WILEY P. HARRIS.

JUDGE WILEY P. HARRIS was born in the State

of Mississippi, on the 9th day of November, 1818.. His paternal grandfather, Buckner Harris, emigrated from Virginia into Georgia, and after many changes of location settled permanently on the Saint Mary's river, in Florida. That Territory was then a wild, unexplored region, frequently raided by the savages of the interior and adventurers from the neighboring borders. His grandmother was Nancy Early, of the distinguished Virginia family of that name; the present General Early and the late Bishop Early, are of the same lineage.

When the father of Judge Harris emigrated to Mississippi he was well-to-do, but through the vicissitudes. of fortune, became completely impoverished before he died. He had been, very much against his will, forced to fight a duel, in which his adversary fell at the second fire, although Mr. Harris offered, after the first exchange of shots, to settle the quarrel amicably. He was also the principal in another fight, which resulted unfortunately; and these deplorable events rendered him a most unhappy man; he became a prey to melancholy, and from the thrift and energy which characterized his nature, he settled into a condition of carelessness and utter indifference to his worldly affairs; died in the prime of his life, leaving his children absolutely destitute, his wife having been dead some years.

Judge Harris, then a mere boy, was adopted by his father's brother, for whom he had been named. The

uncle, Wiley Harris, was poor but independent; he was a physician of excellent repute and a farmer as well; he was also quite a local politician, having represented his county several times in the Legislature.

Young Wiley was required to assist in the work the farm and the chores around the house. He was sent to school half of the year and the other half remained at home and helped his uncle carry on the labor of the fields. When the boys left off work in those days at home, to go to the "Old field school," they took to learning with great zest, and when the time came to exchange arithmetic, grammar and reader, for the plow and axe, they laid down the books again with equal alacrity. There were no dime novels; the "Scottish Chiefs," "Children of the Abbey" and "Thaddeus of Warsaw" served to cultivate the emotions; Elementary History prepared for the schools, and "Weem's Lives," filled the youth with admiration for their ancestors, and stimulated the growth of patriotism.

The great holiday, the crowning, glorious fete in those days in Pike county, was the Militia Muster. Judge Harris' uncle was the General of the Brigade, and the then Governor of the State, Brandon, with a portion of his Staff, were always the guests of his uncle, on these occasions of the review of the Militia of the county. The Governor and his Staff were arrayed most gorgeously, in blue and buff, and with plumes in their hats of surpassing richness, they were awe-inspiring magnates, particularly to a farmer's boy. The reviews amounted to very little, so far as any utility was concerned, but there was always much "fuss and feathers." There was, of course, a pretense of inspecting the squirrel guns and corn stalks. The men formed in two lines about fifty feet apart, through which the Governor and his Staff rode, their high mettled steeds prancing all the time, which completed the transcendent spectacle. The

ranking officers consumed a great deal of whiskey and were voluble in their discussion of the battle of New Orleans.

The uncle of Judge Harris, about this time determined to move again, and with many of his neighbors and friends in Pike county, started for Copiah county, establishing themselves on the Pearl river, near the embryo village of Georgetown. They all took up their claims in the primitive forest, cleared the land, built their cabins and fenced their rich acres in an incredibly short space of time.

Recalling the past, to determine what part of it he would prefer to live over again, Judge Harris finds that his thoughts invariably dwell with most delight upon those days which he passed on the banks of the Pearl river at Georgetown. The swamps of the region in those days literally swarmed with deer, turkey, rabbit and other small game, while the lakes and streams attracted an abundance of duck and water-fowl in the winter, and the river was filled with fish. The Pearl, now turbid and shallow, was then rightly named, for it was beautifully clear and sparkled in the sunlight like a gem. The fish were killed at night with gig and spear, or trapped and caught with rod and line; they were halcyon days for a boy, and long after the Judge grew to manhood, and had fairly entered upon the practice of his profession, he always took time, once a year, to revisit the scenes of his early boyhood and engage in these sports, which dwelt so which dwelt so pleasantly in his memory.

From Georgetown, his uncle went to Columbus, Mississippi, where the nephew attended school for about two years, then took up his residence together with his sister at the home of his oldest brother, James R. Harris, who lived in Brandon, a successful merchant of that place, and who had married Adeline Brown, a beautiful and accomplished lady, the sister of Governor A. C.

Brown. At Brandon, young Harris served as a clerk in his brother's store, where there was but one other boy, and he was thrown into the companionship of men. Fortunately, those with whom he was necessarily brought into contact were gentlemen of refinement and cultivation; some of them authors, and all great readers of the best literature. Brandon is now but a sleepy, dilapidated village, but in the days of Judge Harris' youth, was a place of importance and stirring life. Such famous men as S. S. Prentiss, Colonel McClung, Chancellor Buckner, Judge Trotter, H. S. Foote and Robert J. Walker, then resided there, all historic names in the Nation. Judge Harris was at that time about fourteen years old and became a general favorite with the gentlemen of Brandon, who talked with him, read with him, and above all, loaned him books of every character, such as a boy should read. So proficient did he become for a youth of his tender age, in the art of conversation, and the power of recalling what he had read, that he was regarded as a prodigy for that place and era, and when in a few years attended the celebrated University of Virginia, there were no students then of his age so well versed in English literature as himself.

To his elder brother with whom he lived while at Brandon, Judge Harris owes his literary and professional education; it was he who provided the means for him to enter the University of Virginia, where he remained two years. At this time money matters in Mississippi were in a terribly confused condition; to get "good" money for his use was almost impossible, and Judge Harris returned to his home in Brandon with few diplomas; he was now about eighteen years old, and remained with his brother another twelve months, "nibbling" at the law, as he expressed it, when means were furnished him by his brother, and he entered the Law Department of the College at Lexington, Kentucky. He was reduced

to great straits at times, but was at last graduated with distinction in 1840.

Upon leaving Lexington and returning to Mississippi, he found the financial condition of affairs in that State much worse; his brother James was then a commission merchant at Memphis, Tennessee, but was pressed to maintain his credit; all the additional aid he could give to his younger brother was to pay off some small debts he had contracted while at the Law School, and fifty more in Union Bank Notes, with which to commence in the world.

It was resolved in a counsel of the family that the young advocate should start in professional life at Jackson, the capital of the State, for which place he at once set out by stage. Arriving at Raymond the next morning, he went into the hotel to get his breakfast, when to his dismay he saw a notice posted in a conspicuous place at the desk, that Union Bank Notes would not be received in payment; as he was possessed of no other money, this meant that he must go without his breakfast. Upon arriving at Jackson, he found that the legal profession seemed to embrace the whole community; it was difficult to obtain an office at any price, and board was very high. Harris was without money, and receiving no encouragement to cast his professional lot in Jackson, he saw before him, if he remained there, years of pinching poverty, and had not the courage to face it. Some friends from his old county, Copiah, who happened to be at the hotel where he was stopping, strongly urged him to go to Gallatin, the county seat of Copiah. At this critical moment, his uncle Judge Buckner Harris arrived in Jackson, and threw the weight of his influence in the scales of the debate in favor of Gallatin, and to Gallatin he went, and upon his arrival entered into partner ship with Mr. Philip Catchings, a friend of his boyhood. The partnership did not last long, Catchings who was