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Local figure

Joseph A. Harris

Joseph A. Harris was a printer and newspaper editor in Orange County. In 1878 he began publishing the Chapel Hill Ledger from a small wooden shop on the south side of East Franklin Street, and he stopped it in 1880. He then edited and owned the Orange County Observer at Hillsborough, a Democratic weekly that ran into the 1910s.

Source: DigitalNC: Orange County observer. (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918

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Life and Orange County connections

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 53 dated events in the chronology →

  1. Joseph A. Harris publishes the Chapel Hill Ledger Joseph A. Harris began printing the Chapel Hill Ledger in a small wooden shop on the south side of East Franklin Street. He stopped publishing it in 1880. People: Joseph A. Harris Place: Ledger shop, south side of East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill · Also mentions: East Franklin StreetSearch the index · Bernard Lee Bryant Jr., Occupants and Structures of Franklin Street, Chapel Hill (1998; Chapel Hill Historical Society, 1999), scan p. 135
  2. Charles B. Aycock leaves the Ledger and Joseph A. Harris takes over as editor Joseph A. Harris, who had founded the Chapel Hill Ledger nearly two years before, announced that Charles B. Aycock had withdrawn as editor and that he would edit and publish the paper himself. People: Charles B. Aycock, Joseph A. Harris Place: Ledger office, Chapel HillSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Ledger, January 10, 1880, p. 2
  3. The Orange County Observer begins publication at Hillsborough Joseph A. Harris started the Orange County Observer at Hillsborough in October 1880 as its publisher and one of its editors, numbering it a new series of a paper established in 1878. The paper ran until about 1917. People: Joseph A. Harris Place: HillsboroughSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), October 23, 1880, p. 1 (masthead: Established in 1878, New Series, Vol. I, No. 3) · Also: Lefler and Wager, Orange County, 1752-1952; Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), October 8, 1887, p. 2
  4. Prohibition supporters organize a county committee at the Hillsborough courthouse Friends of prohibition met at the courthouse in Hillsborough to organize the county for the August 1881 prohibition vote. They named Rev. N. H. Cobb president, Joseph A. Harris secretary and every minister in the county, white and Black, a vice president, appointed committees for Hillsborough, Cedar Grove, Bingham, Little River and Chapel Hill, asked the county's women to form prohibition societies, and set an annual meeting for July 4. People: Joseph A. Harris Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: N. H. CobbSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), July 16, 1881, p. 2
  5. Orange Democrats nominate H. H. McKee for sheriff A Democratic mass meeting at the court house, with Col. W. H. Jordan presiding, nominated H. H. McKee of Little River Township for sheriff by acclamation, filling the one blank on the party's county ticket two weeks before the election. People: Joseph A. Harris Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: H. H. McKee, W. H. JordanSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), October 28, 1882, p. 2
  6. A new storehouse on Churton Street opens with Hayes's drug store and the Observer office A new two-story storehouse on Churton Street, north of Jones's store, was made ready for use at the start of September 1883. W. A. Hayes moved his drug store into the ground floor, and the Orange County Observer moved its office and press to the second story, where it stayed for the rest of the year. People: Joseph A. Harris Place: Churton Street, north of Jones's store, Hillsborough · Also named: W. A. HayesSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), September 1, 1883, p. 3
  7. Hillsborough elects editor Joseph A. Harris mayor Hillsborough voters chose Joseph A. Harris, editor of the Orange County Observer, as mayor, with A. W. Graham, James Webb Jr., W. H. Newman, George C. Corbin, W. E. Steward, J. W. Hooker and D. M. Laws as commissioners. The outgoing mayor, Corbin, had declined to run again. People: James Webb Jr., George C. Corbin, Augustus Washington Graham, J. W. Hooker, Dudley M. Laws Place: Hillsborough · Also named: W. H. Newman, W. E. StewardSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 9, 1885, p. 3
