Artist: Robert Wadsworth Grafton (1876–1936)
William Alexander Harris
HARRIS, WILLIAM ALEXANDER (1841–1909), inducted circa 1909
William Harris was born in Virginia and educated at Virginia Military Institute, graduating just as the Civil War was beginning. After serving as a colonel in the Confederate Army, Harris moved to Kansas as a civil engineer and land negotiator for railroad companies. In 1882, he began importing stock from Cruickshank’s herd and two years later established a “Scotch” Shorthorn operation at Linwood. He was a popular auctioneer and judge and served as managing director of the International Live Stock Exposition. Harris also served in the US House of Representatives, the Kansas Senate, and the US Senate.
Source: Saddle & Sirloin Guidebook 2026, p. 105