Revolutionary War soldier honored in White County

The Daughters of the American Revolution will be honoring Revolutionary War soldier Jonathan Harris, who was born in 1751 and died June 28, 1834, in a full ceremony at the Chisam Cemetery in White County. The ceremony will also mark the county?s bicentennial year.

?This type of ceremony for a Revolutionary soldier rarely occurs in White County,? said ceremony volunteer Judy Drake. ?It promises to be a momentous occasion and a great time to honor a man so involved in the beginning of our country and of White County.?

The ceremony will include a eulogy by his great, great, great, great, great grandson and former White County Executive Tommy Denton. There will also be a laying of the wreath by direct descendant Royal Chisam. Taps will be played by the Veterans Color Guard and DAR?s State Regent will be in attendance.

All descendants of Jonathan and Margaret Patterson Harris are encouraged to attend the ceremony. They had one daughter, Mary Ann, who was born on Feb. 23, 1783 and died Aug. 24, 1849. She was married to John ?Hickory? Chisam who was born in 1780 and died in 1855. They both resided in White County.

According to the family?s genealogy, direct descendants would have come from this line and would have the last name Thompson, Shuster, Rowland, Seal, Mason, Fisher, Anderson, Denton and Cotton among others.

The ceremony will be held at 2030 Webbs Camp Road in the Horseshoe Bend area of Walling this Sunday, July 23, at 3 p.m.

White County DAR member, Pamela Wood coordinated the event. A granite sign to Harris? memory has recently been placed on the site by Wood and her husband Rick. For more information contact Drake at 657-5193.