HARRIS, Robert Scribe

HARRIS, Robert Scribe (Delaware Co, NY, Mar. 21, 1810-Jan. 14, 1886): Capitalist. Harris was one of the first stockholders and directors of the FIRST NATIONAL BANK. His accumulation of wealth began in 1826 when, with his brother, he discovered a rich deposit of LEAD since called the "Harris diggings."

In 1833 Harris built the "Jo Daviess," the first boat on the MISSISSIPPI RIVER north of St. Louis. Harris opened the first regular river commerce with St. Paul, Minnesota, using the packet "Otter." Leaving the river, Harris and his brother opened stores in Dubuque, Iowa; Galena, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; and St. Paul, Minnesota, before settling permanently in Dubuque.

Harris enjoyed the reputation as one of Dubuque's original inventors. He devised a special shoe to aid a man with a crippled foot and later developed a brace to relieve curvature of the spine. Secretary of War DAVIS, JeffersonJefferson DAVIS found his steam ram worthy of being implemented in the navy. Harris is also credited with inventing the time lock, although others claimed the rewards.

It was Harris who attempted to have the government place into operation a line of lighthouses and telegraph stations fifty miles apart between New York and London so that ships were never far from light. Harris also believed such a line would eliminate much of the danger of collisions at sea as ships proceeding in the same direction would remain on the same side of the lighthouses.