John Thomas Harris | |
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| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromVirginia's7th district | |
| In office March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1881 | |
| Preceded by | Elliott M. Braxton |
| Succeeded by | John Paul |
| Chairman of theCommittee on Revision of Laws | |
| In office March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881 | |
| Preceded by | William Walsh |
| Succeeded by | William C. Oates |
| Chairman of theCommittee on Elections | |
| In office March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879 | |
| Preceded by | Horace B. Smith |
| Succeeded by | William M. Springer |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's6th district | |
| In office March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873 | |
| Preceded by | William Milnes, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Whitehead |
| Member of theVirginia House of Delegates fromRockingham County | |
| In office 1863–1865 Alongside James Kenney | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's9th district | |
| In office March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861 | |
| Preceded by | John Letcher |
| Succeeded by | Rees Bowen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1823-05-08)May 8, 1823 Browns Gap,Albemarle County, Virginia, US |
| Died | October 14, 1899(1899-10-14) (aged 76) Harrisonburg, Virginia, US |
| Political party | Independent Democrat,Democrat |
| Profession | Politician,Lawyer,Judge |
John Thomas Harris (May 8, 1823 – October 14, 1899) was a nineteenth-century politician, lawyer and judge fromVirginia.[1] He was often referred to after theAmerican Civil War as "Judge Harris", even after his election to Congress. He was the first cousin ofJohn Hill.
Born inBrowns Gap, Virginia, Harris completed academic studies and studied law.[2]
Admitted to the Virginia bar in 1845, Harris began his legal practice inHarrisonburg, Virginia. He was elected thecommonwealth attorney forRockingham County, Virginia, and served from 1852 to 1859. The practice prospered so that he owned $9000 in real estate and lived with his wife and three young children lived with a 17 year old white woman and 23 year old Black man according to the 1860 census.[3] By that time, he also owned $7000 in personal property, including three slaves (19, 13 and 5 year old Black girls).[4]
Harris won election as anIndependent Democrat to theUnited States House of Representatives in 1858, serving from 1859 to 1861. He ran for reelection, but the seat was terminated fromCongress afterVirginia's secession from theUnion on April 17, 1861. Harris initially vehemently opposed secession, including in a large political rally in Rockbridge, butGeorge Deneale took the opposite position, and Harris later lobbied voters to elect delegates who would allow a referendum on secession, which passed nearly unanimously in the county.[5]
Rockbridge voters elected Harris to theVirginia House of Delegates, and served from 1863 to 1865.
After the war's end, Harris became judge of the twelfthjudicial circuit ofVirginia from 1866 to 1869. He became known for his "frank and manly" acceptance of the war's results, including his charge to the grand jury on May 11, 1867, exhorting members to do their duty "without fear or favor."[6]
UponVirginia's adopting a new Constitution which forbad slavery and thus allowed its readmission to theUnion in 1869, and restoration of civil rights to Confederate officials, Harris ran for the U.S. House of Representatives at a special election held in July 1869, but lost.
The following year, 1870, voters sent him back to the U.S. Congress as aDemocrat, and he won re-election several times, serving from 1871 to 1881. However, the numbering of the district Harris represented changed from Virginia's 6th District to Virginia's 7th District in 1872 due to reapportionment after the 1870 census. AWhite supremacist he opposedCivil Rights for African Americans.[7]
Harris chaired theCommittee on Elections from 1875 to 1879 and chairman of theCommittee on Revision of Laws from 1879 to 1881. Harris declined a unanimous renomination in 1880. After a contested election, his successor as Commonwealth Attorney (and former state Senator)John Paul succeeded him for one term, and was succeeded by theCharles Triplett O'Ferrall, whom Harris had defeated in 1872 and 1874.
Harris served as chairman of theVirginia Democratic Convention in 1884, and was acommissioner to the 1893World's Columbian Exposition inChicago, Illinois.
He died inHarrisonburg, Virginia, on October 14, 1899. His papers, including a diary, are held in the special collections division of theJames Madison University library.[8]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromVirginia's 9th congressional district 1859–1861 | Succeeded by Rees Bowen(1) |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromVirginia's 6th congressional district 1871–1873 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromVirginia's 7th congressional district 1873–1881 | Succeeded by |
| Notes and references | ||
| 1. Because ofVirginia's secession, the House seat was vacant for twelve years before Bowen succeeded Harris. | ||
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives fromVirginia's 6th congressional district | ||
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Members of the U.S. House of Representatives fromVirginia's 7th congressional district | ||
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Members of the U.S. House of Representatives fromVirginia's 9th congressional district | ||
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