Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2017 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Memorial Record of the Northern Peninsula of Michigan Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago - 1895 [127-131] H. L. HARRIS, proprietor of the Newberry Celery Garden, Newberry, Michigan, is a gentleman whose connection with one of the important enterprises of the northern peninsula entitles him to some special notice in this work. MR. HARRIS was born in Steubenville, Ohio, August 10, 1857. He was educated at the Fourteenth ward school and at Duff's Business College in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. His father, WILLIAM G. HARRIS, was an iron worker and the son was attracted natural- ly to the rolling mill as a place of employment on arriving at proper age, his first wages being earned in the mill of More- head, McLain & Company, and, with one or two intervals excepted, he followed the business till he attained his majority. At the age of twenty-one he went to Titusville, Pennsylvania, and ran a stationary engine for the Eams Petroleum Iron Works for some months, and on returning to Pittsburg entered the employ of the Pittsburgh Transfer Company. His next move was to Wyandotte, Michigan, then to Luce county, this State, he having come here to take a position with the Vulcan Furnace Company, in whose employ he remained three years. Then he was bookkeeper for the Peninsula Land Company at Dollarville for some time prior to his selection as superintendent of their company and the Newberry Celery Garden. And we can find no better place than now and here to present a history of this celery industry, and from a publi- cation which was issued as early as 1889 we glean the following: "About five years ago a small piece of land lying adjacent to the D. M. & M. R. R. was cleared up by the Land Department for an experimental farm or garden. The first efforts were discour- aging, as the grounds were very wet. Considerable difficulty was also experienced in getting the land plowed, and the horses had to be provided with pieces of board fastened to their shoes in order to keep them from sinking in the soft ground. A systematic plan of ditching was adopted and the ground was thereby drained. With this small garden as a beginning, MR. J. H. SHERMAN experi- mented in raising different varieties of vegetables, and final- ly, as the soil seemed well adapted, decided to try raising celery and procured a few hundred plants from Detroit. This first effort was not wholly successful, but the partial failure was thought to be due to the plants set out. During this experi- ment, however, it was shown that a phenomenal growth of celery was obtained. The next season (spring 1886), in order to avoid this difficulty, hot-beds were built near the Newberry Hotel, where all the plants needed were raised. From this time on, which really marked the beginning of celery-raising in Newberry, no great obstacles presented themselves. Different varieties of seed were tried and those not found satisfactory were rejected. The crops raised during 1886-7, although small, demonstrated fully what could be done, and in the fall of 1887 the Newberry Celery & Improvement Company, with W. O. STRONG, W. C. McMILLAN, WETMORE HUNT and S. B. WIGHT as managers, was incorporated to carry on the business started by the Land Department. This new company purchased the old Newberry garden and commenced at once to clear up additional ground preparatory to enlarging the busi- ness. Buildings were erected for the head gardener and store houses for wintering the crop were provided. In the season of 1888, eight and a half acres were planted to celery, besides considerable acreage to vegetables and potatoes. Unfortunately, at the start of the enterprise, great damage was done by the ravages of grasshoppers and later by the unusually heavy frosts, and fully three acres of celery were a total loss. Notwithstand- ing the drawbacks, the season was encouraging to the company, and preparations were accordingly made for a greater output. This year (1889) the company has fourteen acres of celery, three acres of vegetables and ten acres of potatoes. The past summer has been very favorable, and nothing has occurred to discourage the undertaking. The market has proven itself to be unlimited and the company has been obliged to limit the number of orders taken in order to insure a steady supply to its customers." And from a recent publication we quote the following: "The company now has a capital stock of $10,000 and own about 150 acres of land, most of which is under cultivation, about thirty- five acres devoted to celery. They employ fourteen men and the entire crop finds a ready market in Marquette, the Soo, Duluth, Superior and all along the south shore line." Returning to the life of MR. HARRIS, we find that he has in various ways been identified with the interests of Newberry ever since he took up his residence here. He has served as Township Clerk a number of terms, is now School Inspector and Chairman of the Board of Education, and is President of the village of New- berry. In his political affiliations he is a Republican; fraternally, he is an Odd Fellow, a Mason, and a K. O. T. M., and in religion is a Baptist. MR. HARRIS has been twice married. His first marriage occurred at Wyandotte, April 11, 1881, to HATTIE, daughter of JOHN B. FRANKLIN, an engineer who came west from Connecticut. Her happy married life was of short duration, for on January 12 of the year following she was called to her last home. June 21, 1886, MR. HARRIS wedded EVA LEIGHTON, and they have children as follows: LEIGHTON H., LINTON M., LOGAN W. and PERRY L. MR. HARRIS'S father has already been referred to, but before concluding this article we make still further mention of his parents. WILLIAM G. HARRIS, his father, now a resident of Pitts- burg, Pennsylvania, was born in that city in 1826, son of RICHARD HARRIS. RICHARD HARRIS was a native of New York State, a horse dealer by occupation, and in the early days was a driver on the National Pike through Pennsylvania to Cumberland, Mary- land. His wife was nee MARTHA LOGAN and their family comprised nine children, four of whom are still living: WILLIAM G., Charles and Alonzo, of Big Timber, Montana; and James, of Pittsburg. WILLIAM G. HARRIS married a daughter of LINTON McALEESE, who was born in county Antrim, Ireland, and who was a farmer and gardener. His daughter was born near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The subject of our sketch is the eldest of their living children, the others being WILLIAM G., Jr., an iron worker of Pittsburg; GEORGE, a telegraph operator of that city; LIZZIE G., wife of JOHN ANDERSON, Pittsburg, and SARAH D. ===========================================================================