  8. Hillsborough elects Joseph A. Harris mayor With no opposing ticket and only about half the registered voters taking part, Hillsborough elected Joseph A. Harris, editor of the Orange County Observer, as mayor, with A. W. Graham, James A. Cheek, Henry Richards Jr., A. J. Ruffin, John Rosemond, James Webb Jr. and Jesse Hedgpeth as commissioners. The new board took office May 7 and chose Thomas D. Tinnin clerk and John Laws treasurer. People: Allen Jones Ruffin, James Webb Jr., James A. Cheek, Augustus Washington Graham Place: Hillsborough · Also named: Henry Richards Jr., John Rosemond, Jesse Hedgpeth, Thomas D. Tinnin, John LawsSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 7, 1887, p. 3
  9. Hillsborough's town board bars burials of outsiders in the Black cemetery without a permit The Hillsborough commissioners ordered that no one who died outside the town could be buried in the town's colored cemetery without a permit from the town constable. At the same meeting they named committees to plan a mayor's office and guard house and to look into lighting the streets. People: Joseph A. Harris Place: Black cemetery, HillsboroughSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), June 4, 1887, p. 3
  10. Hillsborough re-elects Joseph A. Harris mayor over Samuel M. Gattis Hillsborough voters re-elected editor Joseph A. Harris mayor over Samuel M. Gattis, 79 to 39, and chose D. C. Parks, George Laws, Thomas Hedgpeth, James Webb Jr., James A. Cheek, Henry Richards Jr. and D. Y. Mebane as town commissioners. People: Samuel Mallett Gattis, David C. Parks, James Webb Jr., James A. Cheek Place: Hillsborough · Also named: George Laws, Thomas Hedgpeth, Henry Richards Jr., D. Y. MebaneSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 12, 1888, p. 3
  11. Hillsborough sends money to the yellow fever sufferers of Jacksonville During the Jacksonville yellow fever epidemic, Eagle Lodge No. 71 gave $10 for stricken Masons there and the Observer opened a subscription list at a reader's request. The $6 raised through the paper was sent to the mayor of Jacksonville on October 3, and the acting mayor, D. T. Gerow, wrote back to thank the givers. People: Joseph A. Harris Place: Hillsborough · Also named: D. T. GerowSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), October 6, 1888, p. 3
  12. Hillsborough church men organize a Young Men's Christian Association at the Presbyterian manse Men from the town's churches met at the Presbyterian manse on a Monday night, adopted a constitution and bylaws, and elected Charles M. Parks president and Joseph A. Harris secretary. The next meeting was called for the manse on December 10. People: Joseph A. Harris, Charles M. Parks Place: Presbyterian manse, Churton Street, HillsboroughSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), December 8, 1888, p. 3 · Also: Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), December 1, 1888, p. 3
Show all 53 dated events
  1. C. M. Parks gives the Hillsboro Circuit its first parsonage C. M. Parks bought the James Y. Whitted house on Churton Street in January 1889 and fitted it up as a parsonage for the Methodists' Hillsboro Circuit, and the pastor moved in that February. Parks then gave the house, on about nine-tenths of an acre at Union and Churton streets and valued at $1,800 to $2,000, to the circuit as its first parsonage; the gift was announced in November 1890 and the deed to the church trustees is dated April 13, 1891. People: Samuel Mallett Gattis, O. J. Forrest, Joseph A. Harris, Charles M. Parks Place: Union and Churton streets, Hillsborough · Also mentions: Churton StreetSearch the index · Pauline O. Lloyd and Allen A. Lloyd, History of the Churches of Hillsborough, N.C., ca. 1766-1962 (1963), scan p. 110 · Also: Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), November 15, 1890, p. 2; Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), February 9, 1889, p. 3
  2. The Orange County Sunday School Convention meets at Hillsborough Seventeen delegates of the county's Sunday schools met in convention at the Hillsborough Methodist church with Rev. W. F. Wilhelm in the chair, heard addresses by Revs. G. W. Harman and W. B. North, and chose delegates to the state convention at Charlotte. People: Joseph A. Harris, Joshua W. Gore, W. S. Roberson, W. F. Wilhelm Place: Methodist church, Hillsborough · Also named: G. W. Harman, W. B. NorthSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), March 2, 1889, p. 3
  3. Julian S. Carr's carload of meal is given out to Orange County's destitute A carload of meal paid for by Julian S. Carr of Durham was handed out in April at Hillsborough by Joseph A. Harris and at Chapel Hill by commissioner J. Y. Merritt to families without bread, without regard to color, sect or religion; by April 20 it was all gone. People: Julian S. Carr, Joseph A. Harris Place: Hillsborough and Chapel Hill · Also named: J. Y. MerrittSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), April 20, 1889, p. 3
