Alexander Harris (minister): Difference between revisions
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Alexander Harris was an [[African-American]] deacon, trustee, interim pastor of the [[First Bryan Baptist Church]] and one of the most powerful black religious and civil leaders in Savannah during the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth century. |
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With [[Garrison Frazier]] and nineteen other black ministers, Harris met with [[Military Division of the Mississippi]] [[Union Army]] [[Major-General]] [[William Tecumseh Sherman]] and [[Secretary of War]] [[Edwin M. Stanton]] on January 12, 1865 at |
With [[Garrison Frazier]] and nineteen other black ministers, Harris met with [[Military Division of the Mississippi]] [[Union Army]] [[Major-General]] [[William Tecumseh Sherman]] and [[Secretary of War]] [[Edwin M. Stanton]] on January 12, 1865 at Sherman's [[Green-Meldrim House]] headquarters in [[Savannah, Georgia]]. This infamous meeting, widely regarded as the "Savannah Colloquy" or the "[[Forty acres and a mule]]" meeting, resulted in Sherman issuing, on January 16, 1865, [[Special Field Orders, No. 15]], historically known as "[[Forty acres and a mule]]" order. <ref> Colloquy with Colored Ministers, The Journal of African American History |
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Volume 16, Number 1 |
Volume 16, Number 1 |
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January 1931 (University of Chicago Press Journals). https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.2307/2714000?journalCode=jnh </ref> <ref> “Lest We Forget: Minutes of an interview between the colored ministers and church officers at Savannah with the Secretary of War and Major-General Sherman. Bennie J. McRae, Jr., LWF Network, http://lestweforget.hamptonu.edu/page.cfm?uuid=9FEC3212-90DA-5859-77BF63F1120E4DAF </ref> |
January 1931 (University of Chicago Press Journals). https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.2307/2714000?journalCode=jnh </ref> <ref> “Lest We Forget: Minutes of an interview between the colored ministers and church officers at Savannah with the Secretary of War and Major-General Sherman. Bennie J. McRae, Jr., LWF Network, http://lestweforget.hamptonu.edu/page.cfm?uuid=9FEC3212-90DA-5859-77BF63F1120E4DAF </ref> |
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Early Life |
'''Early Life''' |
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Born on July 19, 1818 in Savannah, Georgia, Haris was a Free man r ll of his life. He lived in Augusta as a young man and worked as a blacksmith there. |
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Harris was married to Frances F. Harris (March 15, 1818 - 10 February 10, 1899). <ref> Find a Grave. Frances F. Harris. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95940213/frances-f.-harris </ref> They had three children: Fuleria Frances Harris Montmollin (1849–1870), William Henry Harris (1853–1888), and Nathaniel D. Harris (1856–1879). Harris outlived his wife and all three of his children. |
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Conscripted Service to the Confederate States of America''' |
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Harris was conscripted into the Confederate Army during the [[U.S. Civil War]] where he served as a member of the Republican Blues drum and bugle corps. He has the Southern Cross of the Confederate States of America at his gravesite. |
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'''Historic Meeting with Union Army Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman''' |
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On January 12, 1865, Harris joined twenty [[African-American]] [[Baptist]] and [[Methodist]] ministers who met with Military Division of the Mississippi Union Army Major-General [[William Tecumseh Sherman]] and [[Secretary of War]] [[Edwin M. Stanton]] in the historic "Savannah Colloquy" or the "[[Forty acres and a mule]]" meeting. He attended the meeting with several fellow [[First Bryan Baptist Church]] pastors including Reverend [[Garrison Frazier]] and [[Ulysses Houston]]. |
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'''Ministry and History with [[Savannah State University]]''' |
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In 1873, Harris founded [[First Bryan Baptist Church]] (previously the First, Second and Third African Churches of Savannah) on West Board and Waldburg Streets, and the Mount Olive Baptist Association in 1872. He also served as the pastor of historic Nicolsonboro Baptist Church for many years. |
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Harris, with James Simms, Reverend E.K. Love, J.H .C. Butler, James Ross, John McIntosh, and others helped to bring Georgia State Industrial College to Savannah in 1891. Georgia State Industrial College is known today as Savannah State University <ref> https://www.savannahstate.edu/about-ssu/history.shtml </ref> |
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'''Freemasonry in Georgia''' |
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| ⚫ | One of the oldest Masons in Georgia at the time, Harris was among the first persons to be initiated in Eureka Lodge No. 1 of Savannah on February 4, 1866. <ref. Savannah Tribune, October 16, 1909 </ref> Harris served as Junior Deacon of Eureka Lodge No. 11 (presently Eureka No. 1) in 1866, served as Senior Deacon of the Lodge in 1867, and became the Junior Warden in 1868. In 1869-1870, Harris served as Senior Warden, Worshipful Master for Eureka No. 1 in 1871, and Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Georgia -Colored (now the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Mason for the Jurisdiction of Georgia) from June 1883 to June 1886. <ref> Find a Grave, Alexander Harris. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95939962/alexander-harris </ref> |
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Harris passed away on October 9, 1909 at the age of 91 in Savannah, Georgia, Chatham County. He was interred at the historic Laurel Grove Cemetery-South in [[Savannah, Georgia]]. <ref> Find a Grave, Alexander Harris. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95939962/alexander-harris </ref> |
Harris passed away on October 9, 1909 at the age of 91 in Savannah, Georgia, Chatham County. He was interred at the historic Laurel Grove Cemetery-South in [[Savannah, Georgia]]. <ref> Find a Grave, Alexander Harris. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95939962/alexander-harris </ref> |
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Revision as of 19:34, 6 March 2021
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Alexander Harris was an African-American deacon, trustee, interim pastor of the First Bryan Baptist Church and one of the most powerful black religious and civil leaders in Savannah during the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth century.
