The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-01-04
END CAME WHILE AT HIS
HOME IN THIS CITY ON
LAST WEDNESDAY
AT NOON.
WAS 4S YEARS OLD
Funeral held on Thursday After
noon. Many Friends Mourn
-Elks Officiate at
Funeral.

hAs W AAAo A9' Aldlii ulSu ouuuSllig
at his home, No. 206 North Ninth
street, last Wednesday at noon. Mr..
Harris, who was engaged in the cot
tol business in Memphis, was at home
for the holidays, enjoying a reunion
of the family. Mrs. Harris had
joined him here and so had his broth
er Mr.. j. B. Harris, of the Depart
ment of Justice at Washington, D..
c. Mr.. w. c. Matson, of the post
office department, was also at home
with his wife for the joyous home
coming.
Mr.. Harris had been mingling with
his friends for the past several days
and never was brighter or happier
or apparently in better health. He
arose on Wednesday morning as usual
and remained at home all the morning
with his wife and loved ones. AT
noon he was served a cup of scoffee
as was his custom to drink coffee at
this hour. There was no che with
him at the time in the sitting room
but his bright young nephew, William
Watson Shortly after drinking his
coffee he swooned and fell. The
members of the family were hastily
summoned and Drs. Mckinley and
Lipscomb hurried to the stricken man.
All methors of restoration were re-
sorted to very faithfully for an hour
without results and he was pronounc-
ed dead. In fact, he was dead from
the the moment he was seized for
no signs of life rewarded the heroic
efforts Of the medical men. Mr.. Har-
ris died from heart trouble He was
in hi. .fortv-nirth year.
Willis B. Harris was the oldest son
Of the late Capt. Willis B. Harris and
his wife, Mrs. Arna Harris. He was
born in Columbus and his whole life
was spent here. He leaves heart
broken mother and wife and brother
and sister. His brother is Mr.. J. B.
Harris; his sister, Mrs. w. C. Watson;
his wife, Mrs. w. L. Harris, was a
daughter of the late DR.. John l..
Johnson, of Clinton, Miss, formerly
the beloved pastor of the First Bap-
tist church here and an educator of
note in this and other states. He
was engaged in the cotton business
all his business career and was To-
Gated in Memphis for the present
cotton season.
During the period of war he Of
fered his services. to the government
and was assigned to the Department
of Justice Work for which he was es-
pecially fitted and he rendered va
liant and faithful service.
The funeral was held on Thursday
afternoon from the home and the SER
vices were conducted by Rev. W. l..
Duren, presiding elder of the Colum-
bus district of the North Mississippi
Conference. A large concourse of sor-
rowing relatives and friends. gath
cred as last mark of respect to his
memory. The funeral offerings at
tested the sorrow of this community
for his loved ones and they were
countless and beautiful. The mem
bers of Columbus Lodge No. 555, b.
P. o. E. attended the funeral and
conducted the ritualtic exercises at
the grave, the officers officiating being
Messrs. Irwin Kaufman, Exalted Rul-
er, assisted by Messrs. G. w. Sher-
man, j. T. Hairston, Il. R. Kuyken-
dali, Sam Egger and S. B. Schawb.
DR.. Duren also assisted and the clos
ing prayer at the grave, toucning
and beautiful, was offered by Dr.
John Johnson, president of the Mis-
sissippi Woman's College at Hatties-
burg, brother of Mrs. Harris.
1t was the good fortune of the writ
er to know the high character and
splendid personal worth of the sub
ject of this sketch. Beneath re-
served manner was as knightly soul
as ever lived on earth. All of the noble
and fine qualities of his distinguished
ancestry were blended in him. He
was the presentation of honor and
manlness and there was a chivalry
and gentleness blended in his nature
which made him loved by all who
knew the real man. His death right
at the zenith Of his usefulness shad-
owing so many lives and homes, is
great sorrow which the whole COM