Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
JOHN B. HARRISON. Scattered here and there among Greene county's population of over seventy thousand people are men and women who claim, with a degree of pride as well they may, the state of Kentucky as the place of their nativity. There is a certain distinction in being a native of the fine old Blue Grass state, which has furnished many great men to our national life and has for a century been a potent factor in the affairs of the Union. One of who hail from within her borders is John B. Harrison, foreman for over quarter of a century of the great Meyer mills of Springfield.
Mr. Harrison was born at Bowling Green, Kentucky, August 2, 1862. He is a son of William, H. and Lucinda (Poor) Harrison, the father native of Virginia and the mother a native of Ireland, she having emigrated from that country when young and met and married the elder Harrison in the East. The father of our subject died when his son, John B., was about twelve years of age, and the latter was small when his mother passed away in Missouri, so he was reared to manhood in the home of his grandfather Benjamin Harrison, who was one of the early pioneers of southeastern Missouri. There our subject received a common school education and worked on the farm when a boy, until he was about sixteen years of age, then went away with Sells Bros. circus, with which he traveled for two years, during which he gained much valuable knowledge of the world first handed. He then secured employment driving a street car in St. Louis. In 1881 he came to Springfield and here drove one of the first "mule cars" of the local street railway, continuing in this work for about four and one-half years, began working in the grain milling business for Fox & Rienman at old Gulf Mill, which stood at the corner of Jefferson and Mill streets. He remained there two years, during which he mastered the various ins and outs of the milling business, then went to work for Clark & Russell, which company he remained until the panic during President Cleveland's Administration, at which time the mill was sold to the Meyer Milling Company and Mr. Harrison has been with this concern ever since, his long service indicating that he has been most faithful and capable in this line of work. For a period of twenty-six years he has been foreman and grain buyer of this well-known mill, and is one of the most widely known men in his line in the Southwest.
Mr. Harrison was married on October 4, 1884, in Springfield, to May Edmondson, who was born in this city, August 7, 1864. She is a daughter of R. H. and Martha A. (Mathews) Edmondson, an old family of Springfield, both parents of our subject's wife having long been deceased. Mr. Edmondson was in the employ of the Frisco railroad for nearly forty years here. Mrs. Harrison grew to womanhood in this city and was educated in the local schools.
Five children have been born to our subject and wife, all living, namely: Eugene C., born November 5, 1885, is connected with Fred Harvey at this place; Beatrice, born on March 8, 1888, married F. J. Green who is employed here by the Frisco; Nellie Shaw, born on February 14, 1891, married H. E. Tegarden, a farmer living northwest of the city; John B. Jr., born on November 6 1894, married Jessie Hartley and he also works for Fred Harvey in this city; Ralph Ashley, born on September 14, 1897, is attending high school at this writing.
Mr. Harrison owns a good home at 971 Robberson avenue. Politically, he is a Republican. He is a member of the Woodmen of the World, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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