Persons listed in biography:
LYDE WHEELER ASHLER
ROY F. ASHLER
DWIGHT HARRISON
GERTRUDE HARRISON
HELEN HARRISON
J. M. HARRISON
JACOB HARRISON
LACY HARRISON
LUELLA HARRISON
MALINDA HOWELL HARRISON
MARY HARRISON
ORA WHEELER HARRISON
RICHARD P. HARRISON
RICHARD PERSHING HARRISON
T. P. HARRISON
THOMAS HARRISON
ELLA WHEELER ROGERS
J. ED ROGERS
Mrs. LOU SKELTON (nee Wheeler)
ELLA WEST WHEELER
MARVIN WHEELER
R. A. WHEELER
Copied from CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF ARKANSAS, VOLUME II published in 1922
by the S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago-Little Rock.
Pages 973-4:
T. P. HARRISON
T. P. HARRISON, who is engaged in farming in Washington county
and is also filling the position of county assessor, was born about five
miles south of Prairie Grove on the 6th of May, 1871, and is a son of
RICHARD P. and MALINDA (HOWELL) HARRISON, the former a native of
Washington county, Arkansas, while the latter was born in East Tennessee
and was brought to this state by her parents during her early girlhood.
Further mention of Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. Harrison is made in connection
with the sketch of J. M. HARRISON on another page (427-8) of this book.
The son, T. P. HARRISON, was a pupil in the country schools and thus laid
the foundation of his success in later life. He was trained to the work
of the farm, early becoming familiar with the best methods of tilling the
soil and caring for the crops, so that he had broad and valuable
practical experience when he began farming on his own account after
reaching adult age. His entire attention was given to the further
cultivation of his land until 1918, when he was elected to the office of
county assessor, entering upon the duties of the position the following
year. He served with such capability during his first term of two years
that he was reelected in 1920 and is now serving for the second term. He
devotes about six months of the year to the duties of the office and the
remainder of his time to his farm. He still owns the old home place of
one hundred twenty acres and carries on general agricultural pursuits,
raising the crops best adapted to the soil and climate conditions here.
He also has an orchard and raises considerable fruit and has always lived
a life of industry, thrift and enterprise.
In 1891 Mr. Harrison was married to Miss ORA WHEELER, who was
born in Washington county, a daughter of R. A. and ELLA (WEST) WHEELER,
also native of this county, where for many years her father followed
farming but is now retired. He served for four years in the Union army
during the Civil war and he has always been a republican in politics,
giving stanch support to the principles of the party. He belongs to the
Methodist church and his life has ever been guided by high and honorable
principles. To him and his wife have been born eight children, four sons
and four daughters, and the family five are yet living, the eldest being
Mrs. Harrison. The others are MRS. LOU SKELTON, whose husband is
clerking in a store in Prairie Grove; ELLA, the wife of J. ED ROGERS, a
farmer of Prairie Grove; MARVIN, who is an oil man living at Fullerton,
California; and LYDE, the wife of ROY F. ASHLER, also a resident of
California.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison was blessed with nine
children: LACY, who was a resident of California was there killed in an
automobile accident in 1914; JACOB, who is now engaged in the drug
business at Tulsa, Oklahoma, served in the World war, being trained at
Camp Pike. He was in France for thirteen months and later was with the
Army of Occupation in Germany following the signing of the armistice. He
was in the front line trenches many times, participated in the battle of
St. Mihiel and the Argonne Forest and received his discharge in August,
1919; LUELLA, the third of the family, is at home; DWIGHT has completed
the high school course; HELEN died of influenza in the year 1919; THOMAS,
MARY and GERTRUDE are all in school; RICHARD PERSHING, two and a half
years old, completes the family.
Since reaching his majority Mr. Harrison has always voted with
the democratic party and has taken an active interest in promoting its
growth and securing its success. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South, and is prominent in the independent Order of Odd Fellows,
in which he has passed through all of the chairs. He has likewise been a
representative to the grand lodge three times and is well known in the
organization throughout this state. He has ever been active in the
public life of the community and has left his impress upon public thought
and action.
Charlotte Broze