  4. Hillsborough re-elects Mayor Joseph A. Harris over Devereux Turner Hillsborough re-elected Joseph A. Harris mayor over Devereux Turner by 49 votes and chose D. Y. Mebane, M. W. McCollum, James A. Cheek, George Laws, Joseph G. Cooley, A. J. Ruffin and S. J. Lynch as commissioners without opposition; the new board kept James Carmichael as constable and John Laws as treasurer. People: Allen Jones Ruffin, James A. Cheek, Joseph G. Cooley Place: Hillsborough · Also named: Devereux Turner, D. Y. Mebane, M. W. McCollum, George Laws, S. J. Lynch, James Carmichael, John LawsSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 11, 1889, p. 3
  5. Hillsborough men organize the Orange Cattle Club The Orange Cattle Club was organized with C. M. Parks as president, Joseph A. Harris secretary, James Norwood treasurer and Thomas D. Turner chief marshal, and set a cattle show at Hillsborough for June 3. People: Joseph A. Harris, Charles M. Parks Place: Hillsborough · Also named: James Norwood, Thomas D. TurnerSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 25, 1889, p. 3
  6. Hillsborough's town board puts about forty Town Commons building lots up for bids The town commissioners named James A. Cheek, S. J. Lynch and D. Y. Mebane to take bids on some forty or more building lots in the Town Commons, with every sale to be confirmed by the board. People: Joseph A. Harris, James A. Cheek Place: Town Commons, Hillsborough · Also named: S. J. Lynch, D. Y. MebaneSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), January 4, 1890, p. 2
  7. Hillsborough holds a public meeting and memorial service for Jefferson Davis Citizens meeting at the court house with D. Y. Mebane in the chair adopted resolutions on the death of Jefferson Davis, drafted by C. E. Parish, D. H. Hamilton and J. G. Cooley, and a memorial service followed at the Presbyterian church, conducted by W. F. Wilhelm. People: Joseph A. Harris, Calvin E. Parish, W. F. Wilhelm, Joseph G. Cooley Place: Court house and Presbyterian church, Hillsborough · Also named: D. Y. Mebane, Jefferson Davis, D. H. HamiltonSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), December 14, 1889, p. 2
  8. The Hillsborough YMCA elects delegates to the state convention Meeting on Monday night, the Young Men's Christian Association of Hillsborough chose Charles M. Parks and C. E. Parish as delegates, with S. M. Gattis and Joseph A. Harris as alternates, to the state YMCA convention at Goldsboro in March. People: Calvin E. Parish, Samuel Mallett Gattis, Joseph A. Harris, Charles M. Parks Place: Hillsborough · Also mentions: YMCASearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), February 8, 1890, p. 3
  9. Hillsboro re-elects Mayor Joseph A. Harris with a seven-man town board The town election returned Joseph A. Harris as mayor with commissioners Robert Faucette, Harry L. Parish, Hayes, S. J. Lynch, Henry N. Brown Jr., James A. Cheek and George Laws. Clerk S. M. Gattis swore them in on May 13, and on May 19 Parish gave bond as treasurer and the board named standing committees, with Cheek heading streets. People: Samuel Mallett Gattis, Harry L. Parish, James A. Cheek Place: Hillsborough · Also named: Robert Faucette, S. J. Lynch, Henry N. Brown Jr., George LawsSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 10, 1890, p. 3
  10. Hillsborough re-elects Mayor Joseph A. Harris and chooses a seven-man town board Harris, the editor of the Observer, won the Monday town election as mayor. The new board was James Webb Jr., James A. Cheek, S. J. Lynch, H. N. Brown Jr., H. L. Faucette, O. D. Hooker and T. C. Hayes. People: James Webb Jr., James A. Cheek Place: Hillsborough · Also named: S. J. Lynch, H. N. Brown Jr., H. L. Faucette, O. D. Hooker, T. C. HayesSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 9, 1891, p. 3
  11. The Orange County Observer moves its office to rooms over Joseph A. Harris Jr.'s store The Orange County Observer moved its printing office in late January 1892 to new quarters over Joseph A. Harris Jr.'s store, opposite the court house. Place: Over the Harris store, opposite the court house, Hillsborough · Also named: Joseph A. Harris Jr.Search the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), January 16, 1892, p. 3
  12. Orange County Democrats hold their county convention and name a ticket Meeting at the court house, the convention chose C. W. Johnston of Chapel Hill township as chairman and Joseph A. Harris as secretary. It nominated Hughes for sheriff, John Laws for register of deeds, D. M. Laws for treasurer, Dr. D. C. Parris for coroner and George W. Tate for surveyor, named James Norwood for the House, and recommended Thomas M. Cheek for the district's Senate seat. A resolution also asked the governor to appoint Maj. John W. Graham to the Supreme Court seat left empty by the death of Justice Davis. People: John W. Graham, Joseph A. Harris, D. C. Parris, George W. Tate, Dudley M. Laws Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: Thomas M. Cheek, James Norwood, John Hughes, John Laws, C. W. JohnstonSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), August 20, 1892, p. 2
