JAMES JABEZ HARRISON, vice president of the Home Life & Accident Company of Little Rock, is thus identified with one of the important business interests of the state and at the same time has been extremely active as director of the Forward Education Movement of Arkansas. Since the 1st of January, 1922, however, his relationship with the Forward Education Movement has been merely of an advisory character, for on that date he assumed the duties of active vice president and production manager in the life department of the Home Life & Accident Company of Little Rock. His progressive spirt allies him with many movements which have to do with the progress and improvement of the commonwealth and his labors are at all times far-reaching and resultant.
Mr. Harrison was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, June 26, 1891, and is representative of a family of five sons and four daughters whose parents are the Rev. WILLIAM R. and ALICE VIRGINIA (GRADY) HARRISON. His father, a native of Mississippi, was born in Itawamba county, December 17, 1852. He prepared for the Methodist ministry and has devoted his life to the work of the church, being now pastor of the Twenty-eighth Street Methodist Episcopal church, South, in Little Rock. His wife was born December 25, 1864 in Lockesburg, Sevier county, Arkansas, and they were married on the 4th of October, 1882. Of their family of nine children, two daughters died in infancy while the other seven are living.
JAMES J. HARRISON, who was the third in order of birth in the family, was a pupil in the Hot Springs public schools in early youth and afterward attended Henderson-Brown College at Arkadelphia, Arkansas, through the year 1906-7. Later he was graduated from Hendrix College at Conway, Arkansas, witht he class of 1914, winning the Bachelor of Arts degree. He dates his residence in Little Rock from 1919, when he became an active factor in the bvusiness circles of the city as vice president of the firm of H. G. PUGH & Company, printers and stationers, in which he is still interested. As active vice president and production manager of the Home Life & accident Company of Little Rock, he is identified with one of the strongest financial organizations of the state.
On the 28th of April, 1920, in Little Rock, Mr. Harrison was married to JULIA TURNER, whose birth occurred in Morrilton, Arkansas, May 10, 1893. she is a daughter of HORACE P. and VIRGINIA LEE (BINNS) TURNER. The father, a native of Louisiana, resided for some years at Morrilton, Conway county, Arkansas, but is now deceased. The mother, who was born in New Kent county, Virginia, now makes her home in Little Rock. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison are parents of a daughter, VIRGINIA TURNER, born February 1, 1921.
In his political views Mr. Harrison has always been a democrat and from 1915 until 1917 served as county examiner of Dallas county and superintendent of schools in Fordyce. During the World war he joined the army as a cadet in an Officers' Training Camp and in November, 1917, was made captain of infantry, while in August 1918, he was promoted to the grade of major. He served as an instructor in training camps during his entire service, being located at Camp Stanley, Texas, at Camp Travis, Texas, at Camp Beauregard, Louisana and at Camp Pike, Arkansas, remaining on active from July, 1917, until December 16, 1918. He organized the American Legion in Arkansas and became the first department commander of the state, serving from April, 1919 to August, 1920. He is a member of the Ad Club and the Country Club of Little Rock. He is likewise a Master Mason, while his religious faith is indicated in his membership in the First Methodist Episcopal church, South, of which he is lay leader. He is also teacher of the Victory class in the Methodist Sunday school.
Mr. Harrison is the director of the Forward Education Movement of Arkansas, which is doing most effective work in promoting high educational standards in the state, and is secretary of a commission appointed by Governor McRae to direct a survey of the public school system of Arkansas.
I am very interested in corresponding with anyone researching this line. thanks much - Becky
Submitted by Charlotte Broze.
