Alexander Harris (minister): Difference between revisions

Alexander Harris (1818–1909) 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, known historically as "Forty acres and a mule" order.

Early Life

Born July 19, 1818 in Savannah, Georgia, Harris was a Free man his entire life. Although very little is known of his early life, Harris lived in Augusta, Georgia as a young man, working as a blacksmith.

Harris married Frances F. Harris (March 15, 1818 - 10 February 10, 1899) in 1844. A free woman and a seamstress according to census records, Frances was believed to have had the maiden name of Fuller, since many of her relatives were Fullers. Harris and Frances had three children: Fuleria Frances Harris Montmollin (1849–1870), William Henry Harris (1853–1888), and Nathaniel D. Harris (1856–1879). Harris outlived Frances and all three of their 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 drummer with the Republican Blues drum and bugle corps. The Blues were an independent company of Georgia in the volunteer infantry. He was listed as "colored man, not mustered, but in service. He only served 60 days with the Blues, having entered service on June 30, 1862 and exited on August 30, 1862.

At the time of General Sherman's March to the Sea during the U.S. Civil War, Harris served as a deacon of the Third African Church, now known as [[First Bryan Baptist Church. Since Savannah, Georgia's city limits began at West Broad Street (now Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.), the Confederate defenses rested along Ogeechee Canal. As a consequence, First Bryan Baptist Church was the was the only church sitting in the middle of the battlefield. As citizens fled the city of Savannah out of fear, officers of First Bryan refused to close the church’s doors. Harris understood First Bryan Baptist Church’s defenseless position and led officers of the church down to the Confederate defense line for the city at the Ogeechee Canal to request that the church be saved from destruction. Another officer of First Bryan Baptist Church, Dr. William Pollard, lived on Bryan Street across from First Bryan Baptist Church. As Sherman’s army came down Bay Road, Dr. Pollard gave the captain one of the torches that was used for light in the front of the church. The captain used the torch so the army could see their way into the city. Gen. Sherman summoned Dr. Pollard and gave him the assignment of contacting all African-Americans in Savannah to request that they gather in Greene Square on January 1, 1865 for the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation.

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 Reverends Garrison Frazier and Ulysses Houston.

First Bryan Baptist Church had more representatives at this meeting than any other church.

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

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. 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.

Death

Harris passed away in Savannah, Georgia on October 9, 1909 at 91 years old from "senility" after being sick for 6 months prior to his passing. Rev. George Henry Dwelle, Harris' life-long friend and the father of Dr. Georgia Rooks Dwelle (1884–1977), officiated Harris' funeral. << ref> Savannah Morning News, October 11, 1909. </ref> Harris was interred at the historic Laurel Grove Cemetery-South in Savannah, Georgia. The Southern Cross of the Confederate States of America is installed at his gravesite.