Francis Eppes "Frank" Harris was born to Alexander Ewing Harris Sr. (born in SC 1802) and Violet Alexander (born in Ireland). His father died in 1847 while serving as one of the Florida Volunteers in the Mexican War. His mother died of consumption in 1853, when Frank was 7. Frank was taken in by Harriet Lines Poindexter, a widow with a young son, in Quincy. Documentation shows that Harriet was a 2nd mother, with visits and correspondence from Frank's children even after Harriet married Dr. Broussard Gresham and moved to Fort Worth, Texas.
He apprenticed at 12 at the Quincy Republic newspaper, under Charles E.L. Allison, who was the eldest son of the Speaker of the Florida House and twice temporary Governor of Florida. At the end of his four-year apprenticeship, Frank joined the Confederate war effort, reportedly fighting at the Battle of Olustee. He enlisted at Quincy, Florida in Company L, Gilchrist's Company, 1st Fla. Infantry Reserve Regiment, C.S.A. on 4 Nov 1864. He was honorably discharged at Madison, Florida on 6 May 1865 due to end of war. Frank remained active with post-war Confederate Veterans groups and later applied for a pension.
After the War, Frank moved to Ocala, Marion County, Florida, where his uncle, Ebenezer Jackson Harris owned the Ocala House hotel. He and another Quincy Republic apprentice, T.F. Smith, started the East Marion Banner in 1866, and he was its owner and editor for the next 50 years. Eventually called the Ocala Morning Banner, the newspaper was under the control of one family for longer than any other in Florida history. The Ocala Banner is now the Ocala Star-Banner, a daily Central Florida newspaper with a circulation of 50,000.
On 4 May 1879, Frank married Ella McDonald. They had six children: Thomas H., Sara Elizabeth, Violet, Louise, Francis Eppes Jr., and Ainsley M.
Frank was a lifelong Democrat. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He served as Mayor of Ocala, was a member of the Board of Trustees of Florida University (now Florida State University), Member of the Board of County Commissioners, Chairman and Member of the Marion County Board of Public Instruction, and Member of the Ocala Board of Trade. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, and the Benevolent order of Elks.
Among his personal friends were William Jennings Bryan, Grover Cleveland, Henry M. Flagler and many key Democratic party figures. In 1912 Mr. Harris was one of the Florida representatives on the famous Glidden tour, an early pathfinding motorcade from New York to Florida. He was a Florida delegate to the 1912 Democratic National Convention which elected Woodrow Wilson. He was often mentioned as a perennial candidate for the governorship of Florida - by both friends and enemies.
Frank received extended visits from his brother Alex during the decade prior to WWI, which made the social news in Florida.
Toward the end of his life, Frank began to lose his eyesight. He turned over the Banner to his grandson, Harris Powers, but nevertheless contributed editorials and advice until his death.
He apprenticed at 12 at the Quincy Republic newspaper, under Charles E.L. Allison, who was the eldest son of the Speaker of the Florida House and twice temporary Governor of Florida. At the end of his four-year apprenticeship, Frank joined the Confederate war effort, reportedly fighting at the Battle of Olustee. He enlisted at Quincy, Florida in Company L, Gilchrist's Company, 1st Fla. Infantry Reserve Regiment, C.S.A. on 4 Nov 1864. He was honorably discharged at Madison, Florida on 6 May 1865 due to end of war. Frank remained active with post-war Confederate Veterans groups and later applied for a pension.
After the War, Frank moved to Ocala, Marion County, Florida, where his uncle, Ebenezer Jackson Harris owned the Ocala House hotel. He and another Quincy Republic apprentice, T.F. Smith, started the East Marion Banner in 1866, and he was its owner and editor for the next 50 years. Eventually called the Ocala Morning Banner, the newspaper was under the control of one family for longer than any other in Florida history. The Ocala Banner is now the Ocala Star-Banner, a daily Central Florida newspaper with a circulation of 50,000.
On 4 May 1879, Frank married Ella McDonald. They had six children: Thomas H., Sara Elizabeth, Violet, Louise, Francis Eppes Jr., and Ainsley M.
Frank was a lifelong Democrat. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He served as Mayor of Ocala, was a member of the Board of Trustees of Florida University (now Florida State University), Member of the Board of County Commissioners, Chairman and Member of the Marion County Board of Public Instruction, and Member of the Ocala Board of Trade. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, and the Benevolent order of Elks.
Among his personal friends were William Jennings Bryan, Grover Cleveland, Henry M. Flagler and many key Democratic party figures. In 1912 Mr. Harris was one of the Florida representatives on the famous Glidden tour, an early pathfinding motorcade from New York to Florida. He was a Florida delegate to the 1912 Democratic National Convention which elected Woodrow Wilson. He was often mentioned as a perennial candidate for the governorship of Florida - by both friends and enemies.
Frank received extended visits from his brother Alex during the decade prior to WWI, which made the social news in Florida.
Toward the end of his life, Frank began to lose his eyesight. He turned over the Banner to his grandson, Harris Powers, but nevertheless contributed editorials and advice until his death.
