Walter HARRIS

The following bio was taken from page 228 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Gloria Riley

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

Job Weston Harris, father of Dick and Walter Harris, publishers of the Rusk County News and later the Henderson Daily News, was born in Abbeville, South Carolina, May 29, 1817. He moved to Lawrenceville, Georgia, and married Mary Elizabeth Patrick, born in Lancaster District, South Carolina, in 1822. They had seven children. The oldest daughter died at the age of thirteen. Six other children (two sons and four daughters) were born in Georgia before the family moved to Texas. His wife, Mary Elizabeth, died in Henderson in 1859, leaving six children between the ages of three and sixteen. The next year, 1860, Job Weston married Fredonia Adeline Myrick, who was born in Henry County, Tennessee. She was the daughter of James and Ann Myrick. Her parents died and she came to Rusk County with friends. She raised ten children, six of her husband’s, Job Weston, and four of their own children.

Two of the children by Harris’ first wife remained in Rusk County and raised families. Robert C. Harris married Amelia Boggess, by whom he had one son, Will. The latter raised a large family in the Minden Community. One of his daughters, Mary, married R. H. Gray, and they had a large family in the community called Pone.

Job Weston and Fredonia Adeline had four sons. The first, Edwin Weston, born December 17, 1861, married Margaret Camp, and they lived in Greenville, Texas, where he was publisher of the Greenville Herald for many years. The second son, Henry Boynton was born August 6, 1868 and died May 1, 1884. The third son, Dick Randolph, was born October 1, 1871. James Walter, the last son, was born October 5, 1876.

Fredonia Adeline, known as Mrs. F. A. Harris, was a faithful member of the First Methodist Church for sixty-four years. She loved the church and was present at every service when it was possible. Job W. was a tailor by trade, and he continued to live in the old home which was located on what is now North Jackson bounded by Depot and Van Buren streets.

James Walter, youngest son of Job Weston and Fredonia Adeline Harris, married Eliza Still, June 20, 1901 and continued to live with his mother, bringing his bride from her home on South Main Street to live in his mother’s home. They had two children: a daughter, Frankie Josephine, born May 30, 1902, and Edwin Still, who was born October 21, 1904. The son was killed in a car accident September 9, 1934.

Walter started his newspaper work as a "printer’s devil" employed by his older brother, Dick Randolph Harris. He continued to work for the Rusk County News and the Henderson Daily News all the rest of his life. He was editor of the Rusk County Times until it was discontinued a short while after the Henderson Daily News was organized in 1931. He always handled the obituary column because of his wide acquaintance with people of this section.

Walter Harris was a friend of the downtrodden, the helpless, and the needy. For many years the city and county relief work was in his hands. When anyone applied for help, he was sent to Walter Harris, who judged the need and raised the money to help them. He was interested in the Red Cross and served as chairman several times.

Another interest of Walter’s was the Rusk County Fair. He was its manager for forty years. And it showed a profit in the good and in the bad years. He always had good shows at the Fair and was a friend of Roy Gray, who came back year after year.

Walter Harris was a member of the Board of Stewards of the First Methodist Church for thirty years and was the chairman the year before he died.

The Rev. Neal Cannon said at Walter Harris’ funeral, "It would be futility, if there is such a thing, to attempt to fully tell of the works of Walter Harris because he did so many things that people knew nothing about." Rev. Cannon ended by saying, "Walter Harris was the number one citizen of Henderson."

Written by Frankie Harris