Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1880-10-07
John r. Harrison.

:
- "A word In memory of John R. Harrison
who died at Cornwall on the S1st day of Au-
gust 1880. in the 73d year of his age.
The subject of this sketch was born in Corn
wall, Ct. on the 23rd day Of September, 1907 !:
he was the fifth son of Edmund Harrison, who
died Jan. AhJ 1867, at the advanced age Of
dnihety years; and grandson Of NOAH
Harrison, who came to this town from Bran
ferd Conn, in the year 1863 and who lived to
the ripe age of eighty-six years.
His early educational advantages we're limit.
ed, his only opportunities of instruction being
those afforded by the common district school
of the period. Reared in large family,
whose parents werein moderate circumstances,
he earlv learned tolabor,. and formed the habits
of industry and economy e. -
Endowed by nature in a marked degree, he
possessed spirit replete with energetic &C
ton; and vigorous physical manhood, of
progressing appearance. At the age of
nineteen years he entered the worlds grand
arena of conflict, to do and win in life's great
contest. with no other resources but the
strength of his arm and the power of his
brain With willing hands, ready to be en-
'pioyed In any honorable occupation, for six
years he Iabored, the winter seasons being de-
voted to teaching and mental Improvement b.
In March 1888 he married Miss Eleanor
Bradford, of Cornwall; and in the succeeding
October entered into the mercantile business
of hat o;x hat q, fbI,
location of the Cornwall Post Office, and the
only one in the town, excepting one very near
the Goshen town line in Cornwall Hollow
there are now six Post Offices in Cornwall
He soon became sclosely> identified. with the
business md Interests Of the town and for 3
period OF more than forty years has taket5 an
active part in its councils, meritlng the conf
dence and esteem of his fellow citizens, being
often called by them to offices of responsible
ty and tofte care of important trusts. both Of
private and public nature, having served the
town for seventeen years as selectman, thrice
as representative in the Grand Assembly,
fifteen years as Treasurer of the Town Depos-
1t Fund, about thirty years as Justice Of the
Peacs,and asJudge Of Probate forthe Dis
trict of Cornwall, six years.
AS an earnest Christian and member of the
LIST M. E. Church in Cornwall, he nobly hon
ored his profession. He took avery active part
In the erection of the present church Ia 1885
and was the last survivor of the building
committee organized for that purpose. In his
faithful christian life, by precept and exam
pie, he has been pillar in the church of his
choice. all those years. And like a mother
bereft of her children, bereaved church to
day mourns over its loss. sd
In full age, after long and useful life, he
came down to hisgrave ...llke a shock of corn
fully ripe. = not cloud or fear dimming his
vision, as, surrounded by his children and
grandchildren who will long remember his
words of parting counsel he closed his eyes
to earth, and passed to the unseen world
The funeral obsequies were attended by
large concourse of relatives and friends, on
the I'd of Sept. 1889. at the LIST NJ. E. Church
and on that calm September afternoon, by
loving hands, his remains were inferred in the
quiet, beautiful cemetery ct Cornwall, where
also rest the ashes Of his fathers of twopre-
ceding generations.
AS kind father, as loving and faithful
husband, as true and synpathizing friend
and counselor, as christian citizen, his men,
ory will long be cherished and revered by
the community in which he lived. X.