The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-10-24
FEos the BostOn Atlas.
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.

h,rn IN the ninth day Of February, ira,
!, Charles City County. Virginia, a ;
rl,re On tie James river. called Berkley.
,sau, sesenly miles below Richmond
IN. father was Benjamin Harrison. a
Lsssl descendant OF The celebrated Gene
r,' OF thai name. who held q commission
- the parliamentary armies, during the
Eaei..h civil vars. and who. f.. rs de.
,sa,n 10 republican principles. persisted
&c he scaaulJ. Benjamin HARRISON was
,li,"nsai>hsd citizen Of Virginia. much
h,asred sad highly trusted BY his fellow
,usea. lie was brOlhrr-in-iaw Of Pew.
.,a Randolph. the first President IL Con.
s,sss. and was himself member Of that
b,lv during tie years TIA. 1878. anil
l-:6 II was principally through his in.
l.ence that John Hancock was chosen
:, preside orer the Congress as success
~ 10 Pey,On Randolph. lie was chair.
naa Of the GOmmIrre Of the whole
House, when The declaration OF Indepen-
asaee was finally agreed IN: anil his sig.
nature i. borne upon thai celebrated DO.
,aneai. Having retired from Congress.
!e was elected a member e The FiEgi
ia liaa,e II Delegates, over which DO.
" he presided as Speaker. until lisa.
uhen he was elected Governor Of the
.la.f.
Benz amin Harrison died poor. leaving
l.ree sons. Of whom William II. Ilarrl
,oa vas the youngest. Al his fathers
death he vas mIROr. and was left by
h. l4.her's vii To the guardianship OF
Robert Morris. the celebrated fnancisr.
lie had selected the practice Of medicine
asa profession. and was diligently pur
sing lis studies with thai object. Al
IIlmpien Sydasy College, when the
disasters Of the Indian War on the N.
Western frontier. and the call for men
an! officers. Tor the defence Of the sci.
tltrs, induced him 10 enter into the mi.
dary service. Ills guardian would have
lssusded him from this determination.
b.! Washington, his fathers friend. ar.
proved Of il, and gave him a commits
ION OF Ensign in the FIRST regiment oi
United States Artillery, then stationed
q, Fort Washington. on the present site
oi the city Of Cincinnati, and under The
Command Of General 81. Clair, Govern.
OF Of the North West Territory. and
CSnnaader.in-chief Of The military forces
10 Tia! section Of the country.
As soon as he received his commission.
Young Harrison, who was a, this time
ba,nlnsieen years Of age, fastened TO j'in
his regiment. aud arrived al FOri Wash.
ilsian shortly after the disastrous defeat
Of ST. Clair, near the head waters Of the
Wabash. This was a time Of great dan
ger and alarm. Shortly after his arrival
i. Fort Washington. he was appointed
10 command The escort Of Train Of pack
horses, bound .lor For Hsmilion. some
lsen,y or thirty miles North OF FoTi
WaL ION; which difficult service be
Ie;forTsd with such credit ss TO attract
The peculiar notice Of the eommandef-in.
chef.
Ia 1902 Harrison was prom0ledto The
r,ak Of Lieutenant, ssd ia 1903 he jO,n-'l
3! the new army under General Wsynf.
lis spirit. enterprise and sagacily soon
a'facted The noiice Of that able comman-l
der, who appointed him one Of his aids
.e,cam1. in which difficult and respOn-
able pps. he served during the wsrs--.
lis services, especially ., ibe battle Of
tie Maumee Rapids. by which the con-
test was brought 10 close, are 1nenlion-'
ed with emphasis. in General Wayne
official account Of the victory. Alter the
close of the war, Harrison was promo
led 10 the rank Of Captain. and was pla-
cei in command Of Fort Washington, The
mos, imporian, post 10 The Western copn-
IVY. While in This command, he married
daughter Of lhe celebrated John Cleses
Symmes. the founder Of The Miami set
dement's. lady in whom he has ever
found faithful and sffec,ionsle coinpan-
an.
10 1897 Harrison resigned his COM
n'ssioa in The army, I'D was appoint.
cd Secretary Of the Norih Western Ter
fIIory. and ex ofIicio Lieutenant Cover
nor. The next year the North Western
Tertiary entered The second grade Of
territorial governments and became en-
!leI tn a Congressional Delegate. Ge-
0eral Harrison Was chosen 10 Gil this
Important station. lie remained 10 Con.
gees only one year, but during that
tine he rendered very essential service
10 his constituents. As the Law then
"ood, The public lands could only be
purchased in tracts Of four thousand q.
c'es. very great hardship upon The
p'"r settlers, who were thus obliged to
purchase at second hand, aud an en-
h,nced price. Harrison brought this
'uhject before Congress, and moved a
'onmitlee to consider il. or that COM
mi,iee he was himself appointed char
man; the only instance. Il is believed.
Ia which such an honor has ever been
eonierred upon a Territorial Delegate.