  13. Democrats of the 18th Senatorial District meet at Hillsborough and nominate two candidates for the State Senate Delegates from Alamance, Caswell, Durham and Orange met in Hillsborough. H. A. Reams of Durham presided and Joseph A. Harris of the Observer was secretary. Thomas M. Cheek of Orange and a Burch of Alamance were nominated by acclamation, and Maj. John W. Graham and Reams made speeches. People: Joseph A. Harris, John W. Graham Place: Hillsborough · Also named: H. A. Reams, Thomas M. CheekSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), September 17, 1892, p. 2
  14. Hillsborough re-elects Mayor Joseph A. Harris and chooses a new town board Hillsborough voters re-elected Joseph A. Harris mayor on May 1, although he had announced that he was not a candidate, and chose seven town commissioners. The new board organized the next day, electing Eugene L. Haskell clerk and E. A. Rosemond treasurer and keeping John Christmas as town constable. People: Edward Atkins Rosemond, John Christmas Place: Hillsborough · Also named: Eugene L. HaskellSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 6, 1893, p. 3
  15. N. W. Brown's suit to unseat Hillsborough mayor Joseph A. Harris goes forward in superior court At the fall term of Orange Superior Court, Judge Starbuck overruled the demurrer in a suit brought by N. W. Brown, the defeated Republican candidate for mayor of Hillsborough, and gave leave to answer within 30 days. Brown asked the court to declare the office vacant because mayor-elect Joseph A. Harris had not filed an itemized statement of his election expenses within ten days of the election, as the law required. People: N. W. Brown, Joseph A. Harris Place: Court house, HillsboroughSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), November 2, 1895, p. 3
  16. Hillsborough elects Mayor Joseph A. Harris and an all-Democratic town board Hillsborough voters elected Democrat Joseph A. Harris mayor over Republican Nathan W. Brown, 82 to 52, with a Democratic board of commissioners. The new registration, ordered after the old book was lost, listed 72 white and 71 Black voters, and about 25 Black men voted the Democratic ticket. People: N. W. Brown, Clarence Dupre Jones, Frank Nash, H. Winder Webb, Dudley M. Laws Place: Court house, HillsboroughSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 9, 1896, p. 3
  17. Hillsborough's commissioners take up revised town ordinances and order them printed and posted The Hillsborough board went through a revision of the town ordinances section by section and ordered them printed and posted. The mayor named standing committees for public property, streets, finance, cemeteries, and the pump, clock and scales. People: Joseph A. Harris, Frank Nash, Clarence Dupre Jones, H. Winder Webb, Dudley M. Laws Place: HillsboroughSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 23, 1896, p. 3
  18. Hillsborough elects Mayor Joseph A. Harris and its first Black town commissioner, Samuel L. Whitted Hillsborough voters returned Joseph A. Harris as mayor and chose seven commissioners in an election held under the amended state election law, with no regular party nominations. Samuel L. Whitted, elected with Black votes and those of a few white Republicans, was by the paper's account the first Black man ever elected a town commissioner. People: Joseph A. Harris Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: Samuel L. WhittedSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 6, 1897, p. 3
  19. Hillsborough's town board levies the 1897 town tax and orders the last Commons lots sold Hillsborough's town commissioners levied the 1897 town tax at 15 cents on each $100 of property and 45 cents on each poll, filled two vacant seats and ordered the remaining Town Commons lots sold. The sale of 39 lots was then advertised for December 16 under a private act of 1897. People: Joseph A. Harris, James A. Cheek Place: Hillsborough · Also mentions: Town CommonsSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), September 16, 1897, p. 3
  20. John T. Shaw unseats Mayor Joseph A. Harris by one vote Hillsborough voters elected John T. Shaw mayor over the sitting mayor, Joseph A. Harris, by 74 votes to 73, with one vote for P. B. Ruffin. They chose E. G. Sherrill, E. A. Rosemond, Dr. C. D. Jones, S. E. Cole, F. R. Faucette, George A. Durham and J. R. Roach as town commissioners. People: Joseph A. Harris, Clarence Dupre Jones, Edward Atkins Rosemond, George A. Durham Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: John T. Shaw, E. G. Sherrill, S. E. Cole, F. R. Faucette, J. R. Roach, P. B. RuffinSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 5, 1898, p. 3
