The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 202

STEPHEN J. HARRISON.

Stephen J. Harrison has pursued so many different lines of activity that he may
be considered one of the best known men within the state. He is not only one of
the foremost citizens of the Yakima valley, to which he was instrumental in
bringing many people, but has been one of the prime factors in the development
of Sunnyside and still owns a part of the townsite. Moreover, he has been noted
as a Brethren in the state, and has also preacher, founding the largest
congregation of been one of the bankers of his section.

A native of Pennsylvania, Mr. Harrison was born near Johnstown, September 24,
1855, a son of Thomas and Sarah (Waters) Harrison, who located in Sunnyside in
March, 1900, the father taking up a homestead claim, to which he devoted his
time and labors until his death in 1905, his widow surviving until 1917. The
family removed from their Pennsylvania home to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1868, when
Stephen J. Harrison was thirteen years of age, so that his public school
education was largely received in his native state. He attended school in Iowa
after the removal of the family there and later was a student in Cornell College
of that state. He rounded out his education by attending the National Normal
School at Lebanon. Ohio, and then taught in the Coe Collegiate Institute at
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for one year. In 1876 Mr. Harrison and W. E. Lockhard
founded the Cedar Rapids Business College, an institution which has been of
untold value to that city, but our subject sold his interest in that institution
shortly after its organization. He then became connected with a publishing
company of the Brethren church at Lanark, Illinois, being joint owner and also
acting as editor. In January, 1881, he entered the employ of the Exchange Bank
at that place, remaining in that connection for two years, and then devoted his
attention to the development of a farm property which his wife had inherited,
continuing in agricultural pursuits from 1882 until 1892. The farm was largely
denoted to dairy purposes and he there had a large creamery and conducted a
wholesale butter and egg business. Mr. Harrison had been an active member of the
old Dunkard church but later became connected with the Brethren and was pastor
of the church of that denomination at Waterloo, Iowa, for two years. In 1895 he
became editor of the Brethren Evangelist, the church organ, which he removed to
Ashland, Ohio.

About this time his son Homer was afflicted with a tumor of the abdomen and the
anxious father took him to Chicago, where, despite the best care and attention,
the son died. While in that city Mr. Harrison became interested in Alexander
Dowie, whose acquaintance he soon made, and, each finding an interest in the
other, he became connected with the great prophet and healer. It was he and Mr.
Dowie who founded the paper, Leaves of Healing, of which Mr. Harrison became the
manager. During this period he converted Mr. Dowie to the Dunkard mode of
baptism and Mr. Harrison himself baptized Mr. Dowie according to this mode in
Lake Michigan. Later Mr. Harrison went to California in search of a location for
a colony, but instead of realizing his purpose acted as pastor of several
Brethren churches in that state, remaining about one year, after which he
returned to Lanark, Illinois. He there engaged in the stock, grain and implement
business for two years but in 1898 made his eventful entry into the state of
Washington to look for a location for a colony. At that time he secured the sale
of the land along the Sunnyside canal, a tract comprising sixty-four thousand
acres, under W. H. Phipps, land commissioner of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
From March, 1898, to March, 1899, Mr. Harrison was pastor of the church at Falls
City, Nebraska, but in the latter year he and Harvey M. Lichty, of Carleton,
Nebraska, removed to Sunnyside, Mr. Harrison taking charge of the land
development. In 1902 he organized the Sunnyside Bank and served as president of
the institution for seven years, or until 1909. In 1900 he bought the unsold
portion of the townsite. Through his efforts many people have taken up their
homes in the Yakima valley.

Mr. Harrison never lost sight of church work and during 1901 he combined six
Protestant churches in Sunnyside into the Federated church, which had an
existence of six years. At one time it had a Sunday school enrollment of six
hundred and twenty-five. To this Federated church belonged the following
organizations: Baptist, Brethren, Christian, Congregational, Methodist and
Presbyterian, all holding their services under one roof and being known as the
Federated church. Later, however, each denomination withdrew and holds its own
exclusive service. His paramount interest in the valley has ever been evident,
for Mr. Harrison was one of four to assume the responsibility of getting the
right of way for the Northern Pacific Railroad through Sunnyside. He has also
served as the first president of the Sunnyside Water Users Association, which
took over the Sunnyside canal. In 1905 he organized the Mabton Bank and for
seven years served as president of that institution.

In 1880 Mr. Harrison was united in marriage to Miss Loretta Rowland, of Lanark,
Illinois, a daughter of Isaac and Mary (Stitzel) Rowland, both of whom have
passed away. To this union were born two children: Homer, deceased; and Frank,
whose sketch follows this.

Mr. Harrison is liberal in his views regarding religious denominations and is a
member of the Brethren church. In his fraternal affiliations he is a member of
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and belongs to the Elks Lodge No. 92 of
Seattle. He is also a member of the Royal Arcanum and the Arctic Club of
Seattle. In his political views he is a republican and in 1917 was a candidate
for the nomination to congress but failed of success. He now gives his time to
the management of his properties. His achievements in Sunnyside stand as
monuments to his vision and high purpose in life.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.