BIOGRAPHIES. 395 
year since, making his place virtually a Minnesota horticultural experi- 
ment station in which has been planted for trial every choice American 
variety of apples of which trees could be procured, together with pears, 
plums, cherries, grapes and other small fruits. He has been twice, in the 
winters ef 1872-3 and 1884-5, nearly conquered 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 updown to the present time-without a break of a sin- 
gle year. At the state fair held in Rochester in October, 1866, he made the 
largest exhibit of home grown fruit that had been made in the state, and 
assisted in the organization of this society, the first name on the role; he 
has continued a steadfast and active member. In September, 1868, he 
was elected vice-president of the society, and in October, 1889, president, 
and held the office until January, 1871. He was then made corresponding 
secretary, holding the office two years, and was then elected secretary for 
one year, and edited the second volume of transactions. Again from 1881 
to 1884, he was president of the society, and has since been a member of 
the executive committee. In 1875, he was elected a member of the board 
of managers of the State Agricultural Society, and held the position twelve 
years. His has been an active life; beginning without any capital, except 
a knowledge of his business, and the help of a willing and frugal wife, he 
has created a comfortable home in one of the most beautiful spots in the 
Mississippi valley, and yet has found time to do much for the advance- 
ment of agriculture and horticulture, and has spoken and written much 
upon these subjects during the last thirty years, and for many years of the 
time the writing and study was done at night after long days of hard tvil. 
His school education was limited to the most common English branches 
that were taught in the common schools of that day, but he has never 
ceased to continue to educate himself by reading and studying nature. 
Mr. Harris was married in December, 1850, to Miss Melissa J. Clayton. of 
Montgomery County, N.Y. She is still living. The fruit of this union is 
two sons and two daughters, all living and settled in Houston County. 
