John Wyatte Harris II, Franklin County, Alabama
 

Source: Dictionary Of Alabama Biography

JOHN WYATTE HARRIS II. Teacher; was born September 12, 1831, near
Russellville, Franklin county, and died February 20, 1889, at that
place; son of John Wyatte and Judith Eldridge (Cox) Harris, the
former a native of Cedar Hill, Hanover County, Va., wh came to
russellville in 1820 and taught a private classical school until
1856, receiving patronage from north Alabama and Mississippi;
grandson of Overton and Barbara (Wyatte) Harris, who lived at "Plain
Dealing" the ancestral seat on North Anna River, Caroline County,
Va., and Captain Henry and Judith Cox, who lived in Prince Edward
County, removing in 1809 to Madison County, and in 1819, to Russell's
Valley, Frannklin County, great-grandson of Overton and Ann (Wilson)
Harris of Virginia; great-great-grandson of William and Temperance
(0verton) Harris, the former born at "Cedar Hill" the ancestral seat
on North Anna River, Hanover County, Va.; great-great-great-grandson
of Major Robert and Mourning (Glenn) Harris who came to Virginia from
England between 1650 and 1660. John Wyatte Harris II, at the age of
eight, entered his father's private school and at once began the
study of Greek and Latin.  He later attended school at Old LaGrange,
of which Dr. R. H. Rives was president.  At seventeen years of age he
entered Centenary college, Jackson, La., and had among other
teachers, Prof. A. B. Longstreet.  He was valedictorian of his class,
but owing to an outbreak of cholera school work was suspended in
1848, although he was later awarded his degree of M.A. At nineteen he
accepted the position of tutor in the family of Col. William Dickson
of Buzzard Roost, now Dickson Station, Colbert County; later he
taught at Tuscumbia and afterwards became instructor in Wesleyan
university, Florence.  Returning to the vicinity of his home he
continued to conduct a private classical school at or near
Russellville, until the War of Secession began.  After the cessation
of hostilities he resumed teaching until shortly before his death.
During the period of his career as teacher which included almost
forty years, a great nujmber of the best men and women of Franklin
and adjoining counties were among his pupils.  He canvassed his
county for Secession, organized a company of infantry with which he
entered service, April 1861, as lieutenant-colonel of the 16th
Alabama infantry regiment, C.S.Army, and was wounded at the battle of
Shiloh in which his regiment was engaged.he was the first county
superintendent of education for Franklin County, but held no other
civil office, although he participated constantly in the political
activities of the Reconstruction period and the era of construction
progress that followed the local dominancy of affairs. For many years
he was chairman of the congressional committee of the then eighth
district and as such was closely associated with every Democratic
representative elected during his time as well as other prominent
political characters who were his contemporaries, including the
governors and other state officials from the time of Gov. George S.
Houston. He was a member of the State Democratic executive committee
for years, and a strong candidate for State superintendent of
education before the convention which nominated Hon. Soloman Palmer,
and was also a candidate for probate judge in his county in the race
which gave the victory to Amos L. Moody. His gift of fluent speech
was valuable as a public debater as well as in his profession of
teaching. He left many unpublished papers upon various subjects, but
chiefly education.  He was a Methodist; and a Knight of Pythias.
Married: (1) to Margaret Catharine; (2) to her sister, Julia Franklin
McCulloch, daughters of Capt. Elijah and Phoebe (Mop)McCulloch, of
North Carolina and Franklin County. respectively; granddaughters of
rev. Thomas Mop, a native of Christian County, Ky., later of Franklin
County; (3) to Clementine Wilson, daughter of Boyd and Mary Ann
(Edwards) Wilson, the former a native of Newton Stewart, Scotland,
the latter of Franklin County. Children: by the first marriage, 1.
John Franklin, deceased; 2. Annie, m. John E. Isbell, formerly of
Franklin County, later of Nashville; by second marriage, 3. John
Wyatte, deceased; 4. Dr. E. M., m. Caledonia Wilson, of Russellville;
5. Mary Mop, m. Philip L. O'Reilly, of Russellville; 6. Edward C., m.
Rachel Stockell, of Nashville, Tenn.; 7. Leyton Overton, deceased; 8.
Richard Nelson, deceased; 9. Charles Gilson; 10 and 11, unnamed; by
third marriage, 12. Clementina, deceased; 13. Boyce Wilson,
deceasee.  Last residence: Russellville.
 

IS THE GENEALOGY GIVEN IN THIS BIO ACCURATE?  CAN ANYONE
TELL ME? THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE.
Ira L. Harris III   barebear@evansville.net
Evansville, Indiana