BIOGRAPHY: Edward Harrison Sr. (1844-1912)

Edward Harrison Sr. was born 19 May 1844 Farington, Longton, Lancaster, England to James Harrison, 1817-1876 and Susannah Rigby, 1816-1890. He was living in Preston, Lancashire, England during the 1881 census and working as a shop keeper. His family consisted of his wife Elizabeth (Herbert) age 39, son James Joseph age 11, daughter's Winifred age 8, and Mary Alice age 6, son's Edward Jr. age 4 and David Leo age 2 and daughter Jane A. Harrison age 8 months. He also had a daughter Elizabeth Ann who was born and died in 1871. His daughter Jane A. Harrison also dies in 1881. His daughter Elizabeth Barbara Harrison was born in 1884.

He and his family left Liverpool England on a Wednesday, Apr 21, 1886 aboard the S.S. Lord Gough and arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylavina on Tuesday, May 4, 1886, a journey of 13 days. The names listed on the manifest were: Edward age 44, Elizabeth age 45, Winifred age 12, Mary Alice age 10, Edward Jr. age 9, David Leo age 4 and infant Elizabeth. The one child missing is James Joseph Harrison who would have been 16 years old.

During the 1900 US census James states that he immigrated in 1875 which is a false statement because he was still in England during the 1881 English census, age 11 and attending school. During the 1910 US census he states that he immigrated in 1886 which is correct. There was a Joseph Harrison age 16 traveling with a John Harrison age 34 aboard the S.S. British Princess from Liverpool, England to Philadelphia, Pennsylavina arriving Aug 29, 1887. James Joseph Harrison did have an uncle John Harrison, born about 1854.
James J. Harrison continued on to Sioux City, Iowa where he married Euphema T. Carpenter. She was divorced from her first husband, Gilbert Judson Browning, and had a son by him named Delbert Clark Browning. James and Euphema had one son named Glenn Fabian Harrison. James lived and managed a hotel in Sioux City, Iowa until his death in 1920.

After their arrival in Philadelphia and during the next year and a half, Edward and his family made their way to Minnesota. This is where their last son William Henry Harrison was born on Mar 2, 1888 in the town of Currie, Murray County, Minnesota. Due to the distruction of the 1890 US census it is unclear where the family was for 10 years between 1888 and 1898 but one thing is for certain, they were in Mobile, Alabama during 1898. He and his son Edward Harrison Jr. appeared in the Mobile City Directory during 1898. Edward Sr. is working as a brick maker and his son Edward Harrison Jr. is working as a ship carpenter.

Edward Harrison Sr. founded Harrison Brothers Drydock & Shipyard in Mobile, Alabama with his sons. It still exists today. David Leo Harrison sold his share of the company to his brother, William in the 1950s. David Leo, Jr. was in Navy electronics & communications in WWII. He continued to work at Harrison Bros. after his father sold out in the 1950s. He was a ship designer, and he was in charge of electronics & communications. The US Coast Guard was a big customer.

Edward Harrison Sr. died 10 Apr 1912, Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama from heart disease.

Source: Walter V. Munza and Annie Lazetta (deVaux) Munza, 2010.

• Married: Abt 1868 in England

1. James Joseph Harrison b: Apr 1870 in Preston, , Lancashire, England
2. Elizabeth Ann Harrison b: Abt 1871 in Preston, , Lancashire, England
3. Winifred Harrison b: 30 Aug 1872 in Preston, , Lancashire, England
4. Mary Alice Harrison b: 25 Dec 1874 in Preston, , Lancashire, England
5. Edward Harrison b: 15 Jul 1876 in Preston, , Lancashire, England
6. David Leo Harrison b: 15 Nov 1878 in Preston, , Lancashire, England
7. Jane A. Harrison b: Abt 1880 in Preston, , Lancashire, England
8. Elizabeth Barbara Harrison b: Nov 1884 in Preston, , Lancashire, England
9. William Henry Harrison b: 2 Mar 1888 in Currie, Murray County, Minnesota

1. Title: Register of Births
   Author: England. General Register Office.
   Repository:
   
   Page: vol. 21, pg. 150 & 650, item #30, Edward Harrison.
   Text:
   Registration Dist: The Preston Union; 1844 birth in the Sub-dist of Longton in the County of Lancaster.
   When and where born: 19 May 1844 at Farington; Name: Edward; Sex: Boy; Name of father: James Harrison; Name of mother: Susannah Harrison formerly Rigby; Occupation of father: Dresser; Signature, description, and residence of informant: The mark of X James Harrison, father, Farington; When registered: 23 May 1844; Signature of registrar: Thomas Burnett, Registrar.
2. Title: Death Certificates
   Author: Alabama Department of Public Health
   Repository:
   
   Page: death certificate #473 (1912), Edward Harrison
   Text:
   Name: Edward Harrison; Date of death: Apr 10, 1912; Place of death: 157 Charlesten, Mobile; White, Male; Cause of death: Heart disease due to sernility; Reporter: W. R. Jackson, MD; Date of report: Apr 10, 1912; Post Office: Mobile.
3. Title: 1871 census of England. Digital images.
   Author: England. Lancashire County.
   Publication: Ancestry.com. 1871 England Census . http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7619 : 2004
   Page: city of Preston, Municipal Ward of Fishwick, folio 97, page 15, Edward Harrison; digital images, Ancestry.com, \i 1871 England Census\i0  (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7619 : accessed 19 Apr 2011); citing PRO RG 10/4202
4. Title: 1881 census of England. Digital images.
   Author: England. Lancashire County.
   Publication: Ancestry.com. 1881 England Census . http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7572 : 2004
   Page: city of Preston, Municipal Ward of Fishwick, folio 25, page 41, Edward Harrison; digital images, Ancestry.com, \i 1881 England Census\i0  (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7572 : accessed 19 Apr 2011); citing PRO RG 11/4226
5. Title: Online images.
   Page: "Philadelphia Passenger Lists, 1800-1945" (accessed 14 Apr 2011), manifest, \i SS Lord Gough\i0, 4 May 1886
   Text:
   Name: Edward Harrison; Arrival Date: 4 May 1886; Age: 44; Years Estimated Birth Year: abt 1842; Gender: Male; Port of Departure: Liverpool, England; Ship Name: Lord Gough; Port of Arrival: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Last Residence: United States of America; Birthplace: England; Microfilm Roll Number: T840 7.
6. Title: George Matzenger's Mobile Directory . XXXIV volumes. 1899. Digital images.
   Author: Matzenger, GeorgeGeorge Matzenger, Printer, 104 North Royal Street, Mobile, Alabama
   Publication: US City Directories . http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1540 : 2010
   Page: vol. XXXIV: pg. 158;
7. Title: 1900 U.S. census, Ancestry.com, Digital images
   Author: Alabama, Mobile County
   Publication: http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=List&dbid=7602&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0: National Archives and Records Administration, 2004
   Page: T623, roll 31, city of Mobile, Ward 5, enumeration district (ED) 100, sheet 10A, p. 317A, line #12, dwelling 172, family 187, Edward Harrison, accessed 14 Apr 2011
8. Title: 1910 U.S. census, Ancestry.com, Digital images
   Author: Alabama, Mobile County
   Publication: http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=List&dbid=7884&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0: National Archives and Records Administration, 2006
   Page: T624, roll 27, city of Mobile, Ward 5, enumeration district (ED) 92, sheet 2B, p. 177B, line #85, dwelling 44, family 49, Edward Harrison, accessed 14 Apr 2011