S. B. HARRIS

Captain S. B. HARRIS, president of the First National Bank of Hancock, Houghton County, Michigan, has been a prominent resident of the Northern Peninsula of Michigan for a period of almost half a century. Until recently he was superintendent of the Quincy mine, and is still financially interested in it to a great extent. Captain Harris was born in Cornwall, England, in 1834, and while still a resident there served four years, commencing at 12 years of age, as a surveyor's assistant, and began mining at the age of 16 years. In 1854 he came to America, spending two years in the lead mines of Wisconsin, then removing to Ontonagon, Michigan, in 1856, engaging as a miner at the Minnesota mine. His surveying work and subsequent familiarity with the profession proved very valuable to him, For the first few years he was engaged at many different places and mines in the Lake Superior mining region. His first charge, during 1864-65, was at the Mesnard & Pontiac, now a part of the Quincy; he was then mining captain of the Phoenix for about two years; and was with the Eagle Harbor Copper Company two years. In 1868 Captain Harris went to the Calumet as assistant mining captain for a time; then was mining captain of the Franklin, which is now under charge of Captain Hoskins; was for 13 years with the Ridge, Adventure and other properties now belonging to the Mass and Adventure mines; and in 1884 became superintendent of the Quincy mine. Captain Harris continued as superintendent of the last named mine until he retired, in 1902, when he was succeeded by his son, John L. Harris.  He still holds considerable stock in the Quincy Mining Company, whose offices are in New York City. The officers are: W. R. Todd, president; C. J. Devereux of Boston, vice-president; W. A. O. Paul of New York, secretary and treasurer. The members of the board of directors are: Messrs. Meserve and Brigham of Boston, Massachusetts; Dodge, Bliss and Todd of New York City; and Don M. Dickinson of Detroit, Michigan.

For a number of years past Captain Harris has been president of the First National Bank of Hancock, an institution which was founded May 18, 1874, and is the oldest in the city. Its promoters were: S. D. North, deceased, J. W. Wright, Charles E. Holland, deceased, Thomas L. Chadbourne, Graham Pope, Joseph H. Chandler, Peter Ruppe and Edgar H. Towar, who is now president of the Marquette National Bank. The first officers were: S. D. North, president; James A. Close, vice-president; and Edgar H. Towar, cashier. The present officers are: Samuel B. Harris, president; A. J. Scott, vice-president; William Condon, who succeeded Mr. Towar as cashier in 1888, and who has since continued in that capacity; and M. M. Shea, assistant cashier. The present board of directors is constituted as follows: William H. Roberts, Charles D. Hanchette, Samuel B. Harris, Michael Finn, John Funkey, George H. Nichols and A. J. Scott. The capital stock of this bank is $100,000, and the surplus is $35,000, showing the bank to be in a very prosperous condition. The First National Bank Building was erected in 1877, and was greatly enlarged in 1901, making it a substantial three-story building.

Captain Harris' wife died in May, 1900, leaving three children: James, an attorney-at-law of Lansing, Michigan; Mrs. C. D. Hanchette of Hancock, Michigan; and John L., superintendent of the Quincy mine. Politically our subject is an unswerving supporter of the principles advocated by the Republican party, and has served as supervisor for nearly 15 years. For more than 30 years he has been a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Source: Biographical Record, Houghton, Baraga and Marquette Counties.  Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company, 1903.