Harris - William T - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

William T. Harris, of Walnut Township, was born in Western Virginia, January 18, 1806. He remembers the excitement of 1812, when the boys were getting ready to go to the war. He came to Union County, this state, in 1822 and resided one year, and then to Ohio to learn the tanner’s trade at a little town called West Liberty. His boss, Rev. John Vaughn, died a few years ago at Perrysville in this state. After serving four years as an apprentice he went back on a visit to Virginia, and in the spring of 1828 he returned to Union County, Indiana, and hired as a jour tanner at various yards, and at the end of one year married Miss Sallie McClaine, April 13, 1829. In 1833 he moved to Boone County, near Jamestown. In 1835 he moved to Hendricks County. In 1836 he moved back to Boone, and in 1840 came to Montgomery, settling a few miles east of Ladoga. In 1850 he moved to Fredericksburg, at that time better known as Frogtown. The village consisted of four log huts, occupied by Joseph Whitely, Warren Stanford, Dr. Frank West and Wm Herndon. Soon after his arrival here he bought the lot on which he still lives of Evi Martin and started a tannery. He continued this business for about eighteen years. The second initial in his name was given him after his arrival in Fredericksburg, to distinguish him from others of the same name. Uncle Billie readily accepted the additional “T”, which stands for tanner. Since he abandoned his tannery, he has been working at shoe making, which trade he still follows. He has raised nine children, eight of whom are still living. One died in the Union Army near Vicksburg, Miss., during the siege of that place. He claims to be the oldest citizen of Fredericksburg now living. He enjoys tolerably good health. His wife is still living and the aged couple continues to keep house to themselves.

WHOOPS - not an obituary but I'll leave it here for your perusal as in that time frame we might not find an obit