Biography of D W Harrison, Tuscola, Tuscola County, Michigan

Copyright © 1998 by Bonnie Petee. This copy contributed for use in 
the USGenWeb Archives.  

 

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Taken from, "The History of Tuscola County," H. R. Page Co., Chicago, 1883.  

D. W. Harrison, is a native of Niagara County, N. Y., where he was born in 1827. Came to Tuscola 
in 1837 with his parents and has occupied his farm in section 28 since 1854. In company with his 
brother, William H., he built a saw mill at Tuscola, which was completed December 4, 1868, and 
was engaged in the lumber business for a number of years, but finally sold his interest to his 
brother, William H. Mr. Harrison succeeded himself as township treasurer at the last election 
and received the unanimous vote of both parties. He was married June 7, 1854, to Miss Emeline 
Hopkins, who came to Tuscola with her father from Allegany County, N. Y., September 29, 1850. 
They have three children: Horace E., Merta A. and Libbie M. 

Mrs. Harrison taught the Tuscola school in 1850, which was then the only school in the county, 
but the following year a school house was built in Vassar, in which Augusta M. Slafter taught 
the first school.

John V. Harrison, was born in Niagara County, N.Y., October 24, 1821, and lived there until 
1837, when, in company with his parents, he came to Tuscola and in 1843, commenced work on his 
present farm which lies opposite the Tuscola sash and blind factory, which at one time (the land) 
belonged to and was part of the farm. 

The farm was purchased by his father, Dennis Harrison, in 1836. Mr. Harrison was in the employ 
of William H. Harrison in the capacity of clerk for eighteen years. In 1869 he and Sylvester 
Detriech engaged in mercantile business at Tuscola, which they continued two years. He was 
married in 1846 to Jerusha Ann Lee, a native of Niagara County, N. Y., and they have three sons. 
Her father was Calvin Lee, who came to Tuscola from Lewiston, Niagara Co. N. Y., in 1842. Mrs. 
Harrison taught the second school in the county and her brother Silas was the first married. In 
the early times when provisions were not procured with the same ease as at present, Mr. Harrison 
and his brother, William H., brought a barrel of flour from Pine Run on a hand sled, and at other 
times had to go to Fentonville with an ox team to mill.

The Harrisons were a pioneer family in every sense. When they arrived here in the fall of 1837, 
there were two log houses in the vicinity of what is now Tuscola village. Mrs. Dennis Harrison 
and one child came about four weeks after the others and were brought from Pine Run on an ox 
sled. They lived in a log house next to the mill about a year and then moved into a log house 
which Mr. Harrison had built. About 1846 they moved into a frame house still standing on the 
corner of Saginaw and Bridge streets. When they moved in the household goods were transported 
from Bridgeport up the river in a canoe.

At one time the supply of provisions was nearly exhausted and there were many mouths to feed. 
Something must be done to replenish the larder. It was winter and Mr. Harrison constructed a 
sled to which William and John were harnessed, and they went to Mount Morris, a distance of 
twelve miles, loaded on a cargo of flour and pork, which they drew home, arriving just in time 
to furnish material for a meal shortly due. When the first school-house was built they brought 
the nails and glass on their backs from Pine Run, a distance of about twelve miles. The load 
for each was about fifty pounds. About the time they settled here, pork cost forty dollars 
per barrel in Detroit, lard twenty dollars per hundred pounds, and salt ten dollars per barrel. 
The latter item shows that the salt and potato diet of early days was not as inexpensive as 
would appear to people who are in the habit of paying ninety cents per barrel for salt.

The first cow purchased by the Harrisons was in 1839. They needed a cow, but had no money with 
which to make the purchase. It occurred to William that by catching wolves he might get bounty 
money enough to pay for a cow. He set his traps, secured the wolf scalps, and with a lunch and 
twenty-five cents in money started for Lapeer in company with a brother to draw the bounty. He 
got an order for twenty dollars, which he discounted four dollars in order to get the money. 
Before he found a cow he had spent a dollar, and the price of the cow was seventeen dollars. 
While studying out a way to bridge the chasm he picked up a two dollar bill from the ground, 
and the cow was bought.

Dennis Harrison, died at his home in the village of Tuscola, September 4, 1880, in the 
eighty-seventh year of his age. Mr. Harrison was a native of Connecticut and of Scotch descent. 
He married Sarah M. Van Kleeck, of Rensselaerville, N. Y., in the year 1818. About this time 
they settled at Lewiston, N. Y., where they resided until removing to Tuscola County. In 
September, 1837, Mr. Harrison became an actual resident of Tuscola where he lived until the time 
of his death. He was a man of strong constitution and maintained his vigor in a remarkable 
degree until a few days before his death. He was a man of great will power and his life was 
exemplary in every respect. The children at the time of his death were: Sarah, wife of Nelson 
Hurd; John V.; William H.; Electus B., who died in 1881; Daniel W., and Elizabeth, wife of Dr. 
William Johnson, of Vassar. Mary Adaline, youngest daughter, died.

William H. Harrison, was born at Lewiston, N. Y., September 1, 1823. With the exception of 
about four years he lived at home and in 1837 emigrated to Tuscola with his parents. At the age 
of twenty years his father gave him his time and he engaged in making shingles at Pine Run and 
afterward worked at a job on the road. He then went to Lewiston, N. Y. and attended the academy 
at that place. Afterward he attended school at Romeo, Mich. He then returned to Tuscola and lived 
at home one season, working at shingle-making a part of the time. The following winter he taught 
school at Pine Run. May 11, 1848, he married Miss Harriet N. Miller at Lewiston, N. Y. 

The two years following he had charge of his father's farm, and then began the mercantile 
business in a small way, as related elsewhere, being the first to engage in that business in 
Tuscola. He continued the mercantile business until 1878 when he retired from active business 
and was succeeded by his son, John F. H. Harrison. They have four children living: John F. H., 
the merchant; Benjamin D., a druggist at Sand Beach; Mattie A., and Cora, both of whom are 
married and living in Dakota. 

Mr. Harrison entered openly upon Christian work and living about the year 1854, and since that 
time has been a devoted student of the Bible and zealously engaged in religious work. About the 
year 1879 he was licensed to preach, and in 1883 is building a chapel for religious worship in 
the town of Arbela. This he is doing at his own expense, and it is his practice to preach every 
Sabbath, which is a gratuitous service. His religious creed is of the broad and liberal kind and 
his chapel is to be dedicated to non-sectarian worship. Mr. Harrison is a man of great 
benevolence and endeavors to employ his time and means in ways that will benefit the world. He 
has large real estate interests which occupy a portion of his attention. Portraits of Mr. and 
Mrs. Harrison and views of his property are given in this work.

Copyright Bonnie J. Petee

July 1998




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