Warren County
Local History by Dallas Bogan |
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Dallas Bogan on 28 August 2004 |
Source: |
original article by Dallas Bogan |
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For a period of twenty-five or thirty years after the Civil War a great number
of Warren County men became interested in the collection and study of fossils.
Perhaps a dozen or so of these men made extensive collections and possibly nine
or ten of them were acclaimed as discoverers of one or more new species.
Lebanon had the distinction of having more of these collectors than any other
place in the country. Possibly the reasoning for this was that Lebanon's locality
furnished this group with such a great variety of fossils. The City of Cedars
was located amidst the upper beds of the Lower Silurian strata.
The names of these prestigious collectors were: J. Kelly O'Neall,
a lawyer; Dr. S.S. Scoville, a physician; Dr. D.T.D.
Dyche, a dentist; Prof. Heber Holbrook, teacher at
the Normal School; William H. Bean,
a horticulturist; and Judge William W. Wilson. All these men
had fossils named after them.
The subject of our article this week, Israel Hopkins Harris,
had the finest collection of Lower Silurian fossils in the world.
He was born in Centerville, Montgomery County, Ohio, November 23, 1823. His
father, James Harris, was a prominent businessman who owned
stores in Centerville, Waynesville and Bellbrook.
Israel received his education at high schools in Centerville
and Franklin. Apparently receiving a superior education in these schools prepared
him for further learning.
He entered the junior class at Yale in 1844 and graduated in 1846. Yale at the
time was the leading college in the country and Israel could
possibly have been the first in Warren County to graduate from this prestigious
institution.
His father had since moved to Waynesville, and upon graduation Israel
returned to live in the small village until his death.
He did not study for a degree in any type vocation. Upon returning home, at
his fathers' wishes, he became assistant in the family dry goods store at Waynesville.
He continued in this business for a period of about nine years.
Banking was the next calling for him. He became a partner with Jarvis
Stokes in 1855, and after Mr. Stokes' death he continued
the business in his own name.
He was quite successful in this enterprise and was soon proclaimed one of the
wealthiest and most respected men of Wayne Township.
Harris' interests in specimen collecting were probably sparked
during his college years. However, he never went full force in this pursuit
until he became a successful businessman.
For forty years he was a collector. Not until his later days did his prominence
become known worldwide.
Waynesville was quite productive in fossils. One small trilobite, the Calymene
senaria, was found here in greater numbers than anywhere else in the world.
Harris' collection contained not less than a thousand specimens of this fossil.
Besides his fossil collection he had a large selection of flint and stone artifacts
of the Indians and Mound Builders. He also had a great amount of minerals and
shells in his repertoire.
One rare fossil specimen in his collection had accordingly been named "Fucoides
harrisi," in honor of the founder.
According to Dennis Dalton, Waynesville area historian, Harris
offered his entire collection of fossils to the village of Waynesville if they
would supply "a suitable home" and "guarantee its proper care
and preservation."
Council refused the gift and the fossils were consequently willed to the Smithsonian
Institute.
In the 1870's a discovery was made that the mussel shells of the Little Miami
produced pearls of high value and were the most favorable of all fresh water
pearls in the American rivers. Oliver Watson wrote in the Dayton
Sunday News, September 3, 1925, that: "Of all pearl producing streams in
America, the Little Miami stands first in point of production, quality and value.
One reason is that conditions are more favorable for the formation of a pearl
on account of the pure condition of the water and the strong limestone deposits
which add materially in the coating and polishing process through which the
pearl passes."
Dalton says that the Little Miami Pearl Fisheries were owned
and operated at Waynesville by Harris. He also says this operation nearly depleted
the river's supply of this precious jewel.
Harris encouraged the locals to uncover the pearls by paying
the highest prices for the finest specimens.
Dayton jewelers, along with Harris' bank, paid the top prices for the pearls.
Harris was said to have never "allowed a good pearl to leave his place
after once it was offered for sale, and in a few instances paid much more than
the customary price in order that his collection might not lag."
His collection numbered in the thousands. They were displayed, viewed and admired
in all the top cities in Europe.
After this stint they were returned to the United States and exhibited at the
World's Fair at Chicago and St. Louis, and the Pan-American exposition at Buffalo.
His will, dated October 5, 1895, two years before his death, stipulated that
the entire collection, the geological, mineralogical and archaeological specimens,
"shall be kept intact and to itself and shall be forever known as the I.H.
Harris Collection."
His entire collection, except for his pearls, was left to the Smithsonian Institute.
It consisted of more than 20,000 specimens and included the finest collection
of the Cincinnati group of fossils in existence. It contained many different
finds such as star fishes, crinoids and trilobites.
In 1888, he sold over 2,000 pearls to Tiffany & Company of New York, which
were put on display at the Paris exposition. This fine collection was awarded
a gold medal and was viewed as the finest collection of fresh water pearls ever
assembled.
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This page created 28 August 2004 and last updated
28 September, 2008
© 2004 Arne H Trelvik
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