Individual Details

Could this have been the father of Harrison?
May, 1819, Circuit Court for Vigo Co was held at the house of Robert Harrison in Terre Haute. Peter Allen was a member of the grand jury impaneled.
History of Indiana from Its Exploration to 1922; Logan Esarey [Google Books]

Historically Speaking, Dorothy J. Clark; Whipporwill Publications; Evansville, Indiana, 1981
p.185. In 1831, two lots were bought at the northwest corner of 5th and Walnut Streets for the Terre Haute School House. A four-room brick school was built. Shares in the venture were $5 each - Britton M. Harrison purchased one share.

Wabash Courier, published at Terre Haute
New Grocery Store.
The subscriber has opened a new Grocery Store on the south side of the public square, in his Brick building, one door west of I.H. & J. Scott's store, where he offers for sale unusually low, an extensive and complete assortment of GROCERIES, consisting of
Foreign and Domestic Liquors
Teas, Sugar and Coffee
Paints, Oils, and Dye-Stuffs
Glass and Queens ware
Spades, Shovels and Trace-Chains
Cordage, Shad and Mackeral, assorte
Cod-Fish, Herring, and other articles
All of which will be sold much lower than heretofore offered in this place, for cash or most kinds of produce. B. M. HARRISON
Terre Haute, June 21st, 1832

Probate Court records of Nov Term 1832 reveal that Brittain M. Harrison was likely a grocer. He sued Silas Hoskins as Administrator of the estate of Robert B. Angevine for the debts of the following items: coffee, sugar, molasses, cheese, mackerel, rice, spices, eggs.
One of the records referred to Harrison & Allen Co. (B. M. Harrison and Henry Allen). Quite possibly the brothers-in-law were in business together. Probate Record. Vol 1, p.280. July, 1831.

1830 Census, Vigo Co IN
Britton M. Harrison. 1m under 5 [Dennis], 2m 20-30 [one would be Britton]
2f age 15-20 [one would be Adaline]

Circuit Court Order Books, Civil and Criminal, Vigo County, Indiana. WPA transcriptions.
Vol. 3, 1832-1837, Part E
May Term, 1837
p.513. Among petit jurors for 1st week of November Term, 1837: Brittain M. Harrison
p. 519 James Spense vs. Britain M. Harrison. Defendant in debt $20.96, due on note dated 28 Aug 1834. Plaintiff to recover + costs.
Vacation, 1837
p.563 17 Jul 1837 Replevy Bond. James Spence vs. Brittain M. Harrison & Ira Allen. $377.20.
Note: A Replevy Bond guarantees the defendant will abide by the decision of the court.
p.564 18 Jul 1837 Brittain M. Harrison & Myron H. Allen bound to Wm. H. Pope, Arthur H. Wallace & William M. Lambeth for $1189.62.

In 1838, a town charter was granted Terre Haute. Harrison was assessor and town marshal.
Britton Moore Harrison was President of the Town Board of Terre Haute 1839-40 and 1841-42. Portrait is with others who were Mayors of Terre Haute. Online: Wabash Valley Visions & Voices; A Digital Memory Project

Terre Haute: A Pictorial History by Dorothy Weinz Jerse and Judith Stedman Calver, G. Bradley Publishing: St. Louis; 1993
"The Mayors" Britton M. Harrison, soap & candle factory owner was mayor 1839-1843.

1840 Census, Terre Haute, Vigo Co IN
B. M. Harrison. 1m under 5 [George], 1m 10-15 [Dennis], 1m 30-40 [Britton]
1f 5-10 [Ann], 1f 10-15 [???], 1f 20-30 [Adaline]

Commissioner's Records, Vigo County, IN, Vol. 3 1837-1844, Part B. Series copied by WPA; not indexed
Dec Session 1841. p.270
Britain M. Harrison appt inspector of Salt for Vigo Co.
p.271 John Britton allowed $15 for running road from Durkee's ferry to D. Barbour's & from Henry Prairie to Patton's Mill on east side of Harrison Prairie.
Tues Mar 8 1842, p.285
B. M. Harrison allowed $4.76 for service in taking up and hiring out negroes.
March Session 1843 p.359. Britain M. Harrison to continue as inspector of Salt, for one year from this date (13 March 1843)
6 Jun 1844 p.475 Brittain M. Harrison appt Salt Inspector.

