James Berry Harrison Family

The birth of James Berry Harrison occurred on 11 Mar 1788, in [citation needed] Botetourt County, Virginia. 
 
After spending his early years in Virginia, James's family moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina, around 1800. By 1818, James and his brother-in-law, John, relocated to the Ozarks to pursue trading. The families settled in Pulaski County, Missouri, near the mouth of the Little Piney River where it joins the Gasconade River. Meanwhile, his brother, John Harrison, settled in Gasconade County, Missouri, north of Hermann on the opposite side of the Missouri River, where trading opportunities were plentiful. 

James Berry Harrison was likely the first white settler in the game-rich, three-river region. To serve both his family and the lumbermen who were his customers, he built the area's very first log cabin directly on the St. Louis-to-Springfield Road. 

After Missouri gained statehood in 1821, his cabin, patriotically named Liberty Hill, was initially located in Franklin County. When Crawford County was established, the first county court was held at Liberty Hill on January 29, 1829. At this court, his brother-in-law and neighbor, John Duncan, served as a judge, and James Harrison was named "Clerk." The cabin also served as the post office for the entire postal region stretching all the way to Springfield.
 
While Harrison was a respected public servant, he was not without controversy. On March 4, 1839, Dr. William Morrow, a physician for the Richard Taylor Detachment, wrote in his diary: "James Harrison... a mean man – will not let any person connected with emigration stay with him." 
This incident, which highlights his negative view of the forced displacement of Native Americans, is part of a larger, tragic history. The Osage Nation was forced from their land by white settlers, and today, the State of Missouri does not recognize a single Native American tribe, nor does any tribe own or control property within the state.
 
James Berry Harrison and Lovisa Voss Duncan were married about 1808 in the Village of Duncan. Missouri. [citation needed] They remained together for over thirty-four years until James's death in 1842. While some records suggest they had as many as fourteen children, the identities of only twelve have been confirmed: 

Their first known child was a son, John Brazil Harrison was born (11 Apr 1810- 28 Jul 1860)
Their second known child was a son, Dr James Pryor Harrison (27 Dec 1811-7 Jan 1877).
Their third known child was a son, Dr James Pryor Harrison (27 Dec 1811-7 Jan 1877)
Their fourth known child was a daughter Permelia Mariah Harrison Lenox (13 Nov 1813-7 Nov 1873 ).
Their fifth known child was a son Andrew Jackson Harrison (6 Jun 1815-15 Jan 1832).
Their sixth known child was a son, William Perry Harrison (28 Mar 1817-22 Nov 1856).
Their seven known child was a son, Benjamin Berry Harrison (21 Jan 1819-13 Apr 1886).
Their eighth known child was a son, Thomas Carroll Harrison (21 Feb 1823-28 Jul 1880).
Their ninth known child was a son, Marshall Harrison (15 Dec 1824-10 Oct 1825).
Their tenth child was a son, Eliza Louisa Harrison Dodson (2 Jul 1826-5 Jul 1846).
Their eleventh child was a daughter, Mary M. Harrison (10 Aug 1832-8 Nov 1832).
Their twelfth child was a daughter, Lovisa V. Harrison (11 Feb 1834-5 Oct 1836).

The following information about the children of James Berry Harrison is from an article by Doug Berlin of the Phelps County Genealogical Society: 

The children of James Berry Harrison were prominent figures in the development of Missouri. John Brazil Harrison had a distinguished career in Crawford County, serving on an early jury and as County Sheriff (1829), Assessor (1831), and Clerk (1833, 1840). He also served in the General Assembly, representing Gasconade County (1838) and Miller County (1840, 1850). Along with his brother James Pryor Harrison, who later became a doctor, John donated land for the Tuscumbia townsite.
 
Other siblings also made significant contributions. Benjamin Berry Harrison (1819-1880) is recognized as the founder of Lebanon, having donated land for Laclede County's first county seat. William Perry Harrison moved to Audrain County, where he and his family were active in local politics. Thomas Carroll Harrison was a major landowner in Phelps County and founded the town of Arlington in 1867. He also served in the General Assembly in 1872.
 
