Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-05-13

HON. DANIEL m. HARRIS
Born Dayton, Ohio, july p, 1921.
Married Martha NJ White. Carpen-
ter and merchant at WilliamSport
Tenn, from whence he migrated and
arrived at Hamlin's Grove with his
family Nov. S, 1854 He settled in
Section Sc, in what is now Extra town
ship and lived there until 1856: then
for about a year at Indian Grove in
section Ia, Audubon township. In the
spring OF 1881 he bought half inter
est in the land on which the town of
Extra was located and assisted in lay
ing out the town. In the spring of
1862 he moved to Panora. Iowa: thence
to Missouri Valley 1868. He returned
to Extra about 1873: thence to A tlan-
tic, Iowa, 1874: and soon after to Mis-
souri, Valley, where he has since re-
sided
/ have been more or less intimately
acquainted with Judge Harris since
1860: and during that period have
learned to esteem him as a worthy,
genial, companionable gentleman, one
with whom it has been pleasure to
form acquaintance. A man, who in no
small degree, many years ago, contri-
| buted by his efforts and services in
establishing our early county gov
ernment. 1t is regret to feel incom-
petent to write of him in his old age
as his merits justly deserve
The facts believe, and the public
records warrant saying that he was
an honest, able, public spirited officer
The people of this County can CON
graduate themselves with the hon
/ esty and fidelity of its pioneer county
! officials, who found time during strug-
/ giles. hardships and privations, and
with but nominal compensation to
| lay deep and strong our local govern
4 ment, eminently free from taints of
/ graft OF jobbery. This county has
! been peculiarly fortunate in avoiding
! the burdens of dishonest officials He
served during the years from 1896 to
{ 1861, inclusive, as County Judge. The
( principal duties Of the office during
! that period, embraced those now per-
formed by the Board of Supervisors.
Most of the public records were in
stalled under his direction and many
of them written by his own hand,
showing neat penmanship and intelli-
gent, careful work, d monument to his
memory He also appears to have
been the factotum for all kinds of
legal business for the people OF this
county during the period of his first
residence here, which compares favor
ably with that kind of business as
conducted at the present time, when
it is considered that such matters
were then in its infancy in Iowa. The
forms and methods of transacting all
kinds of legal and official business were
not yet established, and every lawyer
and official was obliged to draft and
institute them for himself without
the aid of the numerous codes, sta
tutes, hand books of forms, practice
and procedure which we now possess.
He was highly esteemed as a citizen
and his friends were co-eXtensive with
his acquaintance. If he had enemies
they were but few. His integrity was
unquestoned.
In politics, a democrat. | suppose
he voted for Douglas for president in
1860. In 1859 he was elected Repre-
sentative for the Goth District, en-
bracing the Counties of Audubon,
/ Guthrie, Harrison and Shelby coun-
ties and was member of the 9th
General Assembly and of the extra
session thereof. He AYERS: 81 sup
ported as representative, all the wal
measures Of Iowa; and was as good
real union man as any Republican il
Iowa; but was opposed to much OF
the legislation of the Republican par
tyof that day =
In 1861 he was democratic candi-
date for Lieut.. Governor on the tick
ct with Hon. Charles Mason, the
democrat Candidate for Governor
He was elected Representative from
/ Harrison County in 1886. Besides his
Official duties he worked considerable
at building as carpenter during his
/ first residence here, which SHOWED
good workmanship He built The
first dwelling in Extra, 1851
! During his residence in Panora, he