Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-02-06
Mt PHd1N1x BRATTLEBoRo FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1880
The Late Hon. william Harris Of
WtneIhnut

From Correspondent Of the Bellows Falls Times.
In the summer season Of 1928, Judge lIar-
ris then in his 27th year, returned to YER
mont, on account of i'll health, after a brief
residence in Newburg, Ohio, (now part Of
Cleveand) and opened store at Windham
Centre. His birthplace was Brattleboro, in
1896, on the Sth of November, If / mistake
not, and his parents were of the earliest set
tiers of the ancient and historical town Of
Guilford Wndham has had n settlement a
business existence, of eghty-fVe years Fiji
ty-six of those years has Judge Harris made
and shaped the affairs of her people more
than any other man. As town clerk-twonty-
five years Immediately subsequent to 1870
as lister, as grand juryman, always justice
of the peace, as town representative, county
senator and judge, administrator, appraiser,
commissioner, financier, he displayed strong
and energetic will and great executive ability
that carried with it success. During the first
eighteen years of his mercantile life alone he
laid the foundation for the fortune on which
for forty years past the firm of VIM. Harris Il
Son have successfully builded. / remember
in the exciting political campaign Of 1910,
Judge Harris was especially prominent, and
when Daniel Webster attended and addressed
tho immense mass meeting of Normonters ON
Stratton mountain, VIM. Harris was in the
van of the long line Of carriages and
miles in length-that wound along the valley
from West Townshend, through Wardsboro,
up the hills to the log cabin cncampment
And when James Wilson of New Hampshire,
and Hon. Horace Greeley, addressed the mass
Of wing voters at Chester, the log cabin that
came down from Windham was filed by Will
liam Harris and his friends. In every pub
lie enterprise that promised Improvement
and usefulness he took an active interest. In
the establishment of the Bellows Falls bank,
with Daniel Kellogg, president and VIM. Hen
ry, cashier; in the construction Of the Yer
mont aud Massachusetts, railroad leading into
Brattleboro in the Rutland and Burlington
railroad, first chartered as the Champlain and
Conn. River railroad, at an early day sub.
scribing for stock and always retaining it in
each of those corporations, and also in the
West River bank of Jamaica in 1853, in which
last he was director and president at his
death. He was the peer of those old-tmC
merchants, Wheeler q Barrett of Grafton,
VIM. II. Shafter Of Townshend, the Fuller.
| tons and Henrys of Chester, Asa b. Foster OF
Weston. A. a NJ. Wentworth Of Bellows Falls
and that class of old and hard working men
who made fortunes by working with head and
hand. At his store he for half century
bought everything the farmer had to sell, OF
the busy housewife raised, or woye, or knit
| and sold them IN return everything they ask
cd for or needed to use in agricultural pur
suits or to keep a house.
Every year from 1923 to 1879 inclusive hC
| purchased all the butter, cheese pork, shin
| giles and wool that any one in his own or ad
| joining towns wished to sell. In dull timei
lie kept business moving and furnished EN-
| ployment, directly and indirectly, for thos,
| in need, and while he benefited others, tool
| good care not to impoversh himself thereby
| Though never church commitment, he al
ways gave literally to sustain the Christian
society which worshipped near his residence
and no man was more punctual in attendance
at the house of God than he was. In early
| life he married Sarah Mellendy whose parent
died some years since IN Londonderry. Mrs
Harris prec, ded her husband to the gray,
! bat few years since VIM. Harris, Jr., nov
some 81 years Of age, was their only child
| educated in the same school Of business anC
| politics.