My Genealogy Hound

SAMUEL J. HARRIS, ex-sheriff of Cumberland county, and a very prominent man of Carlisle, was born at Shippensburg, Nov. 20, 1843, son of Samuel and Eliza (Line) Harris.

Samuel Harris was born Sept. 10, 1811, and died Nov, 12, 1877. When a boy he came to Cumberland county and here passed the rest of his life. He was a blacksmith and followed that trade successfully all his life, being a thorough mechanic and possessed of considerable inventive genius. About 1867 he invented the Harris double harpoon hay fork. He was a hard-working industrious man, and no doubt hastened his death by overwork. He was one of the progressive men of his county, always ready to assist in anything for the public good, was a devout Christian and an earnest worker in the Church of God, and a close student of the Bible, with which he was very familiar being able to quote from almost any part of the Scriptures. In politics he affiliated with the Democratic party. He served five years as justice of the peace at Shippensburg.

Samuel Harris married Eliza Line, and their family consisted of eleven children, as follows: Daniel, who died at Oakville, Cumberland county, in 1885, when about fifty-three, was a blacksmith, although he had retired at the time of his demise (during the Civil war he served in the Union cause, enlisting in August, 1862, and after serving three months, assisted in raising Company D, 130th P. V. I.); Martha is the widow of John C. Martin; William died young: Elizabeth died young; Miss Sarah is a resident of Shippensburg; Samuel J. is mentioned below; Elizabeth became the wife of Horace A. Tolhelm, of Philadelphia; John W. lives in Creston, Iowa, and is a blacksmith; Mary died young; Jennie married F. N. Christman, of Harrisburg; William (2), who died in Williamsport, was a blacksmith.

Samuel J. Harris was reared to the work of a blacksmith, and received but a limited education, but owing to close observation and natural intelligence he is never the less a very well posted man. His business career began when he was fourteen, when he went into the shop with his father. In 1862, when he was only nineteen, he enlisted in Company D. 130th P. V. I., for nine months, and served as corporal, participating in the battles of Antietam and Chancellorsville; at the former battle he was wounded in the groin with a shell. After the close of his term of service he returned to his farm and assisted his father under the firm name of Harris & Sons. After his father died the business was conducted by Harris & Bro., and still later by Samuel J. Harris. He continued in business until 1897, when he was elected sheriff of Cumberland county, serving a term of three years. He has always been a stanch Democrat, and when he was elected he had the handsome majority of 900, thus proving his personal popularity. Mr. Harris is a member of Capt. Colwell Post, G. A. R.,No. 201; and of the T. O. O. P., Cumberland Lodge, No. 90, and Encampment No. 34. He has represented his lodge to the Grand Lodge, and has been a member of the order since he was twenty-one years of age. Since 1878 he has been a trustee of the Shippensburg Normal School, and he is very popular in all the relations of life.

On October 31, 1868, Mr. Harris was married to Laura B. Haller, daughter of Henry Haller, of Shippensburg, who died January 16, 1875, leaving one child, Carrie A., now the wife of Frank Gates, of Shippensburg. On Jan. 11, 1880, Mr. Harris was married to Sallie Diffenderfer, daughter of John and Rebecca Diffenderfer, and they have three children, Roy D., Rebecca and Samuel, Jr. The family affiliate with the Church of God.