The family's influence extended to other counties as well. Robert Harrison was a key organizer of Pulaski County, and Samuel Harrison served as the Gasconade County Collector. Pamela Mariah Harrison (also known as Permelia Mariah) married Hamilton Lenox, a prominent Phelps County businessman. The family also faced loss, with Andrew Harrison dying young in 1832. Mary M. Harrison married during the Civil War.
 
On Thursday, 11 Aug 1842, James Berry Harrison, son of Captain John Peyton Harrison and Mary Harrison, passed away at the age of 54 years, 5 months, and 0 days. He was mourned by his wife, Lovisa Voss Duncan Harrison, to whom he had been married for at least thirty-four years. James left behind twelve of his fourteen known children: John Brazil Harrison, Dr. James Pryor Harrison, Permelia Mariah Harrison Lenox, William Perry Harrison, Benjamin Berry Harrison, Thomas Carroll Harrison, and Eliza Louisa Harrison Dodson. Find A Grave: Memorial #27126587

He was preceded in death by his parents and five of his children: Marshall (1825), Andrew Jackson (1832), Mary M. (1832), Robert Bennet (1836), and Lovisa V. (1836). James Berry Harrison is interred in the Harrison-Pillman Cemetery in Phelps County, Missouri.[3]

Sources: 
* James Berry Harrison, Missouri Trail of Tears James Berry Harrison, https://motrailoftears.com/?page_id=2056

* Harrison Children, Phelps County Focus.com, article by Doug Berlin of the Phelps County Genealogical Society, 4 Apr 2024, https://www.phelpscountyfocus.com/the_focus_insider/article_8b8d3dca-f2bf-11ee-8b59-c31de47d0246.html

* Find A Grave: Memorial #27126587

* North American Family Histories, Ancestry, [https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/43262647?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a2269624c73547041675967506b44527245374a4e4c64666742784a4778753235333078556c597554764b4b553d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d James Berry Harrison]

* John Harrison Will, James’s father, Ancestry [https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/43264052?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a22644e6252514565446b547a4c48432b57324531524866476266714d5561795544584c4c7a4b5955716279343d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d John Harrison Will]

* James Harrison is the first Postmaster of Little Piney, Pulaski, Missouri, appt date: 2 Dec 1829, [https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/43264114?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a22444361614f55545a704a363055536b6c394d54417a686263505141532b3177596f776951494a61597370733d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d [James Berry Harrison, 1st Postmaster]

* History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulaski, Phelps and Dent counties, Missouri, publisher Goodspeed Pub., 1889, 1219 pa, page 20, (Laclede County), page 625-626 (Phelps County), these relate to pages that are .jpg photos
Research Notes
* Records indicate that James's father was a Captain who served in the 2nd Virginia Regiment. He was born in England and received 200 acres of land. Although some sources claim James was born in Virginia and others in South Carolina, it is known that his father eventually settled in South Carolina, where he later died.
* Robert Bennett Harrison (5 May 1810-10 Aug 1836) There is a conflict in the records for Robert Harrison. His listed date of birth suggests he may not be the son of James and Lovisa, despite being listed as such on his memorial. For example, John Brazil Harrison, born April 11, 1810, is documented as a son in the History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulaski, Phelps and Dent counties, Missouri. This difference raises questions about Robert's place in the family tree.
* An article by Doug Berlin of the Phelps County Genealogical Society mentions two sons: Robert and Samuel (possibly one of the unknown children). There is a chronological conflict, as both Robert and John Brazil are listed with a birth year of 1810. Given that Find a Grave records show Robert's birth in May and John's in April of that year, it's highly unlikely they are both sons born in 1810. This discrepancy suggests an error in Robert's birth date or his parentage
* Robert Bennett Harrison was omitted from the list of children that preceded James in death due to the conflicting birthdates.

Thank you to Carol Kelley, #47061499 for use of headstone that was orig submitted to findagrave on 03 Apr 2011
Transcribed by MOGenWeb ASC Kimberly Taylor Morgan