Volney R. Harris, one of the most prominent and leading business men of Houston County, was born in Logan County, Ky., January 17, 1850, being the third of a family of twelve children of Y. F. E. and Mary Anne (Rowe) Harris. The father was reared in Simpson County, Ky., and was a farmer by occupation, but also carried on a very extensive saddlery. He lived and died in Kentucky, his death occurring in 1870. The mother was reared in Tennessee, and is now living at the age of sixty-five years, making her abode with her different children. The paternal grandfather of V.R. was a very zealous and prominent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and was instrumental in the founding of that church. He educated many young men for the ministry. The immediate subject of this sketch was reared on a farm at his Kentucky home to the age of fourteen years. At this age he began life for himself. Leaving the parental roof with only $2.65 in money he engaged as clerk in a store in Robertson County, Tenn., for three and a half years. At the end of this time he engaged with a Nashville wholesale dry goods jobbing house at a salary of $720 per year for the first year. He worked for this firm for six years at increased salary, and the last two years commanded $3,000 per year. On January 1, 1875, he opened a general merchandising trade at Erin, where he has ever since remained. Being very successful, he has gradually increased his business affairs, and now the firm of Harris & Buquo is engaged extensively in manufacturing lime and cooperage material. The firm has recently started an enterprise at Clifton, Tenn., as the Clifton Cement & Mining Company in the manufacture of cement, sewer-pipe, etc. Mr. Harris was the prime mover in the opening of that enterprise. In 1878, when yellow fever was imported by means of hospital cars being sidetracked here, Mr. Harris, with a few other faithful citizens, fearlessly stood between life and death and with untiring energy cared for the sick and dying. The firm of Harris & Buquo transacts a yearly business of $125,000, and owns about 15,000 acres of land in Houston County. On January 18, 1871, the marriage of Mr. Harris to Lizzie Garner was solemnized. She is the second daughter of Judge John E. Garner, of Springfield, Tenn. This union has been blessed in the birth of six children as follows: Johnnie, who died at ten years of age; Lizzie R., who died at four years of age; Edgar R.; Ewing G.; Henry D. and Mabel. The last four are living. Both Mr. Harris and his wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Harris is a firm Democrat but conservative. He enjoys the high esteem of the people of Houston County, and is too extensively known and highly respected to have us speak otherwise then in his praise. Those who know him will remember that he was a poor boy, and is now a successful business man.

Transcribed by Susan Knight Gore

Source: Goodspeed, Weston A, and John Wooldridge. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present: Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of Montgomery, Robertson, Humphreys, Stewart, Dickson, Cheatham and Houston Counties. Nashville: Goodspeed Pub. Co, 1886.