  21. Orange Democrats choose convention delegates and back S. M. Gattis for solicitor The Orange County Democratic convention, chaired by W. C. Cole of Chapel Hill Township, chose delegates to the state, judicial and congressional conventions and instructed its judicial delegates to work for Samuel M. Gattis for solicitor. At the district convention in Durham on May 25 the nomination went to Boone of Durham on the first ballot. People: Samuel Mallett Gattis, Joseph A. Harris Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: W. C. ColeSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 26, 1898, p. 2
  22. Hillsborough elects Joseph A. Harris mayor again over Chester D. Turner Hillsborough voters returned Joseph A. Harris as mayor, 73 votes to 28 for Chester D. Turner, a year after he lost the office to John T. Shaw. The new board sworn in on May 8 was H. L. Parish, J. A. Cheek, D. M. Laws, George A. Durham, James H. Hedgpeth, E. A. Rosemond and S. J. [surname lost]. People: Harry L. Parish, Edward Atkins Rosemond, Chester D. Turner, James A. Cheek, George A. Durham, Dudley M. Laws Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: John T. Shaw, James H. HedgpethSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 4, 1899, p. 3
  23. Smallpox reaches Hillsborough and the postmaster's house is quarantined Dr. William Strudwick and Dr. C. D. Jones, the county superintendent of health, found that Postmaster J. Clyde Cheek had smallpox, perhaps caught from handling the mail. The town commissioners then met and, since Hillsborough had no health officer of its own, acted under Dr. Jones to cut the Cheek house off from the public. Everyone on the premises was vaccinated, no other town case followed, and Cheek was well and out again by late March. People: Clarence Dupre Jones, Joseph A. Harris Place: Hillsborough · Also named: J. Clyde Cheek, William StrudwickSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), February 22, 1900, p. 3
  24. Orange Democrats instruct their state delegates for a Senate primary The Orange Democratic county convention, with C. W. Johnston in the chair, elected 21 delegates to the state convention, endorsed Charles B. Aycock for governor and unanimously instructed the delegates to work for a primary at the November election to choose a United States senator. People: Samuel Mallett Gattis, Joseph A. Harris, Charles B. Aycock Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: C. W. JohnstonSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), April 12, 1900, p. 2
  25. Hillsborough re-elects Mayor Joseph A. Harris over William Strain Hillsborough voters re-elected Democrat Joseph A. Harris mayor over Republican William Strain, 91 to 60, and elected the Democratic board of S. J. Lynch, James A. Cheek, James Webb Sr., E. A. Rosemond, O. J. Forrest, E. G. Sherrill and James H. Hedgpeth. People: Edward Atkins Rosemond, James A. Cheek, O. J. Forrest Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: William Strain, S. J. Lynch, James Webb Sr., E. G. Sherrill, James H. HedgpethSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 10, 1900, p. 3
  26. The legislature amends Hillsborough's charter, cutting the town board to five and setting a $100 liquor license The General Assembly passed an amendment to Hillsborough's town charter that reduced the board of town commissioners from seven members to five and fixed the town liquor license at $100 a year. Mayor Harris had prepared the changes in January for Representative S. M. Gattis to carry to Raleigh. People: Joseph A. Harris, Samuel Mallett Gattis Place: HillsboroughSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), March 7, 1901, p. 3
  27. The county elections board creates St. Mary's precinct and moves two polling places The Orange County Board of Elections merged the Pleasant Green and Orange Academy precincts of Little River Township into a new St. Mary's precinct voting at St. Mary's school house, moved the West Hillsboro polling place from J. W. Hooker's store to John Christmas's store on King Street, and moved the Patterson's precinct polling place in Chapel Hill Township to Joseph J. Whitfield's store. People: Joseph A. Harris, Junius D. Webb, John Christmas, J. W. Hooker Place: St. Mary's school house; King Street, Hillsborough · Also mentions: King StreetSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), October 9, 1902, p. 2
  28. Hillsborough votes for prohibition for the first time and elects Joseph A. Harris mayor For the first time in the town's history the prohibition ticket carried Hillsborough's election: Joseph A. Harris was elected mayor, and O. J. Forrest, N. W. Brown, P. H. Smith and A. F. Crabtree won on the prohibition ticket with James Webb on the license ticket, giving a board expected to refuse saloon licenses after July 1. People: Joseph A. Harris, N. W. Brown, O. J. Forrest Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: P. H. Smith, A. F. Crabtree, James WebbSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 7, 1903, p. 3