With Garrison Frazier and nineteen other black ministers, Harris met with Military Division of the Mississippi Union Army Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton on January 12, 1865 at Sherman's Green-Meldrim House headquarters in Savannah, Georgia. This infamous meeting, widely regarded as the "Savannah Colloquy" or the "Forty acres and a mule" meeting, resulted in Sherman issuing, on January 16, 1865, Special Field Orders, No. 15, historically known as "Forty acres and a mule" order. [1] [2]
Early Life
Born on July 19, 1818 in Savannah, Georgia, Haris was a Free man r ll of his life. He lived in Augusta as a young man and worked as a blacksmith there.
Harris was married to Frances F. Harris (March 15, 1818 - 10 February 10, 1899). [3] They had three children: Fuleria Frances Harris Montmollin (1849–1870), William Henry Harris (1853–1888), and Nathaniel D. Harris (1856–1879). Harris outlived his wife and all three of his children.
Conscripted Service to the Confederate States of America Harris was conscripted into the Confederate Army during the U.S. Civil War where he served as a member of the Republican Blues drum and bugle corps. He has the Southern Cross of the Confederate States of America at his gravesite.
Historic Meeting with Union Army Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman
On January 12, 1865, Harris joined twenty African-American Baptist and Methodist ministers who met with Military Division of the Mississippi Union Army Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton in the historic "Savannah Colloquy" or the "Forty acres and a mule" meeting. He attended the meeting with several fellow First Bryan Baptist Church pastors including Reverend Garrison Frazier and Ulysses Houston.
Ministry and History with Savannah State University In 1873, Harris founded First Bryan Baptist Church (previously the First, Second and Third African Churches of Savannah) on West Board and Waldburg Streets, and the Mount Olive Baptist Association in 1872. He also served as the pastor of historic Nicolsonboro Baptist Church for many years.
Harris, with James Simms, Reverend E.K. Love, J.H .C. Butler, James Ross, John McIntosh, and others helped to bring Georgia State Industrial College to Savannah in 1891. Georgia State Industrial College is known today as Savannah State University [4]
Freemasonry in Georgia
One of the oldest Masons in Georgia at the time, Harris was among the first persons to be initiated in Eureka Lodge No. 1 of Savannah on February 4, 1866. <ref. Savannah Tribune, October 16, 1909 </ref> Harris served as Junior Deacon of Eureka Lodge No. 11 (presently Eureka No. 1) in 1866, served as Senior Deacon of the Lodge in 1867, and became the Junior Warden in 1868. In 1869-1870, Harris served as Senior Warden, Worshipful Master for Eureka No. 1 in 1871, and Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Georgia -Colored (now the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Mason for the Jurisdiction of Georgia) from June 1883 to June 1886. [5]
Death Harris passed away on October 9, 1909 at the age of 91 in Savannah, Georgia, Chatham County. He was interred at the historic Laurel Grove Cemetery-South in Savannah, Georgia. [6]
- ^ Colloquy with Colored Ministers, The Journal of African American History Volume 16, Number 1 January 1931 (University of Chicago Press Journals). https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.2307/2714000?journalCode=jnh
- ^ “Lest We Forget: Minutes of an interview between the colored ministers and church officers at Savannah with the Secretary of War and Major-General Sherman. Bennie J. McRae, Jr., LWF Network, http://lestweforget.hamptonu.edu/page.cfm?uuid=9FEC3212-90DA-5859-77BF63F1120E4DAF
- ^ Find a Grave. Frances F. Harris. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95940213/frances-f.-harris
- ^ https://www.savannahstate.edu/about-ssu/history.shtml
- ^ Find a Grave, Alexander Harris. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95939962/alexander-harris
- ^ Find a Grave, Alexander Harris. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95939962/alexander-harris