J. D. Harrison, one of the leading farmers and stockmen of Butler county, is a native of Illinois. He was born in Shelby county in 1864, a son of Joseph and Isabelle (Banting) Harrison, natives of England, where they were married. The father was engaged in the sheep industry before coming to America in 1860. After coming to this country, he settled in Illinois, where he was also engaged in sheep raising about four years, when he removed to Missouri, where he remained until 1882.

J. D. Harrison was reared on his father's farm, and in early life, went to work by the month for stockmen, and in that way gained a thorough knowledge of the stock business. He came to Butler county in 1891, and bought a quarter section of land in Plum Grove township. Here he engaged in the stock business and later bought another quarter section, and has added to his original holdings until he now owns 640 acres, and is one of the successful and substantial stockmen of Butler county. Every dollar that he is worth, he has made himself. Beginning

as a farm hand in Greenwood county, he has become one of the prosperous men of affluence, and holds a prominent position in the business and financial world of Butler county today.

Mr. Harrison was married in 1889 to Miss Anna Lercher, a daughter of C. F. and Tirzah (Pennywitt) Lercher, the former a native of Germany, and the latter of Ohio. They were married in 1870, and the following year, came to Kansas and settled in Butler county, where the father filed on a quarter section of government land. Mr. Lercher was a veteran of the Civil war, having answered President Lincoln's first call for volunteers. He died at Topeka, Kans., in 1910, where his home had been for several years, and his wife died in that city in 1907. They were the parents of six children, of whom Mrs. Harrison is the eldest. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison have no children. Mr. Harrison is a Democrat, and his wife is a member of the Lutheran Church at Peabody, Kans.

In addition to his broad acres of fertile Kansas soil, Mr. Harrison has various other interests. He has invested in Potwin property to some extent, and was one of the organizers of the Potwin State Bank. Altogether, he is one of the live, progressive, business men of Butler county, who are doing things worth while.

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