In the 1850 Census, Briton is age 44 (born 1806, instead of 1801?). He was a Chandler [candle maker]. Adaline, now listed as age 57. Dennis A., 20, also a Chandler; Ann E. 16; George, 12; Mary, 10; Albert, 8; Porter, age 2 - all born in Indiana. Had two "Laborers" in the household. John Maloon, age 20 born IN and Charles Hammers age 24 born in MI.
Also found in 1850 was Susanna Harrison, age 82, b. NC. She was living in a large mixed household that consisted of Noah Franklin, age 27, b. NC; Penelopy, age 43, b. NC; Susanna 3, b. IN. The following Fultz children were in the household - Thomas 18 and William 14, b. NC; Emily 12, Mahala 10, and James 8, all born in Indiana. Could Susanna have been a 2nd wife and now the widow of Richard Harrison?

1860 Census. Vigo Co IN, Terre Haute, Ward 4, p.503, Hh 211
B. M. Harrison, age 56, Tallow Chandler, b. New Jersey
George M. age 23, Tallow Chandler, b. IN
Albert B., age 17, b. IN. Augustus P. age 11, b. IN, Fred age 7, b. IN
Mary E. Garrison, age 33, Housekeeper, b. VA
Pete Garrison, age 5, b. Ohio
Mary Smith, age 25, Serving, b. IN

1870 Census. I did find George living in a boarding house in Terre Haute, age 32, b. Indiana. Occupation given as laborer.

Genforum post to the Harrison Family Genealogy Forum; 4 Sep 1999, Al Hamblen
"An Old Citizen Gone"
"B. M. Harrison, one of the most widely known of our old citizens, died at Carthage,
Missouri, July 23d, aged seventy-three years.
He was born in Rahway, New Jersey, in the year 1800. He removed from that state to
Vincennes, Ind., in 1815, from there to Hutsonville, in 1817, and to Terre Haute in 1818.
He was the first Mayor of this city, in 1844 and was president of the City Council from 1846 to 1852. He was the author of the charter under which our city government formerly operated. In the year 1852 he was defeated in the contest for Mayor by W. K. Edwards. From 1853 to 1858 he represented the fourth ward in the City Council. He suffered heavily by different fires; especially by the burning of a valuable candle factory on the river bank, on the night of the 15th of April 1859.
Mr. Harrison was a leading citizen of Terre Haute for many years. He possessed talent of a high order, and had many friends.
The body of the deceased has been embalmed and placed in a vault at Carthage, until a suitable time in which to transport it to this city for burial."
Source- Terre Haute Daily Express, July 25, 1873


"In the possession of Mrs. A. G. Adamson, granddaughter of Britton M. Harrison is an interesting relic with a remarkable history. It is a gold watch. stem-winding, hunting case,Liverpool make, inscribed with the date 1828 and the name 'B. Harrison.' When in 1858 Harrison & Son had an establishment on Water street (north of the Big Four) where they made soap and candles. Mr. Harrison lost this watch. In 1903, while the bridge builders were sinking the coffer dams for the stone pier of a new Big Four bridge a workman found,thirty-two feet below the bottom of the river near the bank, a gold watch. The name inscribed on it proved it to be the watch lost by Mr. Harrison forty-five years before. It had been dropped nearer the bank than when found, for as time passed the river encroached and what was land became river, and the gravel and sand swept by the current into the eddies below the bend had buried the watch deep under clay, gravel and sand, where it was found. The outer hunting case was in good order, though the gold was dull. The enamel on the face had gone, the minute and second hands had disappeared, and a very small hour hand remained. The remainder was less affected, for the steel of the balance
wheel is partly bright and partly dim. The relic is now in the possession of the granddaughter of the first acting mayor of Terre Haute to recall pleasant memories of a very bustling citizen and interesting man." Source - Oakey, page 157

Birth	Nov 1801	New Jersey
Marriage	29 Nov 1828	Vigo County, Indiana - Adaline Allen
Death	23 Jul 1873	Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri

Spouse	Adaline Allen (1814 - 1857)
Child	Dennis Allen Harrison (1830 - 1892)
Child	Ann Elizabeth Harrison (1834 - )
Child	George M. Harrison (1838 - 1895)
Child	Mary Allen Harrison (1840 - 1871)
Child	Albert B. Harrison (1842 - )
Child	Augustus Porter Harrison (1848 - 1915)
Child	Fred Harrison (1853 - )