  29. Hillsborough's commissioners refuse every saloon license, making the town dry after June 30 The new town board unanimously refused the applications of James A. Cheek, Theodore Turner and H. Goodman to retail liquor, so that when the licenses ran out on June 30 Hillsborough would be dry for the first time. People: Joseph A. Harris, James A. Cheek Place: Hillsborough · Also named: Theodore Turner, H. GoodmanSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), June 11, 1903, p. 3
  30. Orange Democrats instruct their delegates for Robert B. Glenn for governor The Orange County Democratic convention at Hillsboro on June 4 chose delegates to the state and congressional conventions at Greensboro and instructed them to cast most of the county's ten votes for Robert B. Glenn and the rest for Charles M. Stedman for governor, to back Hoke and Brown for the Supreme Court and W. W. Kitchin for Congress; S. M. Gattis was made a delegate at large. People: Samuel Mallett Gattis, Joseph A. Harris, R. B. (Robert Brodnax) Glenn Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: Charles M. Stedman, W. W. KitchinSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), June 9, 1904, p. 3
  31. Town commissioners accept three gasoline street lamps from a citizens' association The Hillsborough commissioners accepted an offer from Paul C. Collins, for an association of citizens that included Shepperd Strudwick, to buy and put up three gasoline street lamps at Churton and King, at Churton and Tryon, and on King Street near the Occoneechee Hotel at no cost to the town. In return the town agreed to keep them in order and lit for five years. People: Paul C. Collins, Shepperd Strudwick (1868-1961), Joseph A. Harris Place: Churton and King streets, Hillsborough · Also mentions: King StreetSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), August 4, 1904, p. 3
  32. Hillsborough's commissioners ask the legislature for a much higher saloon license The town board unanimously adopted a charter amendment raising the town liquor license from $100 to $1,000 and giving the board power to regulate the trade and revoke licenses, and Representative Ira E. D. Andrews introduced it in the House. The bill was reported favorably in February with a compromise figure of $750. People: Joseph A. Harris, Shepperd Strudwick (1868-1961) Place: Hillsborough · Also named: Ira E. D. AndrewsSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), January 26, 1905, p. 2
  33. Hillsborough elects a town board expected to license saloons Joseph A. Harris was re-elected mayor, and voters chose Shepperd Strudwick, William A. Hayes, Calvin R. Lassiter, Stephen E. Cole and George C. Lynch as commissioners over the old dry board of O. J. Forrest, A. F. Crabtree, N. W. Brown and P. H. Smith. The new ticket was understood to favor licensing barrooms, which the old board had refused for two years. People: Joseph A. Harris, Shepperd Strudwick (1868-1961), N. W. Brown, O. J. Forrest Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: William A. Hayes, Calvin R. Lassiter, Stephen E. Cole, George C. Lynch, A. F. Crabtree, P. H. SmithSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 4, 1905, p. 3
  34. Hillsborough's town board elects George A. Durham treasurer At its first business meeting under Mayor Joseph A. Harris, the new Hillsborough board elected Arthur W. Ray clerk, George A. Durham treasurer and Thomas H. Dickson constable. Durham was still town treasurer in 1910. People: George A. Durham, Joseph A. Harris Place: Hillsborough · Also named: Arthur W. Ray, Thomas H. DicksonSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 11, 1905, p. 3 (town board)
  35. A dynamite charge explodes near Mayor Joseph A. Harris's house on Tryon Street Someone set off a dynamite cartridge on Tryon Street about thirty feet from Mayor Joseph A. Harris's house a little after 8 o'clock on the night of January 10, breaking nearly a dozen of his window panes and shaking the houses nearby; no one was hurt. The Observer, Harris's own paper, laid the deed to liquor from the town's blind tigers and expected the grand jury to take it up at the March court. Place: Tryon Street, HillsboroughSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), January 18, 1906, p. 3
