William Henry Harries (January 15, 1843 – July 23, 1921) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician. He was a United States House of Representatives member, representing Minnesota during the Fifty-second Congress. Earlier, he served in the famed Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac through most of the American Civil War.

William Harries
Harries circa 1911. Houston County Historical Society (Caledonia, MN)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Minnesota's 1st district
In office
March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893
Preceded byMark H. Dunnell
Succeeded byJames Albertus Tawney
Personal details
Born(1843-01-15)January 15, 1843
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJuly 23, 1921(1921-07-23) (aged 78)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Resting placeEvergreen Cemetery, Caledonia, Minnesota
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Austis Dunbar, Hattie Dunbar
Residences
Alma materUniversity of Michigan law school
Professionlawyer
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Volunteers
Union Army
Veteran Reserve Corps
Years of service1861–1866
Rank
Unit
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Early life

edit

Harries was born near Dayton, Ohio. He moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin, and enlisted as a private in Company B, 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment on April 18, 1861. He was wounded at the Battle of Antietam.[1] He was commissioned captain of Company F, Third Regiment, United States Veteran Volunteers, General Hancock's corps, on December 21, 1864, and was honorably discharged on April 17, 1866.

edit

Harries graduated from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor law school in 1868. He was admitted to the bar in 1868, and commenced practice in Hokah, Minnesota. He later practiced in Caledonia, Minnesota. He served as prosecuting attorney of Houston County, Minnesota, from 1874 to 1878.

Political career

edit

He was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-second Congress and served from March 4, 1891, to March 3, 1893. Harries was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1892 to the Fifty-third Congress. He was then appointed by President Grover Cleveland as collector of internal revenue for Minnesota and served from 1894 to 1898, residing in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Later years

edit

He resumed his law practice in Caledonia, Minnesota, in 1898. He served as president of the village of Caledonia and a member of its board of education,[2] department commander of the Minnesota department of the Grand Army of the Republic in 1901, member of the board of trustees of the Minnesota Soldiers’ Home in 1903, secretary of the board 1907 to 1911, and commandant of the home 1911 to 1918. Harries died in Seattle, Washington, on July 23, 1921, and is interred in Evergreen Cemetery, Caledonia, Minnesota.

Personal life

edit

Capt. Harries married Austis L. Dunbar in 1870,[3] and after she died he married her sister Hattie Hadley Dunbar in 1882.[4] Hattie died in 1895.[5] The father of these two sisters was William F. Dunbar, the first state auditor of Minnesota.[6] The eleven children of these two marriages are Mary Lucretia, Anna Belle, Ethelind, Paul W., Anstice, Hattie, George, Alice, Beth Bernice, Edna Beatrice, and Donald Dunbar.[7]

References

edit
  1. ^ T. Christianson, Minnesota, The Land of Sky-Tinted Waters, A History of the State and Its People, V.II, p 321-22 (The American Historical Society, Inc., 1935)
  2. ^ T. Christianson, Minnesota, The Land of Sky-Tinted Waters, A History of the State and Its People, V.II, p 321-22 (The American Historical Society, Inc., 1935)
  3. ^ Harries Family Genealogical Records
  4. ^ Harries Family Genealogical Records
  5. ^ T. Christianson, Minnesota, The Land of Sky-Tinted Waters, A History of the State and Its People, V.II, p 321-22 (The American Historical Society, Inc., 1935)
  6. ^ T. Christianson, Minnesota, The Land of Sky-Tinted Waters, A History of the State and Its People, V.II, p 321-22 (The American Historical Society, Inc., 1935)
  7. ^ Harries Family Genealogical Records
edit
  • United States Congress. "William H. Harries (id: H000228)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by U.S. Representative from Minnesota's 1st congressional district
1891–1893
Succeeded by