Carter Harrison III (1825-1893)

Carter Harrison III, the 24th Mayor of Chicago was born in Fayette County Kentucky February 15, 1825 and could trace his ancestry back to Pocahontas through his grandmother Anne Cabell who was 4th grandniece of Pocahontas.

He was the son of Carter Henry Harrison II and Caroline Russell. Caroline was the daughter of Col. William Russell. His father died soon after his birth in May of 1825. Carter received a classical education, graduating from Yale in 1845 and a law degree from Transylvania in 1855.

At first he tried his hand at farming, but when he moved to Chicago in 1855, Carter became a very lucrative landowner and a very prosperous real estate operator.

He built a very large house on was known as Reuben Street. Later when Hey Rube became a popular term of ridicule and the residents of the street were called Rubes, the residents had the streets name changed to Ashland Avenue. The houses were spacious and the grounds the size of country side farms.

Parlor of Harrison Home

Carter had a very bush beard and was described as follows: "The squire of the avenue was Mayor Carter H. Harrison who kept his big black bay mare named Kate in a stable near his house and liked to ride up and down the street in the manner of a plantation owner looking over his acreage". He described himself "unable to study out a problem or scheme sitting at his desk but did his best thinking at full gallop upon his flying steed"..

Among his closest friends were several former Kentuckians HH. Honre, Potter Palmer, John E. Owsley and F, H. Winston who were also all in real estate. His friends shared his optimism and considered him "whole-souled and honorable". And even though his political enemies condemned him it was also said he had a host of friends who had little in common with him socially but who "had the utmost confidence in him and who would divide with him their last crust bread". To quote from his journals he wrote "There were my good neighbors and true friends from all over the city . One by one they walked across the polished plate and bent upon me a kindly look. Friends of every nationality, Teuton and Hibernian, Frenchman and Norseman, Bohemian and Dane, Italian and Swede, Christain and Jew, rich and poor, Ah! How I wish I could bid yon pale moon bear to them my own picture, looking as I feel, brimful of good will and running over with kindly fellowship. To one and all I drink in a cup as full as yon sea, a cup brimming over with affection."

Carter's second wife who he married April 12, 1855 was his cousin Sophonisba Grayson Preston, the daughter of William Preston and Hebe Carter Grayson and 7th great granddaughter of Pocahontas. She was born October 27, 1833 and died in September 1876. She bore him ten children six which died in infancy (see below). She was accomplished writer of Fairy Tails

From Carter Harrison's IV (his son) autobiography, The Stormy Years, we are given the following glimpses into life at the Harrison home. He speaks of dinner his father and John Owsley hosted given in the parlor of Carter's home which the boys were not even allowed to festivities of although they could hear the lusty singing of Good Old Yale, Drink Her Down!, Excelsior and other classics. "It was a small but joyous gathering of the Chicago Yale Club given to song, horseplay and wassail; there was a huge punchbowl into which my father had poured pitcher after pitcher of Bourbon whisky drawn from the barrell in his cellar".

Carter Harrison III first became mayor of Chicago April 1, 1879 when he defeated Abner M. Wright (Republican) & Ernst Schmidt (Socialist Labor). His second term was begun April 5, 1881 by Defeating John M. Clark (Republican), Timothy O'Meara (Independent) & George Schilling (Socialist Labor) . On April 3,1883 he defeated Eugene Cary (Republican) and began his third term. His fourth term followed April 7, 1885 when he defeated Sidney Smith (Republican) & William Bush (Prohibition).

In 1887 after being defeated he left on a tour of the world. When he returned he once again pursued politics and April 7, 1893 he was again elected mayor, Defeated Samuel W. Allerton (Republican), Dewitt C. Cregier (Un. Citizen) & Henry Ehrenpreis (socialist Labor). But this term was cut short. On October 23, 1893 during the Chicago World's Fair he was assassinated at his home.

First Generation:

• Willie born 1856 died in infancy
• Caroline Dudley born 3/28/1857
• Carter Henry born 4/23/1860 died 12/25/1953
• Hebe Grayson born 1862 died in infancy
• Child unnamed born 1864 died in infancy
• Randolf born 1866 died in infancy
• Harry Grayson born 1868 died in infancy
• William Preston born 4/12/1869
• Gracie born 1871 died in infancy
• Edith born 12/17/1873 
• Sophie (died 1942 in Asheville NC)  married Albert R. Thomson

Carter Harrison Sr terms as Mayor of Chicago:

*********************************
Carter Henry Harrison, Sr.
24th Mayor of Chicago
Party: Democrat

Elected:

1st term: April 1, 1879 Defeated Abner M. Wright (Republican) & Ernst Schmidt (Socialist Labor)

2nd term: April 5, 1881 Defeated John M. Clark (Republican), Timothy O'Meara (Independent) & George Schilling (Socialist Labor)

3rd term: April 3,1883 Defeated Eugene Cary (Republican)

4th term: April 7, 1885 Defeated Sidney Smith (Republican) & William Bush (Prohibition)

5th term: April 17, 1893 Defeated Samuel W. Allerton (Republican), Dewitt C. Cregier (Un. Citizen) & Henry Ehrenpreis (socialist Labor)

Inauguration:

• 1st term: April 28, 1879    
• 2nd term: May 9, 1881
• 3rd term: May 14, 1883
• 4th term: June 8, 1885
• 5th term: April 17, 1893

Terms of office:

• 1st term: 1879-1881
• 2nd term: 1881-1883
• 3rd term: 1883-1885
• 4th term: 1885-1887
• 5th term: 1893

Birth: February 15, 1825
Death: October 28, 1893. Shot & Killed.

Harrison Coats of Arms, Crests, Mottos

Arms: or., on a cross az., a hand grendad between four pheons of the field.
Crest: A dexter cubit arm ppr. vested az., cuffed and charged with a hand grenade or., the hand grasping an arrow arg.
Motto: Perseverance.

Motto: "Vincit Qui Patitur" (Latin) meaning "He conquers who endures".

Name: The name  refers to son of Harry.

Source:
The Stormy Years (autobiography of Carter Harrison Jr.), and the Biography of Carter Harrison I, and assorted notes of Edna B Owsley (his granddaughter).

  Copyright © Milancie Hill Adams  2005