Benjamin R. Harris, M.D., was born in Orange County, N.C., February 5, 1825, and is the son of William and Maria W. (Briggs) Harris. The parents are natives respectively of North Carolina and Virginia. The father moved to Maury County in 1834, spending his early life in the pulpit, later engaging in farming. He died in January, 1856, the mother following in death in 1873. Our subject attended school in the county of his birth; he being the oldest child, the care of his father's family fell almost entirely upon him, which deprived him of many advantages of school. He lived on the farm until twenty-four years of age, when he began reading medicine, attending his first course in 1851-52, and graduated in the medical department of the University at Nashville in 1853. He then located at Purdy, McNairy County, and beoan the practice of his profession, remaining twelve years, then located in this city, and has done a large remunerative practice. Since locating in this city, he has been engaged in the family grocery and real estate business. In 1861 he was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Anderson of McNairy County, and daughter of William T. and Mahala (Wisdom) Anderson. She (the wife) was born in Tennessee in 1837. Five children have blessed this union, three sons and two daughters, all of whom yet remain under the parental roof. He is a member of the Methodist Church and his wife, one son and one daughter are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He is a member of the Masonic order, and in politics he is a Democrat. He is Past Grand Master of the F. & A. M., and has reached the thirty-third degree of Scottish Rite.

Goodspeeds History of Tennessee