HARRIS.--Rev. Wm. B. Harris, of Mackinaw, Ill., was a son of Rev. Wm. Harris, one of the early ministers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He was born in Warren County, Kentucky, August 22, 1813, and was the last to go of a family of seventeen children, twelve sons and five daughters. Six of the sons were ministers in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and one daughter married Rev. Geo. Blewett, of the same church. He died at his home on the 16th of August, 1909. His body was laid to rest in the Danvers cemetery. Rev. W. W. Wilson, of the Presbyterian Church, conducted the funeral services. Mr. Harris was married in Logan County, Ky., to Miss Harriett B. Paisley, March 1, 1836. They resided in Kentucky until September, 1864. Here seven sons and five daughters were born to them. They removed and settled in Illinois, having had but two homes in their entire married life. He was ordained to the ministry in 1847 by Logan Presbytery. For many years he preached in southern Kentucky, where they lived during the most trying period of the Civil War. But during this dark period of our nation's history, he never lost faith in God or the government at Washington. He rejoiced when the nation came up out of great tribulation and the great military hero of the age said, "Let us have peace." He was a firm believer in the freedom of both church and state and loved our free government and its free institutions. He was a teacher for many years in his native state and many youths owned most to him for an education. He lived through the joyful period of the reunion of the Cumberland Presbyterian and Presbyterian churches, but when in the providence of God the daughter was to return to the fold of the mother church, he was too old for the active duties of life, yet he identified himself with the union and was a member of the Peoria Presbytery. He left nine living children, thirty-six grandchildren and fifteen great grand-children. He was a lifelong subscriber to "The Cumberland Presbyterian," and a hearty supporter of all the enterprises of his church, very prompt in attending her judicatories till hindered by the infirmities of age.--W. B. Harris.

[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, September 9, 1909, page 319]