  36. Orange Democrats instruct their delegates to back Samuel M. Gattis for judge The Democratic county convention, meeting at the court house on June 9, chose delegates to the state, congressional and judicial conventions and, on a resolution by Ira E. D. Andrews, told its judicial delegates to vote solidly for Samuel M. Gattis of Hillsboro for superior court judge in the Ninth District; it also endorsed W. W. Kitchin for Congress and A. L. Brooks for solicitor. The district convention at Durham on June 14 nominated J. Crawford Biggs instead. People: Samuel Mallett Gattis, Joseph A. Harris, Junius D. Webb Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: Ira E. D. Andrews, J. Crawford Biggs, A. L. Brooks, W. W. KitchinSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), June 14, 1906, p. 3
  37. A. J. Gordon sits on the Orange County Board of Elections A. J. Gordon served on the three-man County Board of Elections with chairman J. D. Webb and secretary Joseph A. Harris, which named registrars and judges for the 1908 prohibition election and gave notice of registration for the November 1908 election. People: Adolphus J. Gordon, Junius D. Webb, Joseph A. Harris Place: Orange CountySearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), April 9, 1908, p. 3
  38. The Orange County Democratic convention gives Kitchin most of its vote for governor The Orange County Democratic convention, meeting in the courthouse after the May 9 precinct primaries, cast 4.50 of the county's convention votes for W. W. Kitchin for governor, .81 for Ashley Horne and .69 for Locke Craig, and named the county's delegates to the state, congressional and judicial conventions. People: Samuel Mallett Gattis, William W. (William Walton) Kitchin, Joseph A. Harris, Locke Craig, Samuel Weldon Andrews Place: Courthouse, HillsboroughSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 21, 1908, p. 3
  39. District Democrats nominate John W. Graham and Dr. Hurdle for the state Senate at Hillsboro The Democratic senatorial convention for Alamance, Caswell, Durham and Orange met in the court house at Hillsboro and, since the district's plan gave the two seats to Caswell and Orange that year, unanimously nominated Maj. John W. Graham of Orange and Dr. Hurdle of Caswell. Alan Browning became Orange's member of the district executive committee, and R. O. Everett of Durham was kept as chairman. People: John W. Graham, David C. Parks, Joseph A. Harris Place: Court house, Hillsborough · Also named: Alan Browning, R. O. EverettSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), August 25, 1910, p. 5
  40. The Observer publishes a special Hillsboro edition on the town's trade and officials The Orange County Observer gave its front pages to a review of Hillsboro, put at about 1,500 people with two gingham mills and a shuttle factory, and to sketches of its merchants and county officers. It reported $16,000 spent in five years on macadam streets and cement sidewalks. People: Joseph A. Harris, Frank Nash Place: HillsboroughSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), August 25, 1910, p. 1
  41. The Hillsboro Publishing Company takes over the Observer with John T. Johnston as editor The Orange County Observer passed from Joseph A. Harris, its publisher and owner, to the Hillsboro Publishing Company, with John T. Johnston as editor. People: Joseph A. Harris Place: Hillsborough · Also named: John T. JohnstonSearch the index · Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), November 19, 1914, p. 4

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People named in the same events

People named in the same dated entries as Joseph A. Harris, those sharing the most entries first. Each line links one of the shared entries in the chronology, where its source is cited. A shared entry shows these people in the same event, not how well they knew each other.

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Research sources

Sources and research tools for this person. For ready-made searches of other catalogs, see Search further. Research guide: Trace a family through historical records.

Background

Records of the time

Collections and databases

  • NC LIVE: prepared search for Joseph A. Harris Library card Search NC LIVE for this subject and Orange County. You can change the search terms. Sign in through your North Carolina library to access the materials.
  • Ancestry Library Edition In the libraryOrange County Public Library Census, birth, death and marriage records, and more, free on the public computers at OCPL libraries

Local help

Search further

Search other catalogs and collections for this name. Results may include other people with the same name and have not been reviewed by the Friends.

Books about Joseph A. Harris

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Photographs, papers, and newspapers

Historical records and collections

These searches use Joseph A. Harris’s name without birth or death dates, so results may include namesakes. Links open in a new tab.

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