalry but was attached to the Fifty-third
Infantry. Mr. Harris remained at the front until the 25th of April,
1862, when he was discharged on account of illness. When he had
sufliciently recovered his health, however, he again joined the army,
being enrolled on the 8th of October, 1864, as a member of Company C,
Eleventh Illinois Regiment of Volunteers. Subsequently he was
transferred to Company I, Forty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with
which he served until honorably discharged on the 8th of October, 1865.
He served as a private soldier, participated in the siege of Spanish
Fort and took part in the charge upon Fort Blakely, together with other
engagements.
When the war was ended Mr. Harris returned to his old home in La Salle
county. He was married in 1868 to Miss Olive G. Forbes, who was born in
New Hampshire in June, 1850. They have now traveled life’s journey
together for almost four decades, sharing with each other its joys and
sorrows, its pleasures and prosperity and bravely facing together the
difficulties and obstacles which are always to be met with in every
life. Five children have been born to them who still survive, and they
lost their third child, George W., who died at the age of two years.
Carlos F., their eldest son, was educated in the common schools of
Greene county and the Capital City Business College and is now chief
clerk in the master mechanic and train master’s office of the Chicago
Great Western Railroad Company at Des Moines. He married Luella Miller,
a native of Virginia. Jessie is the wife of Lewis Carl, of Paton, Iowa.
Nina G. is assisting her father in the postoflice. Hazel, who completes
the family, is at home.
Following the war Mr. Harris engaged in farming in La Salle and
Livingston counties, Illinois, until 1878, when he came to Greene
county, Iowa, and bought one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land
in Paton township. He then resolutely took up the task of transforming
the wild prairie into rich and productive fields and continued to
engage actively in agricultural pursuits until 1891, when he sold his
farm of one hundred and ninety-three acres and removed to Paton. During
the next seven years he was engaged in the lumber business and in 1898
he was appointed postmaster, in which position he has served
continuously since. He has also held other offices, having for six
years, from 1893 until 1899, been one of the five county supervisors.
For four consecutive years he was treasurer of the village and is
filling that position at the present time. He has also been a member of
the city council for one year, was mayor of Paton, and in the township
served as treasurer for eight years, also as trustee and as president
of the school board. In his political views he has always been a
stalwart republican, doing everything in his power for the success of
the party.
In his fraternal relations Mr. Harris is connected with Gem lodge, No.
429, of Paton, and has also taken the degrees of the chapter and the
commandery at Jefferson and crossed the sands of the desert with the
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine in Des Moines. Mr. Harris is one of the
most highly respected residents of Paton and Greene county and is
regarded as one of her most useful citizens. He is a man of strict and
unswerving honesty, whose word is as good as any bond that was ever
solemnized by signature or seal. A well known business man of Paton, in
speaking of him, told that some years ago he sold some property. Just
before the papers were made out he was offered five hundred dollars
more by another party but rather than go back upon his word he
continued true to his bargain with the original purchaser. This course
has been characteristic of Mr. Harris throughout his entire life. The
same fidelity was manifest when he served his country as a soldier upon
the tented fields of the south and has marked his course in public
oflice. In this age, when corruption and graft are too often found in
official positions, the records of such men as A. C. Harris do much to
establish public confidence and cause one to believe in the integrity
of the American people at large.
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