John Stewart Harrison

Mr John Stewart Harrison, special agent of the Standard Oil Company at Louisville, died yesterday morning suddenly from paralysis of the brain at his home on the Bonnycastle place, Bardstown road. It is thought that the paralysis was superinduced by gout, from which Mr Harrison had been a sufferer.
About a month ago he dropped in his office from an attack of heart failure. The physicians said then that gout had brought about the seizure, and advised the patient to be careful. However, since the attack in his office, Mr Harrison has been unusually free from the trouble.
For several days Mr Harrison had been in unusually high spirits. He retired at his usual time and arose about 7 o'clock. He had just reached the foot of the steps on his way to the dining-room when he complained of a sudden and intense pain about his head.
His wife from above called him to come back upstairs and lie down. Mr Harrison turned, walked upstairs to his room, dropped on the bed and almost immediately was seized with a spasm. Then came paralysis and in a short time all was over. His wife and children were with him when the end came.
The news of Mr Harrison's seizure spread quickly, and within a short time relatives and friends began thronging to the house. All that could be done had been done for the patient, but he had passed beyond the reach of medical aid.
John Stewart Harrison was born in Martinsburg, Va., fifty-nine years ago, and he belonged to an old Virginia family. When a mere boy he entered the Confederate army as a private in the Stonewall brigade. He was wounded at Manassas and was advanced to his captaincy for distinguished bravery on the field.
At the close of the war he came to Kentucky and entered the store of R A Robinson & Co. He soon became one of the best-known and most popular traveling men out of Louisville. Then he entered the employ of Chess, Carley & Co., when that firm was in its infancy.
Mr Harrison was placed in charge of the lubricating department. When the Standard Oil Company absorbed Chess, Carley & Co he retained his position and assumed control of this department of the Standard Oil Company for the whole territory south of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi. At this time Louisville held a general office.
Some years ago the company abolished the general office at Louisville. Then Mr Harrison was made special agent for the company at this point, with Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana as his territory. This was his position at the time of his death.
Mr Harrison was twice married. His first wife was Miss Alice Stokes, whom he married in 1873. Two children were Edmunds Harrison and Miss Rosa Harrison. Fifteen years ago Mr Harrison married Miss Hattie Bonnycastle, who, with three children, survives him. The children are Miss Bonnie Harrison, Stewart Harrison and John Harrison.
The funeral will take place from the house this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. The interment will be in Cave Hill cemetery. His office force will act as pallbearers.¹³

Died suddenly, at his home, near Louisville, Ky., December 16,1901, of paralysis, John Stewart Harrison, formerly captain in the army, and later adjutant of the Second Regiment of Virginia Infantry, Stonewall Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. The simple announcement of his death has brought sadness to many hearts, both in his native State of Virginia, where the most of his surviving comrades of the old Stonewall brigade reside, and the State of his adoption. In the renowned organization to which he belonged no one bore a finer reputation for all of the qualities that go to make up the character of a good soldier. In the camp or on the march he was the steady-going sort, took everything at its best, without murmur or complaint. No duty however tedious or disagreeable had any effect on his serene temper. He was always to his intimates the same dear old “Jock,” as we affectionately called him among ourselves. In battle he had few equals and no superiors. His courage was of the most unruffled sort; no danger being great enough to have the slightest effect upon his demeanor. While bold to the verge of rashness, he never lost in the slightest degree his entire composure. By the men who served under him he was almost worshiped for his kindness to them, his care for them, and his gallant leadership in battle. Of his record as a soldier no more appropriate words could be said than were said by Scott of the Knightly de Argentine, the stainless warrior who fell at Flodden Field. To his children Jock Harrison has left a great heritage : that of a good name, a true soldier, a spotless gentleman. To them belongs his memory--the memory of the gallant deeds that he did “in the days that were”.¹⁴