162 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



fenders of this republic, and his parents, Samuel Harris, of Connec- 

 ticut, and Alabel Gibbs, of Massachusetts, were among the hardy 

 pioneers who felled the forests of northern Ohio to carve out farms 

 and homes and lay the foundations of the present prosperity of that 

 great state. His father was a thorough and practical farmer, and 

 an enthusiastic pomologist and gardener. 



"At a very early age the lad, John S., exhibited a great love for 

 horticulture, and, under his father's instruction and a diligent study 

 of the meager horticultural literature that found its way to western 

 homes in that early day, soon became a skillful propagator of trees 

 and plants, and at the early age of eleven years started and managed 

 a nursery and garden of his own. He remained upon the farm un- 

 til the death of his father in 1844, when, following the advice of his 

 guardian, he served an apprenticeship to learn the cabinet maker's 

 trade, but during that time improved every opportunity to practice 

 his favorite pursuit. 



"In the spring of 1847, he enlisted as a private in Company H, 

 15th U. S. Infantry, to serve in the war with Mexico; went forward 

 with his regiment, joined Gen. Scott at Pueblo and was with him in 

 the campaign that resulted in the capture of the City of Mexico. 

 After his return from Mexico he remained in Ohio about one year, 

 then took a trip west and, making his headquarters in Walworth 

 county, Wis., spent much time in traveling over Wisconsin, north- 

 ern Illinois and Iowa, at that time a new and sparsely settled coun- 

 try, making long journeys on foot, often with no companion except a 

 faithful dog and trusty rifle, the object being to recover his health, 

 which had iDcen badly wrecked in the hardships and privations of the 

 Mexican campaign. 



"In the summer of 185 1 he landed in La Crosse still in poor 

 health and with a cash capital of just one shilling, where, after work- 

 ing at carpentering or anything else that turned up for nearly two 

 vears, he engaged in the market gardening business. Finding the 

 sandy soil at La Crosse not reliable for gardening or adapted to fruit 

 culture, in 1856 he removed to La Crescent and started a general gar- 

 dening, fruit growing and florist business. He planted his first or- 

 chard in 1857, and has continued to plant more or less trees every 

 year since, making his place virtually a Minnesota horticultural 

 experiment station in which has been planted for trial every choice 

 American variety of apples of which trees could be procured, to- 

 gether with pears, plums, cherries, grapes and other small fruits. 

 He has been twice, in the winters of 1872-3 and 1884-5, nearly con- 

 quered and cleaned out by the elements, but has never surrendered to 

 them. 



"He began to attend fairs and exhibit fruit of his, own growing 

 in 1864, and has followed it up down to the present time, without a 

 break of a single year. At the state fair held in Rochester in Octo- 

 ber, 1866, he made the largest exhibit of home grown fruit that had 

 been made in the state, and assisted in the organization of this so- 

 ciety, the first name on the roll ; he has continued a steadfast and act- 

 ive member. In September, 1868, he was elected vice-president of 

 the society, and in October, 1869, president, and held the office until 



