William Porter Harbison (1913)

CLELAND, HARBISON

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:02:57

The Advocate-Tribune
Indianola, Iowa
Thursday, March 13, 1913
Page 6, Column 3

William Porter Harbison was born in Bloomington, Indiana, October 28, 1841 died March 5, 1913, aged 71 years, 4 months and 5 days. He was the son of Robert and Margretta Harbison, to whom were born eight sons and daughters. He whom we mourn for today was the last surviving member of that family.

With his parents and brothers and sisters he came to Iowa in the spring of 1857, and were among the pioneer settlers in the eastern part of Madison county, near St. Charles. There he made his home until grown to manhood; from there he enlisted in the army and served through a part of the Civil war, until discharged on account of illness, which brought disabilities that clung to him throughout his life.

April 12, 1864 he was married to Miss Amanda Cleland, with whom he lived in loving companionship for almost 40 years. She preceded him into the life beyond almost 10 years ago, and it has been a subject of remark among his friends that scarce a Sabbath day has passed in the ten years that have intervened but he made his pilgrimage to the spot where she was laid in the cemetery, not to mourn but to pay loving tribute to her memory.

To them were born three children, two sons and a daughter. One son and the daughter died in infancy and one son Robert Cleland Harbison, survives his parents, is now a resident of southern California, and with his wife hastened across the continent in answer to the sad summons.

Except for a part of one year spent in Kansas in 1872, Mr. Harbison has been a resident of Iowa continuously since 1857, and since 1872 his home has been in this city.

As a youth he accepted Christ as his Savior and became a member of the United Presbyterian church, with which his parents had long been connected. In 1889 he came into this Presbyterian church, and as to his faithfulness in service and his consistent, earnest Christian life we who are gathered here today can testify.

He will be missed in the community, in social and business circles, by those who have been accustomed to associating with him constantly throughout the years that have passed, but he will be more greatly missed in the religious circles of Indianola than any other, and more than all, in his own church, where his presence and faithful service in the Sabbath school, in the prayer meeting, in the brotherhood, in the session, and in the choir have covered such a large number of years and have made him one of the most familiar personalities in all of its history. May the splendid qualities of his religious life, of which you are all more or less well acquainted, find a large place in each of your lives and may His Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ be the Savior of everyone in this assembly.

The services were held at the First Presbyterian church, Monday, March 10th conducted by his pastor, Rev. W. Oscar Harless.

Link to Gravestone Photo
 

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