4 children: Franklin "Frank", Earl, Adele "Della" & [Unknown Male]
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The Daily Times News
THE MISSOURI VALLEY TIMES & HARRISON COUNTY NEWS
MISSOURI VALLEY, IOWA
MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1936

Bob Harris, Former Editor, Dies

SUCCUMBS TO LONG ILLNESS
Helped Father Publish First Newspaper Here
___________
[ PHOTO ]

Pictured above is Robert H. Harris,
former editor of the Missouri Valley Times,
who died here early this morning.
The photo was taken in the early part of the century when Mr. Harris
was an active newspaperman.

A closing "30" was written to the life of one of Missouri Valley's best-loved characters when Robert H. Harris, 82, a former editor of the Missouri Valley Times, died at the home of his sister, Mrs. Emma Lisle, at midnight Sunday.

Mr. Harris's health had been failing for the past five years. However, he was not seriously ill until the past week.

Through his life he displayed the useful longevity of the Harris family. His father, D. M. Harris, whom he assisted in establishing the first newspaper here, died at the age of 90.

Before his time, however, the Grim Reaper dealt him severe blows.

His son, Earl Harris, also an editor of The Times, whom he had looked to for maintenance of the Harris name as Missouri Valley publishers, died in 1903. The younger Harris through his brilliance showed promise of becoming an outstanding newspaperman. Grief was added with the death of his wife a few years later, in 1905.

A nephew, R. C. Lahman, was stricken while active in publication of the paper in 1929. Sadness weighed heavily on the shoulders of Mr. Harris.

For two years previous to Mr. Lahman's death he appeared at The Times office daily to keep "newspapermen's hours."

"Old Bob", as he was lovingly called by his co-workers, sat throughout the day in a corner of the office. With a pipe in the corner of his mouth (he was an inveterate smoker) he leaned back in a swivel chair and watched a member of "Harris publishers" carry on.

With the death of Mr. Lahman, he failed to show up at his usual corner. He never returned.

Mr. Harris was born at Williamsport, Tenn., March 23, 1854. He came with his parents to Audubon county, Ia., when six months old.

Along with his father, D. M. Harris, and brother, John he came to Missouri Valley in April, 1868.

Here the Harris's set the first stick of type and published the first newspaper in the city. Their publication, "The Harrisonian", went to press July 4, 1868.

The city at that time was a small village of only eight buildings on Erie street. North of Erie street and above Huron were nothing but cornfields. A lone cabin of a homesteader dotted the hillside above.

The first issue of The Harrisonian was printed on an old Washington hand press. The makeup table was a walnut slab, and rollers for the press were formed from an old tin mold.

Later the name of the paper was changed to "The Missouri Valley Times", and April 1, 1891, became a daily. Previously it had been a weekly.

Bob succeeded his father as publisher of The Times in 1900 and continued his work until 1909 when he sold the business to R. C. Lahman and Guy Mahoney. Mr. Lahman later purchased his partner's interest.

Mr. Harris made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Guy Mahoney, at Chadron, Neb., and in California. At Chadron he was employed a brief while by the C. & N. W. Railroad Co.

After the death of Mrs. Mahoney in August 1927, he returned to Missouri Valley to make his home with Mrs. Lisle.

The aged publisher was conceded to have been one of the major forces in the development of this city and its surrounding community. He was active in civic betterment projects over the half century of his activity.

For years he was without peer as a wit and an intellectual. The classics were his favorite reading.

Today's issue of this paper is the first not carefully scanned by the piercing eyes of Mr. Harris since its birth. He was determined to read "his paper" even the last few evenings of his life.

Mr. Harris was recently honored by the local Masonic lodge as a 50-year member. He was also a member of the volunteer fire department for many years.

The body was taken to the Hennessey & Van Cleave Funeral chapel where services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. with Rev. Victor F. Johnson officiating. Interment will be in Rose Hill cemetery.

Mr. Harris is survived by a son, Franklin, of Miami, Fla.; two sisters, Mrs. Emma Lisle and Mrs. W.W. Rutledge, and three brothers, James, of Cut Bank, Mont.; E. T. Harris of Walnut Park, Cal., and Ellis, of Anoka, Minnesota.

The son, Franklin, who is a professor at Miami University, will not be able to attend the rites.