From Proud Heritage, Vol. 1 by DCPA, not currently in print.
William Harris, son of Randolph C. Harris (died 1847) and Sarah Quartz Harris (died 1837), both natives of South Carolina, was born in Lowndes County, Alabama, on April 11, 1830. The family moved to Red River County in 1836 (their location included in Bowie County, formed in 1840) where the father took up a league-and-labor headright. William was reared in Bowie County and graduated from Union University at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and the Lebanon Law School. After leaving school, he taught school at Quitman, Wood County, Texas, and in 1858 he moved to Dallas County to teach school in Cedar Springs, Texas. Two years later he worked in the County Clerk’s Office. In 1861, he enlisted in Captain Good’s battery as a Second Lieutenant and fought in the battle of Elkhorn; he then was with the Rangers in Louisiana, Arkansas and Southern Missouri; he later joined Walter P. Lane’s Cavalry, which fought the battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas. He was sent under General Steele, and later General Maxey, into Indian Territory; he attained the rank of Captain. After the war, he returned to Grayson County to teach.
Martha Alice (Mattie) Cochran, daughter of William M. Cochran and Nancy Jane Hughes Cochran, was born December 25, 1848 in Farmers Branch, Dallas County, and was reared there until April 30, 1851 when the family moved to Browning Branch, still in Dallas County. She met William Harris, and on April 9, 1867 they were married by the Rev. William H. (Uncle Buck) Hughes.
They moved to Grayson County and their first child, Laura Jane Harris, was born in Grayson County on January 24, 1868. They later moved to Allen Street in the city of Dallas, and William was a notary public and an alderman of the Ninth Ward as well as chairman of the Committee on Schools and Education. William Harris died June 24, 1904 and “Mattie A.” Harris died September 16, 1908; both are buried in Cochran Chapel Cemetery.
Their children were as follows:
Laura Jane Harris born January 24, 1868, Grayson County, Texas, died March 4, 1964, Dallas County, Texas, buried in Cochran Chapel Cemetery with her husband; married May 21, 1888, Dallas County, Texas, Henry Hibler Jacoby. Both were charter members of Grace Methodist Church. He was a tax collector and a constable in Dallas and operated his own real estate and insurance firm. She was a member of the Quaero Club, Dallas Woman’s Forum, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Daughters of the American Revolution, Dallas Pen Women, and board of directors of the Dallas Historical Society. She was listed in Who’s Who of the Southwest. They lived from about 1905 until 1964 at 3618 Ross Avenue. Their children were William Foster (married Virginia Maxey Clark), Mattie Chiles (Mrs. S. Byron Allen), Henry Harris (married Margaret Miller), Clara Arvilla “Villa” (Mrs. D. Earl Gardner), and Nell (Mrs. John H. Awtry).
Clara Arvilla Harris born February 25, 1870, Grayson County, Texas, died June 9, 1964, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, buried in Cochran Chapel Cemetery. She was a teacher for a short period of time and did not marry.
James H. Harris born September 26, 1872, died April 11, 1873, buried in Cochran Chapel Cemetery. This child may have been born in Grayson or Dallas County but must have died in Dallas County to be buried here; they must have returned to Dallas County about this time.
Mary Mattie Harris born 30 July 1874, Farmers Branch, Dallas County, Texas, died July 16, 1957, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, buried in Cochran Chapel Cemetery. She was a school teacher and taught school at San Jacinto Elementary School for many years. She did not marry.
William Randolph (Will) Harris born February 25, 1877, Farmers Branch, Dallas County, Texas, died August 14, 1948, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, buried Grove Hill Cemetery, Dallas; married August 1909, Waukesha, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, Minnie Beulah Bookhout. William was a very influential attorney, a partner in the law firm of Thompson, Knight, Baker & Harris; he was appointed Special Prosecutor for the University of Texas Trustees in the impeachment trial of James E. Ferguson, governor of the State of Texas until convicted in 1917 (he cross-examined Governor Ferguson the last three days of the trial before the Texas Senate found him guilty); he was president of the Dallas Bar Association in 1924. Mrs. Harris was president of the Dallas Lawyers Wives and a member of the Pierian Club and the Clavis Club. Their children were Dorothy Minnie (wife of Wallace Hamilton Savage, a former mayor of the City of Dallas) and William Randolph Harris, Jr., an attorney in his own firm.
Archie Bentley Harris born May 19, 1880, Farmers Branch, Dallas County, Texas, died November 13, 1967, Dallas County, Texas, buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Dallas; married September 20, 1904, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, Shirley Adelia Terry. He worked for the United States Postal Service for many years and became substation post master. After retirement, he worked for a brief time in the Dallas County Clerk’s office. They had no children.
John Cochran Harris born 1885, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, died September 6, 1968, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, buried in Hillcrest Cemetery, Dallas; married December 1, 1910, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, Nellie Hunt Wilson. He was an attorney and was involved in politics. They had two children: 1) Nellie Louise married (l) Roy Reid Matthews, who died, married (2) John P. Falconer, and they had three children, married (3) John E. Persons, and 2) Bonnie (Mrs. William Randle).
By W. F. Jacoby, Jr., Dallas