Francis Eppes "Frank" Harris was born to Alexander Ewing Harris Sr. (born in SC 1802) and Violet Alexander (born in Ireland). His father died in 1847 while serving as one of the Florida Volunteers in the Mexican War. His mother died of consumption in 1853, when Frank was 7. Frank was taken in by Harriet Lines Poindexter, a widow with a young son, in Quincy. Documentation shows that Harriet was a 2nd mother, with visits and correspondence from Frank's children even after Harriet married Dr. Broussard Gresham and moved to Fort Worth, Texas.
He apprenticed at 12 at the Quincy Republic newspaper, under Charles E.L. Allison, who was the eldest son of the Speaker of the Florida House and twice temporary Governor of Florida. At the end of his four-year apprenticeship, Frank joined the Confederate war effort, reportedly fighting at the Battle of Olustee. He enlisted at Quincy, Florida in Company L, Gilchrist's Company, 1st Fla. Infantry Reserve Regiment, C.S.A. on 4 Nov 1864. He was honorably discharged at Madison, Florida on 6 May 1865 due to end of war. Frank remained active with post-war Confederate Veterans groups and later applied for a pension.
After the War, Frank moved to Ocala, Marion County, Florida, where his uncle, Ebenezer Jackson Harris owned the Ocala House hotel. He and another Quincy Republic apprentice, T.F. Smith, started the East Marion Banner in 1866, and he was its owner and editor for the next 50 years. Eventually called the Ocala Morning Banner, the newspaper was under the control of one family for longer than any other in Florida history. The Ocala Banner is now the Ocala Star-Banner, a daily Central Florida newspaper with a circulation of 50,000.
On 4 May 1879, Frank married Ella McDonald. They had six children: Thomas H., Sara Elizabeth, Violet, Louise, Francis Eppes Jr., and Ainsley M.
Frank was a lifelong Democrat. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He served as Mayor of Ocala, was a member of the Board of Trustees of Florida University (now Florida State University), Member of the Board of County Commissioners, Chairman and Member of the Marion County Board of Public Instruction, and Member of the Ocala Board of Trade. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, and the Benevolent order of Elks.
Among his personal friends were William Jennings Bryan, Grover Cleveland, Henry M. Flagler and many key Democratic party figures. In 1912 Mr. Harris was one of the Florida representatives on the famous Glidden tour, an early pathfinding motorcade from New York to Florida. He was a Florida delegate to the 1912 Democratic National Convention which elected Woodrow Wilson. He was often mentioned as a perennial candidate for the governorship of Florida - by both friends and enemies.
Frank received extended visits from his brother Alex during the decade prior to WWI, which made the social news in Florida.
Toward the end of his life, Frank began to lose his eyesight. He turned over the Banner to his grandson, Harris Powers, but nevertheless contributed editorials and advice until his death.
He apprenticed at 12 at the Quincy Republic newspaper, under Charles E.L. Allison, who was the eldest son of the Speaker of the Florida House and twice temporary Governor of Florida. At the end of his four-year apprenticeship, Frank joined the Confederate war effort, reportedly fighting at the Battle of Olustee. He enlisted at Quincy, Florida in Company L, Gilchrist's Company, 1st Fla. Infantry Reserve Regiment, C.S.A. on 4 Nov 1864. He was honorably discharged at Madison, Florida on 6 May 1865 due to end of war. Frank remained active with post-war Confederate Veterans groups and later applied for a pension.
After the War, Frank moved to Ocala, Marion County, Florida, where his uncle, Ebenezer Jackson Harris owned the Ocala House hotel. He and another Quincy Republic apprentice, T.F. Smith, started the East Marion Banner in 1866, and he was its owner and editor for the next 50 years. Eventually called the Ocala Morning Banner, the newspaper was under the control of one family for longer than any other in Florida history. The Ocala Banner is now the Ocala Star-Banner, a daily Central Florida newspaper with a circulation of 50,000.
On 4 May 1879, Frank married Ella McDonald. They had six children: Thomas H., Sara Elizabeth, Violet, Louise, Francis Eppes Jr., and Ainsley M.
Frank was a lifelong Democrat. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He served as Mayor of Ocala, was a member of the Board of Trustees of Florida University (now Florida State University), Member of the Board of County Commissioners, Chairman and Member of the Marion County Board of Public Instruction, and Member of the Ocala Board of Trade. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, and the Benevolent order of Elks.
Among his personal friends were William Jennings Bryan, Grover Cleveland, Henry M. Flagler and many key Democratic party figures. In 1912 Mr. Harris was one of the Florida representatives on the famous Glidden tour, an early pathfinding motorcade from New York to Florida. He was a Florida delegate to the 1912 Democratic National Convention which elected Woodrow Wilson. He was often mentioned as a perennial candidate for the governorship of Florida - by both friends and enemies.
Frank received extended visits from his brother Alex during the decade prior to WWI, which made the social news in Florida.
Toward the end of his life, Frank began to lose his eyesight. He turned over the Banner to his grandson, Harris Powers, but nevertheless contributed editorials and advice until his death.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
